KISS Shares Official Video Recap Of PAUL STANLEY And GENE SIMMONS's Return To Anaheim For ANGELS' Ceremonial First Pitch

In 1976, KISS took the stage at Anaheim Stadium in front of more than 40,000 fans — one of the largest crowds the band had played to at that point. It was a show that helped define what a rock concert could be — full of pyrotechnics, spectacle, and the kind of larger-than-life energy KISS became known for.

On August 15, 2026, five decades on, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons returned to that same field — now home to the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California — to throw out the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the Angels' game against the Kansas City Royals. Throughout the night, KISS music played between innings, which closed out with the Angels' postgame fireworks show — a fitting echo of the band's own pyrotechnic-heavy performances.

Two iconic nights in #KISSTORY — 50 years apart — a testament to the band's enduring rock legacy spanning generations.

Watch the official video recap below of the KISS night at the Big A.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of KISS's Anaheim show, the band has just released "Kiss Destroys Anaheim '76", a newly mixed version of the concert from the original multi-track tapes developed by iconic rock producer and engineer Eddie Kramer. The release marks the first time this historic show is officially available to the public. The new album also comes with a 60-page book filled with extensive liner notes by Ken Sharp, unreleased photos, and memorabilia imagery. Sharp is the author and music journalist who co-wrote the band’s official authorized biography "KISS: Behind The Mask".

Back in July 2011, Simmons threw out the first pitch before a Los Angeles Dodgers-New York Mets game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

In May 2018, Gene threw out the ceremonial first pitch (see video below) at Wrigley Field prior to the start of the Crosstown Classic between the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox.

Stanley and Simmons were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the rest of KISS's original lineup in 2014.

In December 2025 KISS received the Kennedy Center Honors.

Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley died last October after a fall at his New Jersey home. He was 74 years old.

KISS played its two final shows ever in December 2023 at New York City's Madison Square Garden.The last show, held on December 2, 2023, streamed live on pay-per-view.

KISS launched its farewell trek in January 2019 but was forced to put it on hold in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"End Of The Road" was originally scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2021 in New York City. The trek was announced in September 2018 following a KISS performance of the band's classic song "Detroit Rock City" on "America's Got Talent".

In early 2024, KISS sold its entire music catalog, likeness and brand name to Swedish company Pophouse Entertainment. A biopic, an avatar show, and a KISS-themed experience are in the works, with Simmons and Stanley playing key roles in the development of all these projects, working closely with Pophouse.