Kiss is rock and roll over. After over 2900 shows (they didn’t quite make 3000) Kiss played their final show at Madison Square Garden on Saturday December 2, 2023.
When we say final, we mean as in “in the flesh”. At the end of the show at Madison Square Garden Kiss announced they will continue as Avatars (like ABBA). The KISS avatars have been created by Pophouse Entertainment, the company behind the ABBA Voyage show in London. Paul Stanley said, It’s exciting for us to go the next step and see KISS immortalized.”
The very first show was 30 January, 1973 in Queens, New York. Here’s watch they played on their very first show before the release of their debut album. Before Kiss were Kiss they were called Wicked Lester. Wicked Lester were signed to Epic Records and recorded an album that was never released. ‘Love Her All I Can’ and ‘She’ were re-recorded as Kiss songs, but three Wicked Lester other songs where still around for that first show under the name Kiss.
On the first night, Kiss played two sets for the rotating club audience and repeated most of set one for set two.
KISS setlist, Queens, New York, 30 January 1973
First Set
Deuce (from Kiss, 1974)
Watchin’ You (from Hotter Than Hell, 1974)
Love Her All I Can (from Dressed To Kill, 1975) (originally Wicked Lester)
She (from Dressed To Kill, 1975) (originally Wicked Lester)
Simple Type (Wicked Lester)
Keep Me Waiting (Wicked Lester)
Want You Beside Me (Life in the Woods) (Wicked Lester)
Let Me Go, Rock ‘n’ Roll (aka Baby, Let Me Go) (from Hotter Than Hell, 1974)
Firehouse (from Kiss, 1974)
Black Diamond (from Kiss, 1974)
Second Set
Deuce (from Kiss, 1974)
Love Her All I Can (from Dressed To Kill, 1975)
She (from Dressed To Kill, 1975) (originally Wicked Lester)
Want You Beside Me (Life in the Woods) (Wicked Lester)
Simple Type (Wicked Lester)
Keep Me Waiting (Wicked Lester)
Let Me Go, Rock ‘n’ Roll (aka Baby, Let Me Go) (from Hotter Than Hell, 1974)
Watchin’ You (from Hotter Than Hell, 1974)
KISS Setlist New York, 2 December 2023
Detroit Rock City (from Destroyer, 1976)
Shout It Out Loud (from Destroyer, 1976)
Deuce (from Kiss, 1974)
War Machine (from Lick It Up, 1983)
Heaven’s on Fire (from Animalize, 1984)
I Love It Loud (from Creatures of the Night, 1982)
Say Yeah (from Sonic Boom, 2009)
Cold Gin (from Kiss, 1974)
Guitar solo
Lick It Up (from Lick It Up, 1983)
Calling Dr. Love (from Rock and Roll Over, 1976)
Makin Love (from Rock and Roll Over, 1976)
Psycho Circus (from Psycho Circus, 1998)
Drum Solo
100,000 Years (from Kiss, 1974)
Bass Solo
God of Thunder (from Destroyer, 1976)
Love Gun (from Love Gun, 1976)
I Was Made for Lovin’ You (from Dynasty, 1979)
Black Diamond (from Kiss, 1974)
Encore:
Beth (from Destroyer, 1976)
Do You Love Me (from Destroyer, 1976)
Rock and Roll All Nite (from Dressed To Kill, 1974)
So stayed tuned for more KISS as avatars and coming to a venue near you for the rest of your life, and your kids like and their kids life and on and on and on.
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