11/7/2019 KISS @ The O2

What a performance it was! What a performance it was actually getting my hands on the ticket I'd bought many months before from Stargreen. Who then announced that they were closing down. I'd planned to pick my ticket up from their place at Oxford Circus next time I was in the area, but by the time I had found out they were closing it it was too late and all uncollected tickets had been moved to another office and had to be picked up from there instead! Which meant a trip all the way to Elephant & Castle just to get my ticket - leaving me wishing I'd paid the extra to have it posted to me when I booked it - which would have saved me money as well as time in the long run. It took me ages to get down there, then find the well hidden office, then have a refreshing pint in a nearby pub the appropriately named Rockingham Arms before the long journey home. And all this just to get my ticket a week before the actual gig! Still, it looked like being my last ever chance to see KISS and I really didn't want to miss it.

So after one long trip into town, I have to make another one to get to the O2 in Greenwich for the actual show. It was all worth it though!

After delays on the tube I struggle to reach the venue in time, but manage to get into the venue as KISS are playing their first song of the night - 'Detroit Rock City'.

The only previous time I have ever seen KISS was at Wembley Arena. That was the most spectacular show I had ever seen by any band.

Well the O2 Arena makes Wembley look small - so I'm expecting and even bigger and better show from KISS this time...

...and I'm not disappointed - this time we get flying saucers!

Smoke! Flames! Explosions! Pyro - the full works! The sound is great too.

And all the hits! I won't bother listing them, but everything you would expect them to play - they played. They even played a song from their last but one album 'Sonic Boom' - which partly made up for my disappointment at them not playing a single song from it when I saw them at Wembley on the 'Sonic Boom Tour'.

Naturally, Gene has to do his shtick on 'God Of Thunder'

And of course, we have to go to the Psycho Circus!

Then, it's pantomime time! Paul gives us his spiel about how pleased he is that we have all come to see the show, and how he'd like to come out to us - but only if we really want him too? So of course we have to tell him we do. And then louder. And then even louder! Until he eventually does come out to see us - by leaving the stage and flying through the air onto a platform that just happens to be towards the back of the floor of the arena.

It's pure panto, but this is 'show business' - and we have paid to be entertained.

And entertained we are. Paul camps it up like it's panto season!

Then it's back to business on the main stage as different members of the band get their cameo spots.

Gene seems to love being the one everyone loves to hate and plays up to it at every opportunity!

 Balloons!

Confetti cannons!

Ego platforms?

I've never seen anything like this before!

When the band's intro says "You wanted the best - you've got the best!" they ain't kidding.

We get the usual ritual guitar smashing towards the end of the show...

...it seems a waste - but they aren't going to smash the good ones are they?

Now that's what I call a BIG ROCK SHOW!

Well it looks like that was my last ever chance to see KISS - and I'm SO glad I saw them on their last ever tour. Well they say it's the 'last ever', but I take everything that comes out of Gene Simmons mouth with a very large pinch of salt... 

Was it the best rock show I have ever seen? Yes. Alice Cooper and Mötley Crüe (mainly for the pyro) were fantastic, as were Iron Maiden and AC/DC also at the O2, but I think KISS at Wembley were even better. And tonight they topped even that. Just. The ticket price had gone up a bit since last time, but as it's a bigger venue and several years later that's only to be expected - but I thought it was still very reasonably priced compared to other big acts. And it was worth every penny!

I don't think we will ever see the like of this again.