Description

Double album on black vinyls

To close out the Alive II tour, Kiss would play five shows in Japan at the prestigious Budokan Hall. The Alive II tour was a continuation of the Love Gun tour and would feature the band at the top of their game musically as well as the massive stage set that would cause fans to salivate at its sight. The band would play to sell out audiences each of the five nights, the 11,000 strong would propel Kiss to excellent and aggressive performances. This album is from the 2nd of April and I Stole Your Love is a great opener, Ace is playing great from the first get go and Paul acknowledges him as the song is ending and transitions into King Of The Night Time World. Ace has issues with his guitar at the beginning of the song but by the time they hit the chorus it is remedied. A song for all the “Beautiful girls of Tokyo” is Paul’s intro for Ladies Room and has the audience clapping along and Peter does a great stripper beat for Paul to strut out with a fire helmet on for Firehouse, much to the chagrin of the audience. Kiss would make little changes in the set list of the Love Gun tour into the Alive II tour, one change was dropping Hooligan in favor of Let Me Go, Rock And Roll. Let Me Go is just an ass kicker live, Paul gets a little crowd participation going and leads them in a shout of “Rock And Roll” as a prelude and Ace is on fire with his solos. Kiss has a surprise, something “special for Tokyo….Ace Frehely…Shock Me” is certainly one of the highlights on this album. His solo is excellent, at times his use of echo and other effects sounds as if he is exercising his inner Page and is conjuring up Dazed and Confused. His leads are fluent and blistering, very well played and the song and solo brings the house down. Calling Dr Love is out next and you can really hear the vocal effects Gene uses on this song and at times sounds almost demonic. Peter’s drumming is really good, he is molesting his kit leading to incredible results. A standard Shout It Out Loud leads to a major solo section for the group. It begins with a Gene solo get the audience in a near frenzied state, the notes coming from his bass is unearthly and as he spews blood, the audience seem somewhat shocked, one only has to look at a blood covered demon on the rear cover to get an idea of the effects. God Of Thunder starts with what sounds like a miscue with Gene entering early catching the others a bit off guard. The song is, as usual, a vehicle for Peter’s drum solo as well. He plays superbly, he has over four minutes and goes through a variety of textures that has the audiences screaming in support of the Catman, towards the end Peter can be heard shouting “C’mon!” and the audience certainly responds. Rock And Roll All Nite has a loose feel to it, being the last concert in Japan and the end of an exhausting four years the band lay it all out. Ace lays waste to his solo, he continues even as the chorus begins to great effect. Certainly one of the better versions of the song, even as loose as it is, the good time feeling brings out that little something extra for the band and audience. The audience chants of “We Want KISS…” start and do not end until the band comes back minutes later. Paul starts by thanking the audience from each member of the band and tells them they would not be back for a while, (that while would be ten years) and the band launch into Detroit Rock City, again with a great loose vibe to it. Beth is great, Peter does a typically heartfelt rendition of his classic ballad before a demanding audience. Black Diamond is the final encore and while the band has to be near exhaustion, you would not know it. Paul’s intro features some nice Hendrix inspired feedback and Paul saying Domo Arigato before doing his vocal. Peter is feeling it and again cries out “C’mon Tokyo”, you can hear in his voice he is tired making his vocals even more passionate. The finale wrings the energy from the band and while the music fades the legend of the golden era of KISS starts.

Track list:
1. Cum On Feel The Noize By Slade
2. Introduction
3. I Stole Your Love
4. King Of THe Night Time World
5. Ladies Room
6. Firehouse
7. Love Gun
8. Let Me Go, Rock & Roll
9. Makin Love
10. Christine Sixteen
11. Shock Me
12. I Want You
13. Calling Dr. Love
14. Shout It Out Loud
15. God Of Thunder
16. Rock & Roll All Nite
17. Detroit Rock City
18. Beth
19. Black Diamond