Not only did rock legends KISS celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2014, and not only was it the year they were inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, but it was also the year they played an extended residency at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, of which a full show has been documented on this Blu-ray/CD combo titled KISS: Rocks Vegas from the fine folks at Eagle Rock. Packed with classic songs from throughout their career, this energetic set shows the band older, wiser, but still able to give a kick ass performance.
The current line-up of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Eric Singer, and Tommy Thayer have now been together for quite a while, and the synergy between them shows. This is a well-oiled machine, from all the parts the musicians play to the lights and pyrotechnics; every movement, sound, and effect has been well choreographed to provide for maximum entertainment. The packed crowd at The Joint was loving every minute of it, as the band tore through so many songs from their history, not leaving many eras untouched and providing a good cross referencing of their deep back catalog. Of course, the mandatory tracks are here, such as "Love Gun", "Detroit Rock City", "Deuce", "God of Thunder", "Parasite", "Shout it Out Loud", "Black Diamond", and "Rock and Roll All Night", and they sound as good as ever, but the inclusion of '80s gems like "War Machine", "Creatures of the Night", "I Love it Loud", "Tears are Falling", "Lick it Up" and even later numbers "Psycho Circus" and "Hell or Halleluja" make for a well rounded set, and it's great to see the fans getting into these songs as much as the old '70s favorites. A bonus acoustic set even pulls out some deeper cuts such as "Plaster Caster", "Goin' Blind" (a personal favorite!), "Christine Sixteen" and of course "Beth" and "Hard Luck Woman", the latter two perfect for the 'unplugged' setting.
The audio & video quality is superb, the camera work spot on, and the stage presentation bombastic as only a KISS concert could be, so you'll feel as if you are right there in the front row enjoying the show. Negatives? Well, there's a feeling of 'if you've seen one KISS live DVD/Blu-ray over the last 10-15 years, you've seen them all' sort of familiarity, as other than a few odd songs here and there, all the staples are here, as well as the stage stunts and movements. This is KISS after all; they know what the fans want, and if it's repetition that sells, the band is more than willing to give it to their audiences to the best of their abilities. Gene and Paul for their part don't quite have the vocal range they used to, so the songs are altered in lower keys to compensate, but the musicianship is top notch (Thayer really is a tasty player who nails all the Ace Frehley licks) and the arrangements very tight. Ultimately, this Blu-ray is a lot of fun, and comes in a killer package that will feel right at home in your video collection.
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
1. Detroit Rock City
2. Creatures Of The Night
3. Psycho Circus
4. Parasite
5. War Machine
6. Tears Are Falling
7. Deuce
8. Lick It Up
9. I Love It Loud
10. Hell Or Halleluja & Tommy Solo
11. God Of Thunder
12. Do You Love Me
13. Love Gun
14. Black Diamond
15. Shout It Out Loud
16. Rock And Roll All Night
Acoustic Set:
1. Coming Home
2. Plaster Caster
3. Hard Luck Woman
4. Christine Sixteen
5. Goin' Blind
6. Love Her All I Can
7. Beth
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