Late last year Australia thought it had seen the last of the original pyro-rockers Kiss as we farewelled them on their End of the Road tour. However, the Australian Kiss Army had other ideas. Initiated via a national petition, passionate KISS fans pleaded for the band to return one more time and they did. Ahead of the band’s their final-ever performance at Madison Square Garden in New York City on 2 December 2023, their Final Curtain Australian show took place on Saturday October 7th at Sydney’s Accor Stadium to a packed house.
Brisbane’s most celebrated indie-rock band The Delta Riggs opened the show and did themselves proud. Nineties indie rock darlings Regurgitator followed with their unique mash-up of rock, punk, electro, funk, pop, and hip-hop and then Californian alt-rockers Weezer had the honour of being the final support before the main act. Weezer has sold over 10 million albums in the U.S, and over 35 million albums worldwide and laid down some of their biggest hits such as Beverley Hills, Pork and Beans and Buddy Holly for the Sydney crowd. They even cheekily threw in their version of the Kiss classic Strutter.
As fine a lineup as the promoters had put together for this special event, in reality there was only one band the fans had come to see and finally, for the last time on Australian soil as Kiss, Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer hit the stage with all guns blazing on Detroit Rock City. With so much production involved, there’s no room for improvisation and the set list was pretty much identical their visit here last year. Twenty classic rock songs in, with confetti cannons firing, balloons floating and explosions happening everywhere, we arrived at where it all started, Rock n Roll All Nite. Many in the audiences had seen the band multiple times, others were ticking off their bucket list for the first time, international travellers were aplenty too, mums , dads and grandparents brought their kids, taking the opportunity to salute this pioneering band one more time.
Australian Musician’s Jason Rosewarne made the trip up the highway to tick off his own bucket list and capture rock ’n’ roll history as it happened. Check out his photos below and view our Facebook Page for even more photos
Kiss The Final Curtain Setlist. Sydney, 7 October 2023
Detroit Rock City
Shout It Out Loud
Deuce
War Machine
Heaven’s on Fire
I Love It Loud
Say Yeah
Cold Gin
Lick It Up
Calling Dr. Love
Makin Love
Psycho Circus
Drum Solo
100,000 Years
Bass Solo
God of Thunder
Love Gun
Black Diamond
Encore:
Beth
Shandi
I Was Made for Lovin’ You
Rock and Roll All Nite
