Description
A beautiful box set featuring 4 different picture discs in their individual inner-sleeves, a massive 76 page book, two posters, stickers, 2 handbills, autograph card and keychain. Limited 100 copies
By the time KISS eighth studio album Unmasked was released in May 1980, the band was in the throes of their first upheaval with the departure of original drummer Peter Criss. While he appears on the record art work and in the promotion film Shandi, he was, for all intent and purposes, not a member any longer. The band was also feeling a backlash in America where their gluttonous output of solo records and merchandising had greatly affected their popularity and while the album would reach a Gold certification the band would not tour their homeland in support of the record. There were other opportunities, the band had not toured Europe since mid 1976 so a tour there was a no brainer but undoubtedly the highlight of the Unmasked tour was the band’s inaugural trip “Down Under”. The tour would consist of 11 dates and found the band playing to capacity crowds, the media coverage was everywhere and the band found themselves in another case of KISSmania. The last concert of the tour found the band playing to a capacity 25,000 fans in Auckland, New Zealand’s Western Spring Stadium, on the 3rd of December 1980. This box set features two shows from that part of the tour, the one in Sydney and the one in Auckland. The Auckland show holds a special place in KISStory as being the final concert played with Ace on lead guitar until the 1996 reunion tour. Eric Carr’s drums have a wonderful sound to them and we can really enjoy his playing throughout the concerts. Strutter, can be found here and its a song that the band had not played since 1976 and “dusted off” for the Unmasked tour. The band also plays Shandi, a song that was a huge hit down under and was played specially for the Australian audiences.Ace gets more love with his cover of the Stones 2,000 Man from the Dynasty record and the new vehicle for his solo segment, the crowd is in awe of the Spaceman and you can hear them cheer loudly between notes. The two shows are superb and the band does some professional performances and the shows here marks an end of an era so to speak.
Track list:
Disc 1 and 2: Auckland 3rd of December 1980
1. Detroit Rock City
2. Cold Gin
3. Strutter
4. Shandi
5. Calling Dr. Love
6. Firehouse
7. Talk To Me
8. Is That You?
9. 2,000 Man
10. Ace Frehley Guitar Solo
11. I Was Made For Lovin You
12. New York Groove
13. Love Gun
14. Gene Simmons Bass Solo
15. God Of Thunder
16. Eric Carr Drum Solo
17. Rock And Roll All Nite
18. Shout It Out Loud
19. King Of The Night Time World
20. Black Diamond
Disc 3 and 4: Sydney uckland 22nd of November 1980
1. Detroit Rock City
2. Cold Gin
3. Strutter
4. Shandi
5. Calling Dr. Love
6. Firehouse
7. Talk To Me
8. Is That You?
9. 2,000 Man
10. Ace Frehley Guitar Solo
11. I Was Made For Lovin You
12. New York Groove
13. Love Gun
14. Gene Simmons Bass Solo
15. God Of Thunder
16. Eric Carr Drum Solo
17. Rock And Roll All Nite
18. Shout It Out Loud
19. King Of The Night Time World
20. Black Diamond