Kiss O2 Arean London 31-5-17

First up was The Dives who have just released their debut ep Everybody's Talking and having Paul Stanley's son Evan helps to get an arena support slot!!
Playing to a huge crowd with new material is always difficult and they gave it their all playing a heavy pop music with one AC/DC inspired riff giving them some reaction.
Would like to see them again after learning some road craft and in a smaller venue.

Kiss were back in the UK for their first arena shows in 7 years and the chance for my son Matt who loves to them to see them live for the first time.

With the set about 4 songs shorter than 7 years ago here is the set played in 100 minutes.

Deuce
Shout It Out Loud
Lick It Up
I Love It Loud
Firehouse
Shock Me
Flaming Youth
God Of Thunder
Crazy Crazy Nights
War Machine
Say Yeah
Psycho Circus
Black Diamond
Rock And Roll All Nite
Encores of I Was Made For Lovin' You
Detroit Rock City

From the moment Deuce exploded out of the speakers this was arena rock with bells on.

Let's be honest nothing has changed it's Kiss doing what Kiss do best with more explosions than ever before and the biggest light rig and more screens seen in many a year including some right up into the roof of the arena..

Gene sticks his tongue out and Paul waggles his bum but all done in the best possible taste and Gene breathes fire too.

Gene spits blood before swooping to the roof for God of Thunder and Paul takes a wire to a stage mid arena for Psycho Circus and the start of Black Diamond and Tommy shoots fire from his guitar at the end of Shock Me.

The band take a minute of silence for the victims of last weeks horrific events in Manchester which was impeccably observed.

The set was the hits apart from the adding of Flaming Youth off Destroyer and say Yeah off Sonic Boom which both went down well.

As Rock And Roll All Nite was played confetti poured down and streamers engulfed the first 10 rows while Tommy and Gene went out over the audience on huge robotic arms while Eric Singer on drums also headed for the roof on a riser while flames soared and more tnt exploded again and again.So much to take in as the crowd went nuts.

It has to be mentioned that Paul's voice is officially shot.Even while talking it sounds squeaky and Crazy Crazy Nights chorus is played in a different key to no avail.Encore I Was Made For Lovin' You was greeted madly by the crowd and if I am honest it was ruined by his vocal which was truly awful before he gave up on the chorus.The man is a legend and his stage presence still incredible but vocally he has gone.

Detroit Rock City ended the set in bombastic style and we all left with ears ringing and huge grins so job done.

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