Review: Can't-Miss KISS Outdoes AEROSMITH

August 18, 2003

David Lindquist of IndyStar.com reports that "in a highly anticipated clash of hard-rock titans, the big dumb fun of KISS trumped the sustained relevance of AEROSMITH on Sunday night (August 17) at Verizon Wireless Music Center.

"The outcome may have surprised some in the audience of 22,110.

"After all, AEROSMITH makes hit records decade after decade, while KISS lost such ability or luck back in the 1980s.

"But let this tour teach the lesson that it's fruitless to headline a bill after the fully costumed and face-painted KISS deploys its can't-miss visual tricks.

"Band leaders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley distill their performances to crowd-pleasing moments and nothing else. Believe that they wear 7-inch heels for a reason. By comparison, the members of AEROSMITH looked like tiny mortals.

"If one moment lasts from three hours of music, it will be Simmons presiding over the always-epic 'God of Thunder'. As fake blood erupted from his mouth, he shifted his eyes to suggest the most horrible Hollywood monsters. Then he flew — assisted by a harness — to a deck above the lighting rig to sing the song.

"Meanwhile, we were left to wonder why AEROSMITH awkwardly matched video images of lips and lipstick to the song 'Toys in the Attic' and black-and-white camera work to 'Love in an Elevator'." Read more.

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