KISS @ Copenhell 2022

2022-06-22

"Mime" was made for loving you...

Seeing as how this is supposedly KISS' final tour, it's tempting to write a snarky comment about their previous number of so-called "break-up" tours that turned out not to be break-up tours after all, and how Gene Simmons is one big walking, breathing cash-grab. In fact, I think that sentence might count as one such comment.

Okay, so that one's outta the way. Next obvious topic for a well-earned taunt: There is so much playback here that in comparison, Milli Vanilli seem like orators at a Greek amphitheater 3000 years before the invention of the PA system.

I mean, the other week I wrote about how Paul Stanley had just gotten caught lip-syncing in Germany, and how I wouldn't let it ruin too much of my time with them tonight. But as he takes his zipline across the crowd, and the large-screen displays keep showing footage of him being on stage and singing into the microphone, that's... a bit hard to deal with, shall we say.

Okay, so THAT one's outta the way. And you know what? That's pretty much it.

Because I'm not even gonna try to argue with a set like this. I mean, this is just banger after classic banger. Apart from the less impressive "Tears Are Falling" from "Asylum" ('85), "Say Yeah" from "Sonic Boom" ('09) and the title track from "Psycho Circus" ('98), we're talking "Black Diamond", the amazing primal rocker "Deuce", the obvious singalong "Cold Gin", and even "100,000 Years" sprinkling... well, less old classics.

We already know they're gonna be playing a lot of them. So personally, apart from the aforementioned tracks from their 1974 debut, I'm mostly pleased to hear songs like the ever-heavy "God of Thunder", "I Love It Loud", and especially the ultra-glammed-up crowd-wailer "Lick It Up".

The crowd, however, doesn't exactly wail a lot where I'm standing. Quite the contrary. In fact, it's not until the main set's penultimate "I Was Made For Lovin' You" that the atmosphere really kicks into gear. To be fair, KISS never got that big in Denmark. But the sadistic part of me is hoping that the obvious playback has something to do with that.

However, I personally give but nary a shit at this point. My level of inebriation is reaching its peak, and a nice girl keeps grinding against me and sticking her hand down my shorts. With all the shenanigans going on right here and now, this is a party to be reckoned with as far as I care.

So, I got to see KISS three times, and they put on a damn fine show every time. I miss "Crazy, Crazy Nights" too much for it to not pull down the overall rating – along with that omni-present lip-sync. But with that amount of fire, blood, confetti, make-up, costumes, and, not the least of all, hard rock classics that helped shape the genre of metal, you'd be a cold-hearted cynic to not feel like you're being properly entertained here.

You know who you are.

Rating: 4 out of 6

Genre: Hard rock / glam rock
Venue: Copenhell, Helvíti Stage
Date: Thurs., 16/6/2022

Setlist:

  1. Detroit Rock City
  2. Shout It Out Loud
  3. Deuce
  4. War Machine
  5. Heaven's on Fire
  6. I Love It Loud
  7. Say Yeah
  8. Cold Gin
  9. Lick It Up
  10. Calling Dr. Love
  11. Tears Are Falling
  12. Psycho Circus
  13. 100,000 Years
  14. God of Thunder
  15. Love Gun
  16. I Was Made for Lovin' You
  17. Black Diamond

    Encore:
  18. Beth
  19. Do You Love Me?
  20. Rock and Roll All Nite
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