“We’re here on a Sunday evening, but it feels like it’s Saturday, doesn’t it? It’s time to celebrate.”
The roar of the 13,000 Kiss Army members storming the Videotron Center confirmed what Paul Stanley felt as he took the stage: Even though Kiss would be playing almost exclusively their hits from the 1970s and 1980s, the atmosphere wasn’t exactly nostalgic .
It was more of a Sunday night fever at the legendary rock group’s fifth and final concert in Quebec.
The last? The visit of glam rock’s proudest exponents to the Videotron Center in 2019 was nevertheless heralded as the ultimate opportunity to see Stanley, Gene Simmons and those who took the place of Ace Frehley and Peter Criss along the way, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer. in the capital.
However, the pandemic played spoilsport, giving Kiss an excuse to return to the city two weeks before their (real?) farewell from Madison Square Garden in New York.
Of flames and blood
Not surprisingly, everything that gave Kiss his reputation as a performer was there.
The four musicians each arrived from the sky to their platform and opened the concert to the sounds of Detroit Rock City, a first classic seasoned with jets of flame, synchronized movements designed to satisfy the photographers gathered in front of the stage and performances expected language by Simmons, the Bassists/fire and blood breathers.
On either side of the stage, four huge – but really huge – figures from the quartet served as another reminder that nothing is ever big enough for Kiss.
Another example? During “Do You Love Me,” Simmons and Thayer floated on a platform above the crowd while Stanley sang on a center stage that he won… by flying across the floor on a cable.
Youthful enjoyment
No one would give up all these tricks, but there is still the youthful pleasure of singing in chorus the simple and catchy choruses of “Lick It Up,” “Shout It Out Loud,” “I Love It Loud,” and the famous “Hey, hey “, hey, yeah” to sing “that will remain in our memory.
The biggest bombs, you guessed it, exploded during the encore.
After Beth calmed things down, I Was Made For Lovin’ You and Rock and Roll All Nite lit the Videotron Center literally and figuratively ablaze, sending everyone home with a light heart.
Crown Lands: a touch of déjà listening
“It really looks like Rush.” Kiss fans who listened to Crown Lands, who opened the evening, had no trouble recognizing the influences of this Ontario duo, who will be performing at the 2021 Juno Awards Revelation of the Year was chosen.
Crown Lands in action, Sunday, at the Videotron Center. Photo Didier Debusschere / Le Journal de Québec
Drummer Cody Bowles’ voice is actually in the same range as Geddy Lee’s, while guitarist Kevin Comeau, dressed all in white, is reminiscent of a young Jimmy Page.
However, Crown Lands is not a simple pastiche of the bands of that era. There is good content in their repertoire, but as with the opening act of Three Days Grace at the 2022 summer festival and Jack White in 2018 at the same Videotron Center, it is unlikely that his performance will play a significant role in the number of viewers.