KISS Rocks Oslo

KISS played a set of well-selected songs, with a solid close to the first night of Kollen Sommervestival

By: Jørn Gjersøe
Photo by Jørn Gjersøe

For many years KISS sat stuck in a mud of lack of creativity and originality. The band made a few less-impressive albums in the 1990s and 2000. But the turning point came in 2010. After a long wait, we got one of the best albums we'd heard in a long time – Sonic Boom was a breath of fresh air for KISS.

One can criticize Kiss for being cynical and just thinking about the money, but it can't be the money that is driving them anymore. They have enough to buy a tropical island and sit there for the rest of their lives But there's one thing they're always going to have: they always deliver on stage, and this Saturday was no exception. The band appeared even more inspired than I have seen them in the past and it's obvious that they are enjoying a new era as a group.

The concert in Oslo, Norway is not part of any major tour, but it can also be viewed as a warmup for this summer's planned United States tour along with Mötley Crüe. With an opportunity to warm up this summer, KISS opened with the classics "Detroit Rock City", "Shout It Out Loud" and "Deuce." With the crowd singing both during and between songs, the band glided effortlessly into "Making Love."

KISS is never about only the show or just the music -- it's a synthesis. Fans must take both parts together. And, as long as KISS plays songs from three different decades, something "Crazy Nights" was a good example of tonight, KISS is impressive, undeniably impressive.

Also impressive, KISS never attempts using prerecordings of any form or sampled, recorded backing vocal tracks. The band hammers it out trouble-free, blowing off off more pyro than a average Norwegian municipality on New Year's Eve.

"Are you getting what you came for?" asked Paul Stanley rhetorically, knowing the answer he'll receive. And it's good. The older crowd, mixed up with some of their offspring, got exactly what they had come for.

Tommy Thayer sang the vocal on "Shock Me" and his teaming with Eric Singer has been a good addition to this musical community.

We had all the usual ingredients with the blood-spitting Gene, Tommy's rocket-shooting, and even an extra bazooka blast from Eric. Paul could still throw the microphone too.

We ended in a sea of white confetti that made this site look like any other ski jump-on Saturday, before the accompanying smash of Paul's guitar.

All in all, it was a solid last blast, which set the tone for the first night of the Festival.