Introduction

A pretty decent show and worth tracking down for Paul’s “ Take It Off ’’ banter alone.

Background

This was the fifty-first show of the fifty-five date Revenge tour. The show was originally to be held at the KeyWest Arena but was moved due to poor ticket sales

Audio Specifics

Unfortunately, despite the good sound (in the area of 7.5 out of 10), there are a few cuts in the show. Firstly, there is a short cut near the end of Firehouse before the sirens come on. Secondly, there is a longer cut at the beginning of Detroit Rock City. This occurs just after Paul starts singing.

The Show

Creatures of The Night- good Paul vocals highlight this show opener.

Deuce- throughout this shows Gene always seems to say (to the audience) “ let me see your hands ’’ or “ I can’t hear you ’’. A small or unenthusiastic crowd might explain Gene’s constant pleas to the audience for more noise. At any rate, Gene’s vocals are clean and Eric and Bruce do solid work on this longtime favourite.

I Just Wanna- this song is an audience participation song more than anything. The actual song is nothing special and Eric’s drums seem buried but hearing the crowd say the F-word repeatedly is amusing enough, I guess.

Unholy- a surprisingly decent version compared to some of the absolutely dreadful live versions of this song. Gene’s vocals, which are the key to the song, are passable. Bruce’s solo near the end of the song is a little sloppy.

Parasite- a welcome addition to the setlist after a seventeen-year absence. This version is not as good as the San Francisco 1975 video version but is still pretty damn good. It makes you wonder why the band forgot this song for so many years.

Heaven’s on Fire- a decent but not particularly fiery (no pun intended) version of this non-makeup setlist staple. At the start of the song Paul does his best to encourage the audience,

“ come on Seattle, put your hands up ’’.

Domino-This song and “ Take It Off ’’ are the only songs from Revenge that really work well in a live environment. Eric and Bruce don’t miss a beat but Gene mumbles a few lyrics in the middle of the song.

Watchin’ You- another gem that hasn’t been played in ages. Vocally, Gene has some problems, especially the high notes, but I have yet to hear a bad version of this song.

Hotter Than Hell- I think the Revenge lineup plays one of the best versions of this song. This particular version has more energy then some of the 1970’s versions and Paul’s vocals are great.

Firehouse- this song is segued from Hotter Than Hell. Another up-tempo version of this song. As mentioned earlier, there is a slight cut before the sirens come on but is barely worth mentioning.

I Want You- before this song, Paul says “ we’ve brought more bombs than we ever have to Seattle ’’. I doubt this claim since the Revenge tour is not exactly known for a great amount of pyrotechnics. The spoken word beginning of this song is perfect for audience participation and the audience certainly participates.

Forever- Paul mentions that Alive III was recorded the week before. The crowd ooh’s and aah’s then Paul promptly misses an early verse in the song. The guitars seem a little loud which distracts from the subtlety of it but then Kiss has never really been known for ballads, right ?

War Machine- a nice heavy version of this Creatures of The Night gem. Clear vocals by Gene and solid drumming by Eric make this song a winner.

Rock and Roll All Nite- an odd place for this traditional show closer. Spirited playing and vocals make this a worthwhile version. I’m not sure it really fits in the middle of the show but the band deserves marks for trying it anyway.

Lick It Up- a passable version. Nothing bad but nothing great either.

Take It Off- One of the most entertaining songs of the entire show. Paul’s banter before the song and towards the end of it is amusing. Mr. Stanley addresses a female fan in the crowd like this

“ if you squeeze those things any harder, it’s going to start to rain ’’.

Strutter- strong vocals by Paul and solid guitar work by Bruce highlight a rollicking version of this classic.

I Love It Loud- there are many bad versions of this song but this is not one of them ! The band does a great job with this song. One of the best played songs of the show.

Detroit Rock City- there is a slight cut at the beginning of the lyrics but Eric’s double-kick drumming gives this version some extra punch.

Shout It Out Loud- see Lick It Up comments.

God Gave Rock and Roll To You II- this song has never really worked in a live setting. Gene’s vocals are low and the tradeoffs between Gene and Paul don’t work really well. A good studio song but a weak song to have near the end of the show.

The Star Spangled Banner- a decent version with lots of pyrotechnics (as Paul promised).

Overall

This show is a good document from a good tour. Overall I would give the sound quality a 7.5 out of 10 and the performance an 8.5 out of 10. Gene sounds better (vocally) than he has in a while. If you are a fan of the Revenge lineup then this show is worthwhile tracking down.