Kiss resumed their End of the Road tour last night at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Mass. more than 17 months since the last show of the trek, with this current leg having been interrupted and significantly rerouted since it was first announced in Dec. 2019 due to COVID-19.
The band showed little signs of rust though, thrilling those in attendance with an explosive set full of hits spanning the entire career of the grease-painted rockers. For many in the immediate Boston area, this was likely the last opportunity to see Kiss, though there will be two additional performances in the New England region: tonight, in Bangor, Maine and then Sunday in Hartford, Conn. Given the reaction by the audience, very few went home disappointed.
Opening up with the standard on this run, “Detroit Rock City,” Kiss ripped through a not incredibly surprising set, although “War Machine” came way too early for photogs scrambling back to their seats to see the performance of song number three. Only part of “Psycho Circus” was a bit of a tease, but it was more than made up for when Paul Stanley swung out onto the “B-stage” to sing “Love Gun” and the better part of “I Was Made for Lovin’ You.”
The costumes Kiss rocked were the same which the rolled out with back when the tour kicked off, and even though David Lee Roth suddenly disappeared from the opening slot, this would be a ridiculous show to miss…the fireworks, fun and fanfare are way too much to pass up. Is it the band’s last run through? Who knows! Either way, it’s a blast seeing it play out!
Head over to Ultimate Classic Rock, where you can see my photo gallery and setlist from the gig.
The Chronicles of Michael Christopher 