"You Wanted The
Best? You Got The Best. The Hottest Band
In The Land, KISS." This is the taped
introduction to every KISS concert since
the year dot. Who would be brave enough
to dispute this claim? Their stage shows
are folklore now, and after 30 years,
32 albums, and over 90 million record
sales, the band is still going strong.
The lineup has fluctuated dramatically
over the years with only main stays Gene
Simmons and Paul Stanley remaining constant.
Some musicians leave and return, as does
original drummer Peter Criss, for these
shows, but already less than a year down
the road he has been replaced by the returning
Eric Singer. The make-up of each replacement
musician stays the same so the crowd hardly
ever notices. The idea is that once you
are in the band, make sure you don't upset
Gene or Paul or you will find yourself
on the outside again. So, on this recording
you have Tommy Thayer, playing the role
of Silver Spaceman and Ace Frehley on
lead guitar, never missing a note or smudging
his make up.
Alive Four Symphony is the first Full
length concert available from the masters
of Theatre Rock and what a concert it
was, too. Over 40 thousand rabid KISS
fans attended, and it is spread over two
DVD’s. The first documents the arrival
of the band in Australia and their meeting
up with the conductor and musical director
of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with
its classically trained musicians. Although
it starts out in distrust and coldness,
but by the time of concert, band, Orchestra
members, and choir are as one and have
the time of their lives.
On Disc two is the full concert broken
up into three acts. The first act is the
4-piece rock band playing six of their
classic songs stripped to the bone. Act
two consists of five songs given the acoustic
treatment with a 12-piece string section.
Songs like 'Beth' and 'Forever', two ballads,
gave KISS surprise ballad single hits,
and have been screaming out for in the
live context. Act three is where all the
action really kicks off. The four members
of the band look great despite the fact
that all of them are in their sixth decade.
They rock ‘round the stage shaking
their booties like never before; all in
their adopted make up and specially made
stage space suits.
The Cat behind the drums only comes to
the front to play up to the crowd during
his solo singing spot in ‘Beth’.
The Spaceman on lead guitar takes every
opportunity to blaze out as many notes
per second solos as possible, and, being
new to the band, obviously loves every
second of it.
The Beast on bass, forever sticking out
the longest and most suggestive tongue
in rock, spits blood and eats fire during
his bass solo before flying bat-like sixty
feet into the gantry above the stage,
and then is flown down again to join his
crewmen.
Center stage is the Starman in his 8-inch
stack heeled boots, flouncing and pouting
at the audience, playing his guitar over
each shoulder before bringing it crashing
to the ground, and being flown round the
audience on a flying trapeze. Add to this
a 60-piece Orchestra and Conductor all
in full KISS make up (each member of the
Orchestra was allowed to choose which
member of KISS' make up they wanted to
wear) enjoying their new found freedom
in being able to play rock music instead
of the strict rigors of the classics.
When they are then joined by a 40-piece
Australian Children's Choir (naturally
also in full make up), the audience (half
of them are also in full KISS dress) go
completely wild. Add to this KISS playing
all their classic songs (ranging from
selections from their first album to their
latest studio effort); a great stage set;
a hilarious Paul Stanley in-between song
raps; some of the biggest and loudest
pyrotechnics ever set off on a rock stage,
and you have one of the greatest rock
shows ever recorded on this DVD.
Over the course of the two DVD's the
playing time (including bonus features)
clocks in at over three and a half hours.
So with KISS, as usual, everything to
excess.
Drawn by Mott the Dog
Colored in by Ella Crew
E-mail: review@mott-the-dog.com
