KISS reaches the end of the road this weekend — not only of its End of the Road World Tour but of the band as a touring entity, at least with co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. The group plays two final shows Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1-2, at Madison Square Garden, where the group started more than 50 years ago. It’s a fitting site for a finale, and Stanley tells us the emotions will be bittersweet:
“It’s very mixed. Playing the Garden will be exhilarating and full circle as it is, and yet it’s also the, the end of the band as it exists and that’s something that is different in so many ways than…than certainly the skeptics might draw any kind of comparison to the farewell tour we did which was done under very, very different circumstances. This is based on a reality and the limitations of people to continue doing something indefinitely. There’s a reason that there are no 70-plus year-old basketball players or football players or athletes of any kind. that we’ve made it this far is extraordinary.” :24 OC: this far is extraordinary
KISS’s previous Farewell Tour took place during 2000-2001 and was the last to include original guitarist Ace Frehley, who was replaced by Tommy Thayer in 2002 after the tour, and original drummer Peter Criss, who was replaced by Eric Singer during October of 2000, in the midst of the tour.
The End of the Road World Tour began January 31st, 2019 in Vancouver and was, of course, delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The tour resumed during August of 2021.
Kiss had to cancel a three shows last week after Stanley was bedridden with the flu, returning to the stage on November 25th in Indianapolis. Stanley told fans during a pre-show Q&A that night that, “You know, I’ve done shows with cracked ribs, I’ve done shows with a 103 fever. (This time)…I was wondering if it was my time. But anywhere, I’m here and it’s awesome.”
Saturday’s tour-ending show will be available via pay-per-view at 8 p.m. Saturday, December 2nd. Tickets are $39.99 in North America and $14.99 in other territories and available via ppv.com.