Kiss - Live at Download Festival 2022

After a two year wait, the UK finally witnessed the final UK KISS performance as founding members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons bow out in style. The place was the magnificent Donington race track and the event was Download Festival 2022. The perfect summer night was on …

From the moment they rolled the intro tape with Led Zeppelin’s “Rock n Roll” to the famous intro line “You wanted the best, you’ve got the best…” it was a night that belonged to the them.

They Blitzed with “Detroit Rock City” and we were off, what an spectacle. Borrowing a little from their own lyrics, lets just say that…. “The amplifiers start to hum, the carnival has just begun…” the visuals, the lights, the lasers, the pyro!!

KISS is nearly 50 years old and they still look and act the part, granted Paul Stanley’s vocals are not as sharp as you would like but at 70yrs of age you might reconsider the critic and give him some space, still all songs appear to be played in the original key as opposed to some acts these days that start shifting keys to accommodate a fading lead singer. Gene’s vocals sound exactly the same, his songs were never on the high range but nevertheless impressive performance all around.

The Cat Man and the Space Man are they perfect fit for the two founding members, we may not have Peter and Ace anymore but Eric and Tommy are excellent musicians and they play their role to perfection, could not ask for more.

Hit after Hit, they go through the setlist with classics like “Deuce”, “War Machine” and “Cold Gin”

As always there’s a guitar solo spot for the Space Man and Tommy Thayer nails it with his white signature Gibson Les Paul and the Marshall stacks, his style marries perfectly the feel of the original space man but with a flurry of technical ability that leaves everybody in awe.

“Lick it Up” and “Calling Dr Love” pave the way for “Psycho Circus” played with ferocious intensity and totally accepted as a classic now. Then is Eric Singer’s turn to have a little fun and that he does, taking the audience to a rollercoaster ride of a drum solo, he managed to get everybody involved with clapping and shouting, not a easy thing with 60,000+ attendees but what and spectacle to witness.

Then the scary bit, as in the Demon shows up and the night goes dark or dark green to be precise, Gene Simmons starts his routine and even to this day I have to say it works a treat, just looking around a you see the faces of the new generation of kids watching (loads of under 12) the eyes, the twitches, the blood, the bass, the noise, the flight….. still works and they love it, we love it. “God of Thunder” has arrived and he looks awesome at 72yrs of age. Then is Paul’s turn to do his thing that is flying over the crowd to sing “Love Gun” a little heavy disco tune in the form of “I Was Made for Loving You”…. from the tiny stage infront of the sound desk, just remember this…. he is 70yrs old.

They “close” the night with the brilliant “Black Diamond” but we all know that the encore will come and they didn’t disappoint. “Beth” sung by Eric Singer with more feel and technique than ever, then a little bit of “Do You Love Me” do you?? and the finale….. “Rock n Roll All Nite” smashed guitars, bright lights, pyro, loads of smoke and massive fireworks… What a show!!

Sad to see them go but totally understandable, they came, they saw, they conquered. Thank you KISS

Set List

Detroit Rock City
Shout It Out Loud
Deuce
War Machine
Heaven's on Fire
I Love It Loud
Say Yeah
Cold Gin
Guitar Solo (Tommy Thayer)
Lick It Up
Calling Dr. Love
Tears Are Falling
Psycho Circus
Drum Solo (Eric Singer)
100,000 Years
Bass Solo (Gene Simmons)
God of Thunder
Love Gun
I Was Made for Lovin' You
Black Diamond
Encore:
Beth
Do You Love Me
Rock and Roll All Nite

Pav Salgado10 June 2022