April 26,1976

Destroyer Tour

Maple Leaf Gardens - Toronto, Ontario, Canada

“The dry, acrid smell of sulphur filled Maple Leaf Gardens last night as sparklers, torches and almost anything else that would burn were hurled at KIϟϟ, the band on stage. This wasn’t an act of hostility on the part of the nearly 10,000 people in the audience, one of the largest crowds ever to fill the Garden’s concert-bowl set-up. It was just in the swing of things. From the moment KIϟϟ started they began blasting back at the crowd. It became an unfair fight, though. The band’s arsenal included just about every noise-making and flame-throwing device this side of Cape Kennedy… It would all have seemed simply silly, if not downright stupid, hand not so many chanting, fist-waving fans taken it so frighteningly seriously” (Toronto Star, 4/27/76).

happy birthday!!! 🎈🎂 🥳 🥂

Thank you⚡💙

April 4, 1977

Peter visits The Pearl Drum Factory in Chiba, Japan

April 3, 1983

Creatures Of The Night Tour

San Francisco Civic Auditorium - San Francisco, California

"Disguised and with enough bombs, smoke, sparklers and flame-throwers on stage to recreate the Normandy Invasion, KIϟϟ thunders into the show like a troupe of circus clowns, which, in many ways, they are. In recent years the heavier-handed Bible pounders have declared KIϟϟ to be agents of the devil and reported 'authentic' stories of backstage blood-rituals. KIϟϟ, of course, has responded by selling many more records and acquiring millions of new heavy metal fans. Last night, in front of the Civic Auditorium, a group of Christian youths paraded with placards on sticks condemning the 'devil's music' of KIϟϟ. As the fans went into the show many shouted 'right on' when they saw the signs" (San Francisco Examiner, 4/4/83).

KIϟϟ' final U.S. concert in make-up until the reunion in 1996.

Mötley Crüe were kicked off the tour after this show, it was apparently for ‘bad behavior’ though many believe it’s because Mötley was upstaging KIϟϟ. It has been rumored that the 'bad behavior’ that got them kicked off the tour was that Tommy and Nikki had been caught having sex with Eric Carr’s girlfriend behind eric’s drum kit in Phoenix, Arizona (march 28th) as he played Rock 'n’ Roll All Nite.

April 1, 1983

Creatures Of The Night Tour

Aladdin Theater for the Performing Arts - Las Vegas, Nevada

📸 Unknown

April 1, 1975

“The Midnight Special”

NBC Studios - Burbank, California

📸 Jeffrey Mayer

Although KIϟϟ recorded C'mon & Love Me, it was never aired. KIϟϟ had to be toned down and was asked that they not stick out their tongues or touch each others knees during any choreographed moves. Deuce, She and Ace’s solo premiered on July 11th, while Black Diamond aired on September 12.

Roadie Rick Munroe recalls: “I remember that Pearl gave Peter a drum kit to use that night. By the end of the set, it was in pieces. He just kicked the crap out of the kit. I think the band was pissed off over Peter at that.”

March 31, 1974

KIϟϟ Tour

Forest Park ‐ St. Louis, Missouri

“People were everywhere. Of the 105,000 people at the park Sunday, which incidentally was the biggest recorded crowd ever at Forest Park at one time… By 3 o'clock, the crowd was ready for music. A local group called the Thirteenth Floor played various popular songs including several by The Steve Miller Band and Santana. They were followed by KIϟϟ, who was described by KSHE radio as being the top group in Los Angeles. KIϟϟ smacked the audience with hard rock and bizarre costumes. The group was dressed mainly in black, although the bass guitarist brightened up his outfit with knee high silver platform boots. The members of the group had also painted their faces with white makeup and encircled their eyes with various designs ranging from bats to golden stars” (UMSL Current, 4/4/74).

Strong winds in the afternoon explain why, in some of the circulating photos from the event, it appears the precariously stacked backline amps are being held up by the roadies

The band's appearance was plagued by technical issues with the generators provided being deemed insufficient for the show and no hydraulics being available for Peter's drum kit riser. JR Smalling was nearly unwilling for the band to perform, but in the end they went on in daylight faced with the ultimatum from the promoter, "Play or go home." Rush performed at the event the following year.

March 29, 1974

KIϟϟ Tour

Sunshine In Concert Hall - Asbury Park, New Jersey

📸 Cindi Lawnik Smith

“Last night Sunshine In opened its 1974 season with a sellout crowd and a better-than-average show… Glitter rock is rapidly becoming the most sought after rock genre in the music business today. First it was Alice Cooper and David Bowie. Now there is KIϟϟ with its penetrating theatrics, wall-to-wall amps, and its comic book-like facial makeup. The music they play is basic rock ‘n’ roll with a definite emphasis on loudness. They probably could make it as a straight forward rock group but the additional stage show makes the act much more explosive and potent. One of their most rousing numbers, 'Firehouse,’ features clouds of dense smoke, fire engine sirens and red lights revolving above the amps, and flame-throwing flares which exploded on stage at the peak of the performance. All this is done in a professional manner but it took much of the concentration away from their music” (Asbury Park Evening Press, 3/30/74).

After their performance the members of the band unsuccessfully attempted to watch the broadcast of their first television performance. Unfortunately a storm made it nearly unwatchable.

March 28, 1976

Alive! Tour

Springfield Civic Center - Springfield, Massachusetts,

📸 Chip Rock and Norman Gray

“Using nearly every pyrotechnic device known to man, the New York group KIϟϟ presented a slickly packaged two hours of outrageousness to 10,000 roaring patrons at the Springfield Civic Center Sunday night. The quartet’s weird costumes and whiteface makeup almost managed to obscure the concert’s biggest outrage: KIϟϟ plays horrible music as poorly as any band in memory… As visual, visceral extravaganza, KIϟϟ is perhaps unequaled. Next time, the band may take the ultimate step and leave their instruments at home. Sunday night, the music only cluttered up the concert” (Springfield Union, 3/30/76).

March 27, 1980

Unmasked Recording Session

Record Plant - New York City

📸 Lynn Goldsmith

March 27, 1977

Spirit Temple - Kyoto, Japan

📸 Bob Gruen

“I was the official photographer on their tour of Japan. It was like KISSmania. The idea of their act has a lot of influence from the Japanese Kabuki in Japanese Theater. I felt like a general in the KISS Army when we were in Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan. The first place KISS went to was a giant Buddha, which I didn’t know was a very sacred shine to the dead. I was in the cab and the bus with KISS was following the cab. I was showing the Polaroids to the cab driver and he would start driving and the bus would follow and we would go to that place. As we were coming up the hill to the shrine, I saw Mr. Udo {Tour Promoter} hustling down the hill. I didn’t know that he had tried to tell the monks who ran the place that we were coming. They objected strenuously. And rather than deal with a fight, he just kind of split. I didn’t have any idea what was up so we all just showed up and KISS started piling off the bus. I start telling them to get in front of the statue like it’s a state park or something. There was some kind of discussion going on in the corner with the Japanese talking to the translators. I said to the translators, "Just keep them busy for a few minutes.” I set the band up, we took a bunch of pictures. A bunch of kids ran over and got in the pictures. Then we figured out we were being thrown out and we left. So I showed the cab driver the next picture and everyone got back in the bus and followed the cab to the next shrine. All the people who had been at the shrine were so freaked out that KISS were there that they followed us the next place. So we had these huge crowds following us. By the time we left there and went to the third place, the Golden Pagoda, we had a huge line of thirty or forty cars following the KISS bus. So it was this giant parade through Kyoto. After the third place, it was such a big mob we had to beat it back to the hotel!“ - Bob Gruen

March 26, 1983

Creatures Of The Night Tour ⚡️

Irvine Meadows Amphitheater - Laguna Hills, California,

📸 Neal Zlozower

-First show with Mötley Crüe opening.

“During Saturday’s nights stop at Irvine Meadows of KIϟϟ’ 10th Anniversary Tour, it became apparent that history has come full circle. KIϟϟ was upstaged by it’s opening act, Mötley Crüe, an outrageous band that mixes the transsexual posing of the New York Dolls with a suggestion of Satanism and plenty of thundering heavy metal riffs. Although the energy and excitement Saturday night was with the rising stars, Mötley Crüe, KIϟϟ still proved it is a master of rock n roll extravaganza. Theater and entertainment have always been KIϟϟ’ strong suit. Unlike most rock acts in which the novelty effects wear off in the first five minutes, KIϟϟ managed to keep the thrills coming for the duration of the show. KIϟϟ’ 95 minute set featured a barrage of fog, smoke bombs, fireworks, flashing lights, cannon shots, and fire pots” (Santa Ana Orange County Register 03/28/83).

From another local review: "It's doubtful that anyone over the age of 10 has ever really cared about KISS's cartoonish, essentially juvenile approach to rock. Still, the group's performance Saturday at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre (to open the facility's 1983 season) showed there's nobody who deals with gee-whiz pop any better than KISS. Putting on one of the most elaborate state productions since the days when money was no object in the music business, KISS had the entire stage decorated as an armored tank and turret. This left the audience (gulp) looking down the barrel of the tank's cannon. Throughout the 90-minute performance, the band employed a slew of special effects including (wow) fireworks, explosions and a quartet of industrial-size flame throwers... While KISS' jackhammer brand of heavy metal offers little of lasting value, the group delivers it with some degree of imagination, and believe it or not, a lack of pretentiousness. For all the outlandish costumes and exaggerated behavior, this is a group that doesn't take itself too seriously" (Los Angeles Times, 3/28/83)

March 25, 1974

KIϟϟ Tour

The Bayou - Georgetown (Washington D.C.)

(2 Shows 8pm & 10:30pm)

KISS played two sets this night, at 8:30 and 10:30PM. The Bayou was an unglamorous hole-in-the-wall club that looked more like an "unfinished basement" according to one 1974 patron.

“KIϟϟ assaulted the Bayou last night. This group is not just uncomfortably loud, it is abusively loud, and the only possible explanation is that they have invested their money in aspirin stock. KIϟϟ’s loudness is only half their blatant plan of attack. The other half involves what some people would call rock theater. It is patently less offensive that the electric pandemonium which masks the good rock and roll potential of the band… The band’s stylized movements are very much akin to the orchestrated steps of club bands in the ‘60s. It just looks different, because the costumes and the themes of the songs reflect the sexual ambivalence of the '70s. Musically, KIϟϟ is better than some similar bands. That’s like telling a gourmet that bread and water is better than stale bread and water” (The Washington Star-News, 3/26/1974).

March 24, 1975

KIϟϟ put themselves on display in store window in Manhattan, New York

📸 Steve Morley

March 24, 1975

McGraw-Hill Waterfall Tunnel - Manhattan, New York

📸 Steve Morley

March 23 1974

KIϟϟ Tour

Academy Of Music - New York City

This early show was first advertised in the final third of January, though initially only with Argent noted. Nazareth cancelled several weeks prior to the show (ads noted such as early as the first week of March), but had appeared in advance print ads, as had Graham Central Station in place of Redbone. KISS wasn't mentioned in ads until Mar. 14. Argent had recently arrived from the U.K. leg of their "Nexus" tour. A second concert was held at the venue starting at midnight with Renaissance, Soft Machine, and Eleventh House (featuring Larry Coryell). - From a local review: "Rock groups do not travel light, and six of them — heavily amplified and some decked out with special equipment — caused jams backstage and delays out front at the Academy of Music on East 14th Street on Saturday night and well into Sunday, thus giving their audience an eight‐hour composite of the state of the art. But if rock groups take their time setting up, rock audiences don't let it bother them. An hour's wait between two performing groups aroused mere sporadic clapping of hands. An 80‐minute delay in the start of the second concert elicited barely any criticism, and the appearance of the final group, Renaissance, at 4:25 a.m. yesterday was greeted with as much enthusiasm as the opener, KISS, at 8:20 p.m. Saturday. All this bears out the theory that a basic‐rock‐music audience sees itself as much an event as what happens on stage. KISS (dressed midway between kabuki players and Spiderman) let loose sirens, fireballs, dry ice fumes, smoke bombs, and as a climax a drummer with full gear ascended 8 feet on a special platform. This was all sound and fury, signifying yet another plastic and empty rock quartet" (New York Times, 3/25/74). From an industry review: "Somehow, even if you personally couldn't get into the glitter of them all, the night did seem to belong to the opening act, Kiss (Casablanca). Take away their frills (and maybe after they receive their due, they will!), and you've got a fine rock band. Right now, their act looks as if it were choreographed by the Temptations, with aid from Alice Cooper's wardrobe mistress and the Hello People's make-up staff. But from their single 'Nothin' to Lose' to their finale 'Black Diamond,' their flash was most definitely backed by more than trash. The crowd loved every shimmering moment, and this was especially evident as you moved back into the cheaper seats (sociologists take note!). This could be the next Grand Funk. Like the Railroad, the quartet might once again prove that across-the-board good press is occasionally irrelevant to the power of rock" (Record World, 4/6/1974).

March 21, 1977

Japan Tour Press Conference

Tokyo Hilton - Tokyo, Japan