Watch: KISS Joined By BRUCE KULICK During Electric 'Unmasked' Set At 'KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas' Event

KISS played an electric "unmasked" set on Saturday, November 15 at the "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" event at Las Vegas' Virgin Hotels resort and casino complex. Joining the legendary rockers — guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley, bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons, guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer — on stage for the last two songs was Bruce Kulick, who first hooked up with KISS in 1984 and remained the band's lead guitarist for 12 years, accompanying KISS on the "Animalize" tour and continuing with the band until the 1996 reunion tour.

The setlist for KISS's November 15 concert was as follows:

01. Deuce
02. Take Me
03. Hotter Than Hell
04. Calling Dr. Love
05. Got To Choose
06. Watchin' You
07. Cold Gin
08. I Love It Loud
09. Love Her All I Can
10. Let Me Go, Rock 'N' Roll
11. Black Diamond
12. Detroit Rock City
13. Shout It Out Loud
14. Do You Love Me
15. Lick It Up (with Bruce Kulick)
16. Rock And Roll All Nite (with Bruce Kulick)

In a June 2025 interview with Get On The Bus, Kulick spoke about his current relationship with Stanley and Simmons. He said:  "It's very much to my benefit, and probably theirs, to have this mutual respect moving forward. I never forget and take the eye off of the fact that that opportunity has been just something that has consist consistently paid off for me, both career-wise and financially.

"I don't need to be the guy who has to get publicity from having rows with them and fighting with them, or complaining about them," Bruce continued. "And I do understand many artists; they get into like huge blowouts when something's happened. And I just celebrate KISS. I respect what they've done. I do understand them maybe better than the average bear. Maybe that helps me just look the other way when I think, like, 'Why do I need to burst a bubble about it?'"

Referencing his previous revelation that he wasn't asked to perform at KISS's final show and wasn't invited to attend the event, which was held in December 2023 at New York City's Madison Square Garden, Bruce said: "I will admit I was very verbal about the final show that I didn't feel they handled that right, which was very out of character for me. But I knew that that was the sentiment of the fans, where they [felt that Paul and Gene] didn't celebrate Kisstory on the final show, and that opportunity was there for them. But I wasn't in the works with them to understand what was their desires and motives on getting through to that final big show at the Garden."

Kulick also touched upon the fact that early last year KISS sold its entire music catalog, likeness and brand name to Swedish company Pophouse Entertainment, which is behind "ABBA Voyage". A biopic, an avatar show, and a KISS-themed experience are already in the works, with Simmons and Stanley playing key roles in the development of all these projects, working closely with Pophouse.

"It's a new era now for KISS in the sense that it was bought by a very big company that wants to keep KISS alive forever," Bruce said. "And that would be with avatars and possibly a lot of other things. Whatever their vision is, they now own KISS. And that's why I'll always wave the flag of all 50 years. And the good news with the future of KISS is that the company Pophouse that bought it, they own the brand and they get it, that they want to share and celebrate it with everyone."

Last year, Kulick told Finland's Chaoszine that Stanley and Simmons "missed a really huge opportunity" when they failed to acknowledge any of KISS's former members during the final concert. "It's not just about me," Bruce clarified. "[They also didn't mention late KISS drummer] Eric Carr, [original KISS guitarist] Ace [Frehley] and [original KISS drummer] Peter [Criss], and [late KISS manager] Bill Aucoin. Come on. Terrible. They really missed making a better feel-good evening for everyone when it was much closer to every night before. And those who say, 'Well, I saw you up on the screen.' They'd been doing that for years where they'd have little things. So they didn't feel it was important. I feel they missed an opportunity."

This past February, Stanley was asked during an interview with the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast why there weren't any guest appearances by former KISS members at the band's final shows. Paul responded: "To be somewhat diplomatic, there were people who made unrealistic demands of what they required. And it's not about that. It wasn't, for example, a celebration of the beginning of the band; it was a celebration of 50 years of a band, as opposed to a tribute to the start. So, as far as Ace and Peter, they weren't there for many reasons. And I've said it a hundred times and I'll say it another hundred times. We couldn't be here today without what those guys did, and we couldn't be here today with them."

Asked by podcast host Chris Jericho about the lack of any mention of other former KISS members, such as Eric Carr, Bruce Kulick and Mark St. John, Stanley said: "What are you gonna do? I think the best way to honor everyone is to be the best we can be. What are we gonna have — videos up on the screen or draped photos? The fact that we were there, we were there because of everybody who participated, some more than others, but the tribute to everyone is us existing."

Bruce is heavily featured on "Kissology - Vol. 2" and "Vol. 3", KISS's DVDs spanning the band's historic career.

Kulick — who last year launched his own brand to offer period-correct guitars inspired by his KISS era — played on six KISS studio albums and two live records.

Kulick did not take part in either of KISS's farewell tours, in 2000-2001, and 2019-2023. Thayer has been KISS's guitarist since 2002.

"KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" is taking place November 14-16 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

This special KISS Army fan event, co-produced by Pophouse, Topeka and Vibee celebrates the band's five-decade career and the 50th anniversary of the KISS Army. In addition to KISS's "unmasked" performances, the weekend includes appearances from QUIET RIOT, Stephen Pearcy and Warren DeMartini performing the music of RATT, Bruce Kulick, Sebastian Bach, BLACK 'N BLUE, KUARANTINE, School Of Rock and more.

KISS had previously set a 12-show residency at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas in 2021 and 2022 but ultimately canceled all of the dates.

Simmons told Rolling Stone in a November 2023 interview that the second Madison Square Garden "End Of The Road" concert would mark "the final KISS-in-makeup appearance."