On this day in KISStory - May 4, 1990, KISS began their Hot In The Shade Tour in Lubbock, Texas and went on to perform over 120 shows before ending Nov. 9th at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The tour featured the biggest KISS stage since the 70's with a huge Sphinx nicknamed Leon as the center piece. KISS made a dramatic entrance through Leon's mouth while surrounded by green lasers. Though there was no "You wanted the best, you got the best" intro, an energetic KISS tore through a 21 song set list spanning their entire career.

Several other KISS concert staples, Gene breathing fire and Paul smashing his guitar, were also absent from the show. But Leon was the perfect compliment to the powerful KISS set, shooting fireworks out of his eyes and "singing" the middle section of "God of Thunder" before collapsing to the stage during the bombastic end of "Detroit Rock City". On the encore, KISS brought out the mirrored ball and the famous lighted KISS sign finally made an appearance, rising slowly from below the stage to the roar of the crowd as KISS kicked into "I Want You".

Set list most nights:

I Stole Your Love / Deuce / Heaven's On Fire / Crazy, Crazy Nights / Lick It Up / Black Diamond / Shout It Out Loud / Strutter / Calling Dr. Love / Rise To It / Fits Like A Glove / God Of Thunder / Forever / Hide Your Heart / Cold Gin / Tears Are Falling / I Love It Loud / Love Gun / Detroit Rock City / I Want You / Rock And Roll All Nite

On a few occasions during the tour KISS would also perform "C'mon And Love Me" and "I Was Made For Lovin' You". Eric Carr also sang "Little Caesar" at least once on the tour, which would be his last.

Here's another great fan-filmed clip from Newcastle!



The Fans Speak! Check out these great comments from the KISS Army on YouTube... the fans tell it like it is...And like it was!

Wyldecard62 - Wasn't just a gig, it was a complete experience. There are vids on here from their City Hall show on 29 Sept 88, I was at that show too, and they may be 22 years older but they are as tight musically as ever. Simply the best show for a looong time...

rich7579 - Was never a huge Kiss fan.......UNTIL LAST NIGHT! Best gig I've ever been to by any band. Absolutely outstanding.

jamieworldhero @ BlackDiamond351 - Ya, considering how well their perfoming now, they will last a long time.

PlasterCaster94 - I was there! Seen them twice before and it was definitely the best I've seen them! Seeing them again on the 5th in Birmingham. I lost my voice too! Hahaha

wayneschlaegal @mibon1984 - They were brilliant, I liked the joint drum/guitar solo with Tommy and Eric.

KISS IS EVERYWHERE!

Gene Simmons is featured on the cover of the latest issue of the Italian METAL HAMMER magazine.

Thanks to Fabio "Deuce" Mainardi for sending KISSonline the image.

KISS IS EVERYWHERE!

Check out this giant KISS display in a Budapest shopping center, promoting KISS' upcoming May show in Hungary!

Thanks to Pocky Demon for sending KISSonline this image.

Hey KISS,

I'm Ringoet Rikkie and I'm a great KISS fan. I'm a modeller from the Belgium modellers club "On The Road". I made my own KISS SONIC BOOM tourbus. It's on a scale off 1/24 and it's totally from plastic. It's made from my own fantasy.

Loves KISS forever and greetz from Belgium

LETTERS

Here's a few fan-filmed clips from tonight's KISS show in Newcastle.

Here's a collage of photos from KISS' Sheffield and Newcastle shows.

Thanks to the KISS Army UK for these great letters about yesterday's Sheffield show. Keep them coming! We love to hear what you think.

Photo by James Dean

Guys!

My feet still haven't hit Terra Firma after seeing you play in Sheffield last night. I can't wait to see you again in Manchester on the 10th! I've been a fan for 20-odd years but for various reasons I've never gotten to see you - until last night. I KNEW it would be good, and a 'tick in the box' (finally got to see Kiss Live) but it was SO much more! I have NEVER seen anything like it. You guys could shame any band on the planet. Not just the amazing fireworks and stage-set, but the music!! You are true pro's who are at the top of your game - now more than ever, and I've been a fan for a long, LONG time. I just cannot describe how fantastic a live Kiss performance is, now I have (finally!) experienced it first hand. I could write all night, but I shouldn't, so I'll just say that I've witnessed the best show on earth, and will be lucky enough to see it again in a week's time. KISS absolutely rule, and there isn't anything that can compare or compete. This will NEVER happen again, and I'm honored to have been part of such an amazing experience. Thank you guys. You delivered more than I could ever have wished for. You are somehow better than ever, and you've always been better than anybody else. Thank you for providing the best live experience I have ever been part of.

Chris

Wow , I am 39 and I have just enjoyed my 1st ever Kiss concert , you guys really know how to rock. I had a feeling that last night was gonna be good - but I cannot find the words to say the feeling it left me with. I can honestly say that in 20 years of watching rock concerts at venues all over the UK that without a doubt that is the best one I have ever been to! I can only hope that you may release a live DVD of the Sheffield show. I will be first in line to buy that one !! Keep on rocking , many thanks to you guys for an incredible night .

All the best,
Simon Harrow


Thanks for a wonderful show last night!! What an entrance!! I'd not seen you live since 1992 and wondered how the years would have affected you but if anything you are tighter in concert than ever! Gene gets a lot of digs from some people but last night he showed yet again what a great performer he is, you all did - absolutely brilliant!

Thanks again!
Andy Field

KISS IS EVERYWHERE!

Here's an image of the New Castle Journal KISS piece that ran earlier this week.

By Walter Hamilton, Los Angeles Times

The lead singer and guitarist for the rock band KISS learned the benefits of branding early in his career.

Background: Born Jan. 20, 1952, as Stanley Bert Eisen in the Bronx, N.Y., to a furniture salesman and a nurse. Formed a short-lived band, Wicked Lester, with fellow New Yorker Gene Simmons in the early 1970s. They dropped that name and formed KISS with Peter Criss and Ace Frehley in January 1973.

Big dreams: As a child, Stanley was shy but felt in his gut that he could be a rock 'n' roll star. "When I first saw the Beatles on 'Ed Sullivan,' I was a pudgy, little, unpopular kid. But I had this epiphany that I could do what [the musicians on TV] were doing. To think that when you could count your friends on two fingers, and you're not the kid who's taking home the trophy for best looking, is your innate voice talking."

Check out this cool KISS birthday cake for 9-year-old KISS fan Jake! Jake is the son of Danny Schuler, drummer from the band BIOHAZARD... and his kids love KISS!

Here's a fan-filmed clip of most of "Let Me Go, Rock And Roll" from Sheffield.

Check out this fan-filmed clip of KISS' great new entrance in Sheffield tonight.

Here's KISS at the opening of their Sheffield show tonight.

KISS ARMY England, you look great!

Check out the scenes before tonight's KISS show in Sheffield.

Thanks to Stig of KISS ARMY Norway for the photos!