News

Only a few days before Kylie Minogue’s show and just in time to augur the hot emotional musical summer to follow, US rock band Kiss will shake Sofia’s Akademik Stadium down to its foundations on May 16.

It’s true that Kiss has already been around for 35 years already, but this is the first opportunity for Bulgarian fans to see them live. The masks are back on for the band’s Psycho Circus Tour, which passes through 17 countries, some of the biggest music festivals and… Sofia.

Unlike other great bands, which came along over the past several years and have obviously capitulated to the merciless passage of time, Kiss have no intention of ever disappointing their fans. If you imagined that their concert will be just a little bit of fuss in a calm May evening, you’re mistaken! Kiss plan anything but a calm gig. How do we know? Well, the simple fact that they arrive with tons of equipment speaks for itself. The main stage will be 18m wide, but two additional wings will extend it to nearly 25m. The lighting equipment alone weighs 12 tons and the show includes unique pyrotechnics. The sound will be provided by six-ton-heavy equipment.

Kiss promises something unprecedented for their Sofia show. Hence, part of the ground of the stadium will be detached and the band required 400kg of dry ice for the concert.

Kiss must know what they’re doing. If they were not what they are, they wouldn’t have sold more than 80 million records and wouldn’t have had numerous platinum status albums. Fact is, Kiss is one of the most influential rock’n’roll bands in the history of music.

The tickets are still available via eventim.bg and their ticket desks across the country. Prices are 50 and 60 leva. At the website of the band kissontour.com real fans can buy special pass packages including meeting the band, assisting at the sound-check before the concert or both. The requirement is that they already have a ticket for the concert.

However, it’s not only devoted Kiss fans that will enjoy the Sofia show. The music dilettanti, such as myself, will be surprised to find out how many of the songs they hum under the shower or sing along to on the radio are actually Kiss hits. Still not convinced? Just look for Crazy, Crazy Nights, I Was Made for Lovin’ You, Forever or the cover of God Gave Rock’n’Roll to You in the internet. Oh, yes! It’s Kiss who perform them.

If you’ve ever wondered why these men wear so much make-up, let’s shed some light on this mystery. When the band was founded the original line-up of Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons adopted their make-up and costumes from the personae of comic book-style characters. They represent The Demon (Simmons), Starchild (Stanley), Space Ace (Frehley), and The Catman (Criss). The Demon make-up reflected Gene's cynicism and dark elements. As Stanley was considered a hopeless romantic, he became the “Starchild”. The Space Ace was a reflection of Frehley’s desire to go for a ride in a space ship. The Catman make-up hinted that Criss had nine lives due to his rough childhood in Brooklyn. As Criss and Frehley are no longer part of the band, current members Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer became, respectively, the Spaceman and Cat.

The show starts at 7pm, don’t miss it!

April 30 2008, source: www.sofiaecho.com, picture courtesy of: Virginia Records/ Universal Music Group