GUEST CONCERT REVIEW: KISS – Toronto – Scotiabank Arena March 20 2019 by Uncle Meat

UNCLE MEAT:  Well…I guess tonight I experience the controversy head on.

LeBRAIN:  What’s tonight?

MEAT:  Members of Black N’ Blue and Badlands.

LB:  Kiss?  You are going?  If so you are REQUIRED to write something for me. Or else!!

MEAT:  Old buddy, Scott Hunter, who I saw Kiss with twice in 1982 and 1983, messages me out of nowhere and has a paid-for ticket. Him and his buddy have VIP but only two, but who cares.  They had the Vault Experience with Gene last year too.

LB:  Go go go.

MEAT:  Only been 36 years since I saw Kiss live.  Mid-arena, 20 rows up.

LB:  It’s gonna be sad I think. Just my feeling.

MEAT:  Fairly good tickets. But yeah. The spectacle is the part to enjoy I guess.

LB:  I hope you have a good time.  But seriously if you don’t write this up for me, I am going to probably hurt you very badly. You won’t see it coming. Maybe we will be driving to the farm and I will punch your nuts so hard that you bleed from your ears. Just saying. Not that you “owe” me anything, you just have to. Or have your nuts tenderised. Your choice! You won’t see it coming but it will happen!

 

– Toronto – Scotiabank Arena, March 20 2019
Review by Uncle Meat

Kiss in 2019 was the best “show” I have ever seen.  Easily.

What about the singing?  I had watched a cool video the other day, where a guy pointed out in each song where Paul is lip syncing and where he is actually singing.  Which was good because before that I thought it was pretty much all tape. That being said, I could notice both last night.  It’s like he is trying some songs’ verses (or what have you) on different nights. But, 60% of the vocals (at least) were the same as they had been on other stops. I have heard the “Love Gun” track several times, how the verses have been re-recorded, and he does exactly the same inflections within the verses.

BUT!!!

Truth is? 20 seconds in, and I didn’t give a shit.  And while I hold the same opinion about it, it literally took ZERO away from a show I can only describe as almost perfect.

Gene sings 100% of his vocals, at least on the verses, and was kinda goofy all night.  More aloof than he usually is. Less Demon. More Mike Myers.  He is getting fat in the face though, wow…he looked like Bea Arthur in Gene makeup.

Paul still is on the very top shelf of frontmen, as per between-song banter.  He had me right in the trenches, clapping along, laughing out loud several times, just fuckin’ entertaining.

Eric Singer was a great drummer.  LOVED his voice in “Black Diamond”, and really really enjoyed “Beth”.  Like alot.  Surprising.

I was really blown away by Tommy Thayer’s guitar tone.  Fucking powerful, and creamy.  He changed just enough of the Ace solos to put his mark on it, but leaving the important parts of the solo in to suit the songs.  Great set list too.  “100,000 Years” and “Let Me Go, Rock and Roll” were serious highlights.

4.5/5 steaks 

The missing 1/2 steak only because of the lip-sync stuff.

 

 

 

 

31 comments

  1. Eric and I must have the same sense of humor with the Black ‘N Blue/Badlands jokes. I swore I wouldn’t see Kiss no matter what when they weren’t playing “Rumbling Train” or “12 O’Clock High” on this tour.

    Oh yeah, this guest shot reminds me. If you didn’t want to use the substitute movie review I emailed you, feel 100% free not to do so. I just sent it so you could have the first Holen review of the year while you were still in the process of writing the Ed Wood review. Of course, I’d love to see the prevailing opinion in the comments about the movie given that its so controversial and the remake is coming out November of next year. I’ve got a review for Kix Live in the pipeline too.

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      1. Which one? The Dune or the Ed Wood review? Either way, you’re still number 1 (tied with Harrison). I actually wasn’t entirely sure you got that Dune review I emailed you. Whatever happens, I don’t mind. Rock on, LeBrain.

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        1. I got it. I just haven’t responded, sorry! I tossed my Dune DVD in a donation box last week and have a bit of regret about that…it was a collector’s tin. Sigh.

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        2. Don’t worry, the Blu-ray is exponentially better and pretty cheap. It’s truly amazing how much better the movie looks on Blu-ray. One of the most substantial upgrades from DVD I’ve ever seen. Take the plunge!

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  2. My dream Kiss set-list:

    1. Nasty Nasty (Black ‘N Blue cover)
    2. High Wire (Badlands cover)
    3. The Last Time (Badlands cover)
    4. School of Hard Knocks (Black ‘N Blue cover)
    5. Rockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Black ‘N Blue cover)
    6. 3 Day Funk (Badlands cover)
    7. The Strong Will Rock (Black ‘N Blue cover)
    8. Nature of the Beach (Black ‘N Blue cover)
    9. Rumblin’ Train (Badlands cover)
    10. Lord Knows (Badlands cover)
    11. Everything I Do, I Do It For You (Bryan Adams cover)
    12. Live It Up (Black ‘N Blue cover)
    13. Hold On to 18 (Black ‘N Blue cover)
    14. Dreams in the Dark (Badlands cover)
    15. The Battle of Epping Forest (Genesis Cover)
    16. Suspicious (Black ‘N Blue cover)
    17. Miss Gradenko (The Police cover)

    Encore
    Free Bird (Lynard Skynard cover)
    Tom Sawyer (Rush cover)
    Enter Sandman (Metallica Cover)
    Odyssey

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      1. “I wanna Knoooww! How many of you people here tonight, believe in the power of classic literature? We got a little surprise for you here tonight, we’re gonna turn the microphone over to MARK TWAIN, TOM SAWYER!”

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  3. Fair review. Looks like a great time you had Meat!
    This whole lip synch thing has got to chill out as its obviously not affecting ticket sales so really of that what Stanley has to do than whatever. No different than any of there rerecorded in the studio live albums now is it?
    Nice things to say about the two other guys as well …just don’t tell Ace as he’s been really quiet lately!!

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        1. He’s ridiculously funny. He makes me laugh until I’m tired from laughing. You’ll be sitting there and he’ll just start singing a song about wangs.

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  5. I can’t wait for my show…but I have to as it is not until August. I don’t give a rats ass about the lip synch since from I will be sitting I won’t be able to tell anyway. It is going to be a great night. Great review Meat!

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  6. Sweet review. Much better than a punch in the nuts.
    Now I can not unsee the Bea Arthur in Kiss makeup thing, and I can only hope for a Golden Girls unreleased episode where the ladies all have Kiss makeup on.

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        1. Dude skip ahead and read Meat’s review of the Lennon Claypool Delerium. A certain Blue Jays fan showed up to play bass. Meat had a near-encounter.

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  7. It should be said that I have been pretty relentless with my venom about the lip syncing thing. I actually preached to the legendary Tom to not go see Kiss. Let’s just say that several people are surprised I changed my tune. I can’t say I don’t care about the lip sync bullshit because I still detest it. But I found out that it just didn’t matter overall. Especially since I have always been and will always be a wrestling fan . If I can ignore that fakeness then I should be able to enjoy what the mighty Kiss machine is doing. Regardless of the Kiss branding and subsequent money grab of everything. But oh well … Pleasant surprise overall. Anyone on the fence ? Get The hell off the fence and go .. ESPECIALLY if you have never seen them . Just bite the bullet and do it.

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  8. Good analogy on the wrestling. The Kiss live show is all an act. Entertainment. If you left happy, that is all that matters.
    Paul’s actual vocals in 2019 are what was keeping me on the fence, but since Kiss are coming back to Toronto, maybe I’ll go after reading this comment.
    Thanks.

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