KISS and Def Leppard – Target Center – Minneapolis MN 8/17/2014

AEG and Target Center presents Kiss and Def Leppard

Kiss is celebrating their 40th Anniversary with a tour with a huge double bill, with Def Leppard.Opening the tour for this leg is The Dead Daisies. Includes Richard Fortus and Dizzy Reed from Guns N Roses. One vocals is Jon Stevens from INXS fame. He fronted the band from 2000 to 2003.
Mark Mendoza on bass, John Tempest on drums and David Lowy bring up the rhythm guitar. Huge classic rock sound coming from these guys. Great guitar licks with a solid rock singer. Lock N Loud has been heard around stadiums and arenas around the world. This is on band to keep your eyes on.

As the Def Leppard curtain goes up so do the tunes. Won’t Get Fooled Again is the indication that they are going on soon. As Daltry hits the YEAHHHHHHH The Lep kick into the song. Right as you think they are gonna finish the whole song they start up with Let It Go from High N Dry. I huge treat for all us NWOBHM fans. The stage consisted of one huge screen in the back 2 on each side of the stage. enough to create way cool images through out the show. Animal is next to keep in with the greatest hits set of the night. Def Leppard knows exactly what the fans want and they play it for them. Kicking it back to Pyromania with Foolin’, Love Bites from Hysteria and Let’s Get Rocked from Adrenalize. The acoustic guitars come out and we get Two Steps Behind and about half of Bringin’ on the Heartbreak. When the solo kicks in so do they, and even hanging on the end to play Switch 625. LOVE IT. Phil Collen, Vivian Campbell, Joe Elliot, Rick Savage and Rick Allen are so good. To see this them is a treat and should never be missed. Ending out the set is Hysteria, Rocket, Armageddon It, and are you ready for it? are you ready for it? Pour Some Sugar On Me. The corwd is great all through the set. Of course closing out is Rock of Ages and Photograph. Again it is a pleasure to see a band that knows what the people want and not try to push the boundries where the fans are going, What Are They Doing? They had the best response of the evening.

KISS curtain come down, the wait is so good. People are taking their picture all over the stadium with the logo in the background. This is a ritual at all KISS shows. Kids are doing it with their parents, couples everyone. As Rock N Roll gets cranked we know the time is close. Set change does not take long so when you go do not be slow between sets. KISS descends from the top of the stage on a huge spider looking light fixture. Through out the show it goes up and down and all over the place. Set opens with Psycho Circus, not the strongest of poeners but it fits right in their with the KISS attitude. Huge favorite Deuce is next featuring the band going back n forth at the end. The classic rock guitar sway. Paul gives the crowd a hello and we get right into Shout It Out Loud. War Machine has been in the set for a while and is really cool. Average KISS fan would probably want to hear something different so it would help to change that song from time to time. I love it so no complaining here. Hotter Than Hell goes way back and we know what we are getting at the end of this on, the infamous fire breathing. It is always a treat. For a while he did not do it in the late 80’s. I Love It Loud come up next, great audience participation song. Paul get everyone back into it with Lick It Up and right after that is Gene’s bass solo in which where he yes spits blood and flies to the top of the stage. With him looking down upon us all it is time for the God of Thunder to sing his song. Pulling out the HOt in the Shade hit Hide Your Heart is kind of a – what song is this to the crowd. Only us die hards seem to regignize this one. Fun but could have been replaced with Cold Gin or any other more know song. They are doing 40 years and are pulling some classics out. Calling Dr. Love is our next treat as Paul flies out into the crowd during the next song Love Gun. He starts Black Diamond and then flies back to the stage. HE says that their are gonna be fines if they play past a certain time but that does not concern him. They close out with Detroit Rock City and Rock N Roll All Nite and the stage explodes in confetti and fire and explosions. As leaving the arena I realize I have seen them over 35 times, but I Love It Loud!!!