Description

A5 sized 4 disc box with 2 cds and 2 dvds. Limited 300 numbered copies

Well, this year has been a little inconvenient, Kiss singer Paul Stanley muttered midway through the band’s 2020 New Year’s Eve gig at Dubai’s Atlantis, The Palm. It was the only subtle moment in a ridiculously over-the-top performance that was fun and affecting. Bidding goodbye to what can only be described as a torrid year for many, the world-famous rockers turned the hotel into Dubai Rock City, with a two-hour set heavy on the effects and the hits. When bassist Gene Simmons told The National the band were arriving with $1 million dollars of pyrotechnics, he wasn’t kidding. Not only could you see the show in all its blinding fury, the limited number of people on the ground could feel each furnace-like blast while standing more than 300 metres away from the massive stage that stood on top of the hotel’s infinity pool. It was one of many dazzling production flourishes Kiss are known for. Say what you will about their now cartoonish appeal, they spare no expense in giving you a show. This was a rock and roll circus in every aspect of the term. The band synchronised hits with various tricks, including levitating drum sets, guitars spewing fire, smoke machines and some good old-fashioned fake blood thrown into the mix. If that sounds familiar, that’s only because all the big rock tours we see now follow the Kiss playbook in one way or another. And that’s not only linked to the production. Watching the band’s 21-song set is akin to a sonic history lesson in rock evolution from the 1970s to the 1990s. The killer opening combination of Detroit Rock City, Shout It Loud and Deuce traces the band’s early roots as a hard-rocking bar band. When Simmons delivers his guttural vocals over guitarist Stanley’s thick guitar riffs in War Machine and Gods Of Thunder, you begin to understand why sections of the UK press touted them as the American Black Sabbath. And when Stanley’s high-pitched wail and sensual croon made sublime work of the disco stomper I Was Made for Lovin’ You and Strutter, you can see where some of your favourite arena rock bands came from. Yet, despite all the fun and good-natured mayhem, there was no getting way from the fact that this show was being staged at the tailend of a devastating year for the live music industry. The band performed without the Kiss Army, who usually make shows so special, and Dubai crowds had to make do with sitting far away, amid dozens of cameras, film crews and cranes, which only served to underline how difficult and challenging 2020 was for the music scene. Then again, this is the reason why Kiss were the perfect band to end the year. More than the hits and the chance to sing Rock and Roll All Nite at the stroke of 12, they gave us some of the reassurance a lot of us didn’t know we needed. And seeing them out there on stage again, in the midst of the pandemic, kindled some sense of hope. This is admittedly a strange feeling to experience upon seeing a bunch of elderly men in high heels and make-up, singing about partying every day. Afterwards it was confirmed that the show set two Guiness World Records. One of the GWR adjudicators who’d attended as a witness spoke on camera once the performance was complete, reporting that Kiss had set records for the highest flame projection in a music concert – at 35 metres – and the most flame projections launched simultaneously in a music concert. Quoting the GWR slogan he said: I can reveal that you achieved a grand total of 73. You are officially amazing. Kiss also censored a few subtle elements of their performance in respect of the strict decency laws in the United Arab Emirates. Gene Simmons’ traditional blood-spitting routine was absent, while the lyrics to two songs were adjusted: the phrase virgin soul became sacred soul in God Of Thunder while bitch was deleted from 100,000 Years. According to legislation addressing language that disgraces the honor or the modesty of an individual, each transgression comes with a fine of $2,700 or a jail sentence.

D/cd track list:
1. Show Intro / Detroit Rock City
2. Shout It Out Loud
3. Paul Talks 1
4. Deuce
5. Paul Talks 2
6. Say Yeah
7. Paul Talks 3
8. I Love It Loud
9. Heaven´s On Fire
10. Tears Are Falling
11. War Machine
12. Paul Talks 4
13. Lick It Up / Won´t Get Fooled Again (Instrumental Jam)
14. Paul Talks 5
15. Calling Dr. Love
16. 100.000 Years
17. Drum Solo
18. Paul Talks 6
20. Guitar Solo
21. Cold Gin
22. God Of Thunder
23. Paul Talks 7
24. Psycho Circus
25. Parasite
26. Paul Talks 8
27. Love Gun
28. Paul Talks 9
29. I Was Made For Lovin´ You
30. Paul Talks 10
31. Black Diamond
32. Beth
33. Paul Talks 11
34. Strutter
35. Paul Talks 12
36. Do You Love Me
37. World Record Presentation: From Guinness Book Of Records
38. Rock And Roll All Nite / Fireworks
39. God Gave Rock ´N´Roll To You II

Dvd 1 track list:
1. Kiss 2020 Goodbye On New Years Eve-trailer
2. Arriving In Dubai
3. Gene Simmons
4. Paul Stanley
5. Tommy Thayer
6. Eric Singer
7. Gene Simmons Interview Prior To The Concert-Tv Footage Dec. 31 Morning Joe Msnbc
8. Show Intro / Detroit Rock City excerpts-audience footage from soundcheck
9. Detroit Rock City excerpts-audience footage from soundcheck
10. Psycho Circus excerpts-audience footage from soundcheck
11. Lick It Up / Won´t Get Fooled Again excerpts-audience footage from soundcheck
12. War Machine excerpts-audience footage from soundcheck
13. Intro-webcast pre-show documentary
14. Gene Simmons Interview-webcast pre-show documentary
15. Ronert Long – Production Designer Interview 1-webcast pre-show documentary
16. Paul Stanley Interview-webcast pre-show documentary
17. Interview With The Staff-webcast pre-show documentary
18. Ronert Long – Production Designer Interview 2-webcast pre-show documentary
19. Daniel E. Datullo – Director Interview-webcast pre-show documentary
20. Gene Simmons Interview 2-webcast pre-show documentary
21. Paul Stanley Interview 2-webcast pre-show documentary
22. Eric Singer Interview-webcast pre-show documentary
23. Daniel E. Datullo – Director Interview-webcast pre-show documentary
24. Doc Mc Ghee – Kiss Music Manager Interview-webcast pre-show documentary
25. Interviews With Fans-webcast pre-show documentary

Dvd 2 track list:
1. Show Intro / Detroit Rock City-webcast
2. Show intro-audience
3. Detroit Rock City
4. Shout It Out Loud
5. Deuce
6. Say Yeah
7. I Love It Loud
8. Heaven´s On Fire
9. Tears Are Falling
10. War Machine
11. Lick It Up / Won´t Get Fooled Again (Instrumental Jam)
12. Calling Dr. Love
13. 100.000 Years
14. Eric Singer Drum Solo
15. Tommy Tayer Guitar Solo
16. Cold Gin
17. God Of Thunder
18. Psycho Circus
19. Parasite
20. Love Gun
21. I Was Made For Lovin´ You
22. Black Diamond
23. Beth
24. Strutter
25. Do You Love Me
26. World Record Presentation: From Guinness Book Of Records
27. Rock And Roll All Nite / Fireworks
28. God Gave Rock ´N´Roll To You II
29. End Credits / God Gave Rock ´N´Roll To You II
30. Rock And Roll All Nite / Fireworks / Pyrotechnics Show-audience view from high above
31. Dubai Pyro Highlights-alternate view
32. Happy New Year 2021
33. Kiss 202 Goodbye Was An Amazing And Record Breaking Experience
34. Thank You Dubai