Description

Pink vinyl with printed innersleeve

This recording from Calderone Concert Hall in Hempstead, New York on the 23rd of August is a very good near excellent slightly distant recording that captures the band really hitting their stride after more than a year of almost constant touring. All instruments and vocals are perfectly balanced and is a recording that demands to be played loud. The band had recorded several shows the previous month that would be issued as Kiss Alive! so this recording is very similar in performance with that record. The Alive ! record was reportedly heavily altered in the studio, listening to this one has to wonder how much. The band plays incredibly tight, they plough through the opening of Deuce and Strutter with ease. Got To Choose has always been a favorite of mine and, as with many of their songs, is better live. ” This is off Dressed to Kill, its something a little slower its something a lot heavier its called She”….is Paul’s intro and an obvious understatement. The song has a great groove, Ace is in top form and his first solo he seems to wring it out some fast and furious notes but is just getting ready for his main solo spot. The distance between the recorder and band really comes into play hear and you can appreciate not only his playing but the effects he utilizes. After the songs conclusion there is a audience member who shouts out for Rock Bottom and the first thing that came to mind was UFO but the band go into a great Nothing To Lose, Peter sings the hell out of it, simple but very effective. Paul tells the audience that there is plenty of room down front and the band play arguably one of their better songs, Cmon And Love Me, the song has a great lyric and Ace nails the solos. There are two songs that never fail to get me going, the first is She and the second is 100,000 Years, tonight the latter is played at an almost Marshall tempo and begins with the Gene bass solo and blood spitting. The tempo is fast and furious and leads into a greater Peter Criss solo who keep a non stop pace, he even throws cowbell in for good measure before Paul goes into a long “Believe in Rock and Roll rap”. He hits all the bases and has the crowd on their feet and clapping loudly, keep in mind Peter is drumming through out before the band slowly enters and destroys the audience. No time is wasted as the solemn opening chords of Black Diamond are begun and Paul’s opening line of “Out on the streets for a living” are greeted with a giant round of applause. The harmonizing vocals really shine during this version as does Ace’s solo playing, he is in top form and is just smoking the whole show. The band ends the show with three encores. This album features 11 tracks from that night.

Track list:
1. Deuce
2. Strutter
3. Got To Choose
4. Hotter Than Hell
5. Firehouse
6. She
7. Guitar Solo-Ace Frehley
8. CMon And Love Me
9. Cold Gin
10. Rock N Roll All Nite
11. Let Me Go, Rock N Roll