Kiss - Alive In Melbourne!

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

I'm currently still sporting my Vinnie makeup!!! I took heaps of photos too on the train, at home and outside the venue.

Cool show! Surprisingly the normal Kiss show part was the worst, I thought it'd be the best. Just seemed pretty uninspired and not much atmosphere.... then came the acoustic part which was pretty cool... Goin' Blind, Forever and Shandi RULED!

Then the big part of the show... the orchestra sounded great with them! Love Gun was my highlight again as it was last tour, it always seems to get the crowd going the most.

I also got HEAPS of comments coz of my makeup! Out of 35,000 I think I was the only one in Vinnie makeup! Everyone was either like "wow AWESOME to see someone dressed as past members! Vinnie rules!" or completely bagging him and calling him a dropkick lol. I even saw a guy in the same Vinnie Vincent Invaison shirt I have a tank top of hehe, he said something like "If you weren't a guy I'd kiss you right now!" haha!

Anyway, Tommy Thayer was cool... JUST like Ace. Acted like him and sounded like him, but strangely there was no guitar solo (or drum solo for that matter). Peter sucked. The only times during the show that the orchestra and Kiss didn't fit well were a couple of occasions where Peter went a bit out of time.

Setlist time? I think so (Might be a little bit wrong though lol) They seem to be obsessed with Destroyer at the moment lol. They played 7 songs off it!

Set 1 (Traditional Kiss set):
- Deuce
- Strutter
- Let Me Go, Rock & Roll
- Lick It Up- Calling Dr. Love

- Psycho Circus

Set 2 (Unplugged set):
- Beth
- Forever
- Goin' Blind
- Sure Know Something
- Shandi

Set 3 (Full orchestra):
- Detroit Rock City
- King Of The Night Time World
- Do You Love Me?
- Shout It Out Loud
- God Of Thunder (w/Bass solo)
- Love Gun
- Black Diamond

Encore:
- Great Expectations
- I Was Made For Lovin' You
- Rock & Roll All Nite

So 21 songs all together, 10 with the full orchestra and 5 unplugged ones with the 10 piece ensemble. The coolest thing for me is that when "Alive in Melbourne" or "Kiss Symphony" or whatever it will be called is released as an album and DVD, I can say I was there at the recording of a Kiss album! And I can say I am ON it! In the crowd noise lol. I can also pick out overdubs they might do, see where they cut out talking between songs, etc lol.

Paul was VERY talky during the show, that was its main down point I think. He wouldn't shut up about telling the crowd over and over "you're so special", "we love you so much", "we're so honoured to be here and that you want us back", etc.

All in all, a great fun night though! I tried to get into the official Kiss after party at Crown afterwards but I couldn't Oh well... the city was swarming with Kiss fans though it was great!

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

Oh... I was also interviewed by a guy who was filming for the official DVD of the concert! But I won't get on, because I said "VINNIE RULES!" and that he should be playing tonight instead of Tommy hahaha.

 

[Goreripper]

I even saw a guy in the same Vinnie Vincent Invaison shirt I have a tank top of hehe, he said something like "If you weren't a guy I'd kiss you right now!"

And you didn't let him, Trent?

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

Nup but I had a chat to him for a while. Hahahah my sister chased a guy in Eric makeup at Crown later in the night with her camera and said "Can I take a photo of you with my brother? He's in Vinnie makeup and I want Eric and Vinnie together!" So I got a photo with some dude I dont know haha.

I have to say, overall it was a good show. It started off worse than I expected the traditional Kiss show part to be, but the orchestra part was alot better than I expected and overall it was better than I thought it'd be. Still didn't compare to the last 2 Kiss tours though.

 

[spawn]

Oh... I was also interviewed by a guy who was filming for the official DVD of the concert! But I won't get on, because I said "VINNIE RULES!" and that he should be playing tonight instead of Tommy hahaha.

Somehow I dont think that will get on the dvd if Gene or Peter have anything to do with it! It would be funny if it makes it though

 

[Spiff]

I can't believe they played Great Expectations. Is this their worst song ever? Yes, I think it might be.

 

[spawn]

Shandi is a great song!

 

[Los4words]

Hey Trent, i saw you get on the train at Moorabbin (I was in the next carriage!) but lost you at Flinders Street when the train ended

I enjoyed the show heaps but thought it wasnt loud enough - also i thought the orchestra could have been louder, more predominent (they were playing the best anyways).

Set lists were great choices excluding Great Expectations. I agree Peter sucked (usually does - so wish it was Eric !). Like when they raised the drum kit and he like stands up and wavesd his sticks = where was the wicked solo? made me laugh... eric was so much better last tour.

Tommy was ok - did u notice for all Pauls TALK he didnt ONCE thank Tommy for doing the show.

Favourite Bit - the start of full on Orchestra when they did the God Of Thunder bit - orchestra only OMFG! that was HOT ! Goin Blind close second.. nuff said !

 

[spawn]

Tommy was ok - did u notice for all Pauls TALK he didnt ONCE thank Tommy for doing the show.

They probably thought they had everyone fooled that it was Ace

 

[TinMan666]

bugger. I wish I'd gone now. Sounds like it was hella good.

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

Great Expectations was easily the lowest point of the night. BORING AWFUL SONG! Sounded so terrible! And yeah I agree Jason, it was DEFINITELY not loud enough! If you can hear yourself talking to people during the songs at a rock show, something is wrong! The sound at Colonial isn't too great either, Melbourne Park has much better sound. I also wish Eric was on drums.... last tour rocked, we got Ace but not Peter! Haha!

When the orchestra did God Of Thunder before the main set, that did sound pretty awesome!!! And Goin' Blind was also a major highlight for me, love that song and it works really well unplugged.

The main highlight for me is always the "You wanted the best..." part at the start!! Haha!

So you were on the same train??? Damn I missed you then!! I was relieved when I got to Moorabbin station and it was full of Kiss fans haha. Didn't feel so funny in makeup lol. Where were your seats Jason?

Was a fun night and a good show!

 

[Los4words]

I went with a mate (mad Kiss) we sat D23 (right up the back on floor) to the left.

After first straight KiSS set we moved half way up and stood at the Yellow barrrier (back of the megabucks section) and bolted inside for last song

Sound SUCKED up the back for first set, so stoked to get a good possie for the rest - could see clear as !


Where were you ???

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

Ohhh cool so you were in amongst all the good atmosphere!! I was at the front of the top deck LOL. No atmosphere there, everyone is too self conscious to make noise up there because its quieter.

 

[Wrathchild]

KISS have been obsessed with Destroyer for the past 27 years, people Along with the first album, it's the one they've always played the most tracks from live.

Peter can always be relied upon to be average at best. I hope his appearance was just a one-off and he's not back in permanently. Since we can't have Eric Carr, I'd rather see Singer in the band any day.

Still looking forward to seeing Tommy in action, which I will when the DVD hits the shelves. Sounds like a great time was had by all!

And for the record, I like Great Expectations, especially since I heard the remastered version. My vote for the worst KISS song goes to King of Hearts uke:

W

 

[Southy]

KISS have always ever only been mediocre at best IMO. I would like to hear the ochestra stuff though, but i am sick of wankers telluin me how cool the band was to think of it..I can think of at least 2 bands that have done it before

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

Yeah but Metallica's was boring, Kiss' was exciting

Wrathy, King Of Hearts rules!!! Reminds me a bit of A Million To One, that similar Bon Jovi-ish melodic hard rock feel. Great song!

Great Expectations is one of my worst Kiss songs, along with all of Peter's solo album haha and possibly I Finally Found My Way lol.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Metallica's S&M album is excellent IMO..

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

I think the ochestra on that kinda spoils the songs. But apart from that, it would've been a really boring concert to see in my opinion, and the video is also really boring.

The difference is that Metallica seemed to do it on the symphony's terms.... small venue, all very classy, etc. Kiss did a full exciting stadium show. So it was much better. It was like they added the orchestra into their own show.

I know that doesn't make a difference for the album, but it makes a huge difference for the DVD/Video and being there.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Your right about how different they are, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing that Metallica did it in a more laid back and classy way. I think they were probably all very nervous about having to play closer to perfection than at their own shows, which is why the performance was a bit more serious, and not as much of a rock show, which as you said is what KISS put on, a rock show, with an added orcastra, where as Metallica put on a type of metal symphony.

Anyway, each to their own, different ways of doing things, but I love S&M, and will probably like KISS's release also.

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]