“Time marched on but we couldn’t. Now, the boots are on and we’re hauling an extra year’s worth of pyro, lights, and spectacle. WE ARE BACK!” That is what KISS gave fans via a press release in July 2021 regarding the rescheduled dates that were postponed during the height of the pandemic in 2020. Being a KISS fan myself now for many years the October 5th 2021 show at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, MS filled me with both an ecstatic joy and a sense of sadness as I knew that this could be the last time I would see them live.
The show started off with the band members Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer descending from the ceiling on massive platforms surrounded by fire and fog as they played “Detroit Rock City”. For the thousands in attendance, this concert, barring a change of heart or even a miracle, would be the last chance to see their legendary stage production in person. If the crowd wanted the best, that’s exactly what they got. The band took the audience through a 50 year discography including songs like “Black Diamond”, “Cold Gin”, “Lick it Up”, “Rock and Roll All Nite” and “Psycho Circus”. With a band like KISS of course it isn’t just about the music though, it’s about the theatrics. Whether it be Gene Simmons spitting fake blood from his mouth during his bass solo, Paul Stanley flying over the crowd to another stage to perform “Love Gun” and “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” or drummer Eric Singer performing his drum solo while rising 30 feet above the stage, the fans were treated to a show that played to almost all the senses.
As the band took what would be their final bow in Biloxi, MS confetti encapsulated the arena. I realized this would be the last time that I would see one of my favorite bands perform in all their makeup, boots, and glory. With the past year and half living through uncertain times because of the pandemic I was truly thankful to return to a show with as much glitz and spectacle as a KISS concert. The point of the evening echoed through the coliseum as Argent’s “God Gave Rock and Roll to You” played over the loudspeakers while I gathered up the confetti from the floor to take home as a souvenir to cherish.
