Charlotte Rock City

Q: Where is the only place you can find people from age 5 to age 65 wearing face paint?
A. the Circus   B. a Halloween party  C. a KISS concert  or D. All of the above

The correct answer is C. a KISS concert, and I am not lying when I say you can find an age range of 5 to 65 in the audience.

On Saturday night I went to see KISS for the second time...and it was just as awesome if not awesomer than the first time.  My girlfriend Caroline joined me for this venture, and it was her first time seeing the hottest band in the land.  She loved it, I loved it, and everyone in the audience loved it.

The show was held at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it proved to be quite the venue.  Caroline and I won free tickets from 102.1 The Fox in Florence, as we were the tenth (winning) callers in their KISS ticket giveaway.  The seats were located in the lawn section of the Amphitheatre, which is a large, grass yard section located behind the regular chair-back seats.  The lawn was awesome, and I wouldn't have preferred to be anywhere else (except maybe front row center but who wouldn't?).  We spread out a couple of blankets and set up camp about midway through the lawn.  We had a nice breeze, a sweet view of the starry night sky, and of course a great view of KISS.  Also, thanks to the open air the sound dispersed out and didn't rattle our brains too badly.  Because believe me, KISS put the AMP in Amphitheatre.  We sat on our blankets and survived listening to the opening bands before the real deal came on stage.  We were psyched.

There truly is nothing like the spectacle that is a KISS concert.  The show started with an opening video portraying KISS as Godzilla-like monsters towering through downtown Charlotte next to the skyscrapers, as they made their way to the Amphitheatre.  Then they rose up out of the stage, and came to life rocking like no others.

If you've ever wondered why Paul Stanley wears a star on his face, let me tell you why.  He is a star, and an excellent showman to say the least.  He kept the audience engaged, captivated, and participating throughout the night.  He would say a few words between each song to transition to the next song.  His transitions were the smoothest and crispest that I've ever heard.  He kept yelling CHAAAAALOTTEE all night long when referring to the audience, and of course he sang his lungs out.

Gene Simmons was Gene Simmons.  Even though Gene took the backseat and let Paul talk to the audience for the evening, all eyes were still on him.  Everyone has heard legends about the blood-spitting, fire-breathing, high-flying demon that is Gene Simmons, and he lived up to every bit of the folklore.  He wagged his iconic oversized tongue like a mad dog, and the audience lapped it up.  It really is amazing to see Gene fly up to the rafters after spitting blood along with a raunchy bass groove.  I guarantee you won't see anyone else sing a song from the rafters, and then pound his chest like King Kong.

While Gene and Paul make up the flashy exterior of KISS, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer make up the engine that keeps them rocking and rolling.  They definitely don't get the recognition that they deserve.  They are top-of-the-line musicians, and they're living the dream.  Tommy's firework shooting guitar and Eric's lengthy, fast-paced drum solos were great additions to the already stellar show.

I bet you're wondering how the hottest band on the planet ended this most bodacious rockfest.  How does a five song encore sound?  That's right five more KISS rock anthems with Paul zip-lining over the audience.  They certainly saved the best for last, as they blasted their best known anthem Rock and Roll All Nite while the audience was showered with confetti, ticker tape, and smoke.

If you've never seen KISS live, do yourself a favor and DO IT! You will not be disappointed I guarantee.  So step aside Barnum and Bailey, KISS is the Greatest Show On Earth.

Visit kissonline.com and GET YOUR PARTY STARTED!!!