KISS Alive, Travels To Glenside For Show At Keswick Theater
by Alex Lloyd Gross
KISS is not touring anymore in make up. They may play a few shows without makeup here and there but the band is done touring. For those that want to reminisce or maybe see something they never saw, a tribute band is your best bet. One such band, KISS Alive is on a brief tour of the Northeast. The band hails from Florida and last night, local fans were able to catch them at the Keswick Theater.
As far as tribute bands go this is a decent band with a very eclectic setlist. In some ways, it was better than KISS. For example, the band did “Room Service”,which was not played live in this area since May of 1975 at the Tower Theater. “Sure Know Something” was never played live here and “Goin’ Blind might have been played back in 1974, when KISS played the Civic Center.
KISS Alive, is named after the blockbuster double live album that broke the band wide open. For a tribute band to be good they have to look and sound like the original thing. KISS Alive nailed it on sound and came darn close on looks.
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo Delaware Valley News.com No, it’s not Gene Simmons but this guy can deliver the goods for KISS Alive.
The stage set was very similar to the 1975 tour with the candelabra. For this show, there were no explosions, no fire breathing and no levitating drum riser. Guitar’s smoked, blood was spat and most of the classics were done, in addition to the deep cuts previously mentioned. The lighting matched for lighting on KISS shows.
You could include “She” as a deep cut and one KISS did not play since 1975 locally. It was played last night, as was “Love Gun”, “Black Diamond” and “Strutter”.
During the spring a summer months, local towns have free and almost free shows. These shows are played by tribute acts, some local, some national. Booking agents would be wise to check these guys out to get them on their local stage. The show was not sold out. The price of gas kept some people home.
At the show’s conclusion, the band went into the crowd to meet fans. It was free.