Over the weekend in Las Vegas, KISS thrilled fans during the KISS Kruise: Landlocked in Vegas event by reuniting for two special “unmasked” performances. The band’s most recent lineup—co-founding singer/bassist Gene Simmons and singer/guitarist Paul Stanley, and longtime lead guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer—played an acoustic show on Friday, November 14, and an electric set the following day.
During the latter show, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick joined the rock legends for the final two songs. Meanwhile, on Sunday, November 16, Simmons, Stanley, Thayer, and Singer took part in a lengthy Q&A session during which they discussed various aspects of KISS’ career, including what the future might hold in store for the band.
According to a recap by Blabbermouth.net, one topic that came up is whether KISS has plans to create new music. Specifically, moderator Chris Jericho asked if the band was possibly working on new songs that would appear in the in-development KISS avatar show or the upcoming biopic Shout It Out Loud.
“There may be some music in the works, and that’s part of the surprise,” Stanley teased. “We’d like to tell you what we’re doing, the things that are planned. The problem is that so much of what we may bring up never comes to fruition. Music, yeah, that looks pretty damn … more than possible. Probable.
Stanley added, “I’m not going to give you any hints, but I only write when there’s a project, and I’ve been writing.”
About the Reunion Performances
KISS’ two performances at the KISS Kruise: Landlocked in Vegas gathering marked the first time the band had played live since the final show of the group’s End of the Road farewell tour in December 2023 at Madison Square Garden. The new concerts, held at Virgin Hotels resort and casino, featured KISS performing without makeup or costumes.
During the acoustic set, KISS paid tribute to late founding lead guitarist Ace Frehley, who died on October 16. The fans were asked to take part in a moment of silence for Ace.
At the end of the electric show, Kulick hit the stage to play “Lick It Up” and “Rock and Roll All Nite” with his old band.
Stanley was asked during the Q&A how it felt playing with the band again after such a long hiatus.
“It was special for us because we know—and there’s no false modesty—we’re really good as a band, and really solid,” Paul said. “You can put smoke bombs on stage and you can put on makeup and boots and all that stuff, and at the end of the day, a crappy band is a crappy band. For us to get up and play just like this [without makeup or costumes], it feels really good for us.”
He continued, “[It was] interesting for us after two years to get into a rehearsal room. It’s like riding a bike. We are who we are, and as soon as we plug in, that’s what we sound like. … We’ve been together [with this lineup] for 20 years. We have a ball. Bands talk about being family and that they love each other—we actually have a ball together, and that’s why we’ve been together as long as we have. It’s fun.”
Whether There Will Be More KISS Performances
KISS also was asked whether fans can expect more performances from KISS.
“We haven’t talked about it,” Stanley admitted. “We’re really proud of what we did last night. We were no different than we expected. We know what we’re capable of, and it was great. What we’ll do at this point? I have no idea.”
Simmons Reflected on KISS’ Legacy
At another point in the interview, Simmons reflected on KISS’ enduring legacy, and shared that there was still more exciting things to come from the band.
“[H]ere we are, over half a century [after the band start]. We’re still here,” Gene noted. “There have been lots of heartbreak[s], devastation—Ace’s passing… and we continue, because the legacy of KISS has to continue.”
He added, “Despite the fact that some of you think that this is the sunset, I promise you, this is the beginning. This is the caterpillar that’s going to become the beautiful butterfly. We’ve seen plans for the future, and it will blow your mind.”
