By Rebecca Bromley

I’ve been a KISS fan since 2007, when I was just 11 years old. Over the years, I’ve attended 10 shows between 2012 and 2023, including one of the Kruises. On May 8th of this year, I traveled to Bethlehem, PA to see the Gene Simmons Band for the very first time at the Windcreek Event Center. Gene has always been my favourite member of the band, so I was especially excited and intrigued to see him perform solo—without Paul, Tommy, or Eric. I bought my ticket the day before and counted down the hours with anticipation.

We arrived about 10 minutes before showtime and took our seats in the second row, off to the far left. I was surprised by the size of the crowd—there were more people than I expected, though plenty of empty seats remained. Right at 8 o’clock, the opening band, Turning the Tide, took the stage. They kicked things off with a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s 'The Chain,' then moved into some of their original material. Their performance was energetic, and the music was solid rock, but not quite my taste—probably not a band I’d go out of my way to listen to again.

After they wrapped up around 8:30, there was a 30 minute intermission. Then, right at 9 o’clock, the intro to 'Radioactive'—one of my personal favourites from Gene’s 1978 solo album—blasted through the speakers. I instantly got goosebumps. Gene emerged through a cloud of red smoke, followed by his rhythm guitarist, lead guitarist, and drummer. I was thrilled to see him again after two years, and I’ll admit—I let out a few screams. The quartet launched into the show with 'Deuce,' a classic KISS song, setting the tone for the night.

Over the next two hours, the band delivered a powerful set packed with KISS classics like ‘Shout It Out Loud’, ‘I Love It Loud’, ‘Charisma’, ‘War Machine’, ‘Parasite’, ‘Calling Dr. Love’, ‘Cold Gin’, and of course, ‘Rock and Roll All Nite’. They also surprised the crowd with a couple of deeper cuts, including ‘Spit’—which Gene humourously explained he had originally wanted to call “Shit,” until producer Bob Ezrin talked him out of it—and ‘Are You Ready’, a Gene Simmons demo with strong Sonic Boom vibes. I’d never heard either song before, but I really enjoyed them.

In addition to performing KISS songs, the band also played covers of classics by other legendary artists. Gene gave a heartfelt tribute to Lemmy Kilmister, sharing with the crowd what a kind soul he was before launching into a powerful rendition of 'Ace of Spades.' They also delivered covers of the Beatles' 'And Your Bird Can Sing', Thin Lizzy’s ‘Bad Reputation’, and Van Halen's 'House of Pain.'

I really enjoyed Gene's interaction with the audience throughout the concert. Since this wasn’t a family-friendly KISS concert, he let loose with a raw, unfiltered energy—swearing, flirting, and making lewd jokes that, for the most part, I found

hilarious. He had fun calling out people who were sitting down, joking about their age and pointing out that he was even older, yet still jumping around on stage. At one point, he even playfully mimicked the way I was dancing. Between songs, he shared stories, including the meaning behind the name Bethlehem and its religious significance, as well as how he signed Van Halen back in 1976 after seeing them perform at The Starwood in West Hollywood.

Now for a few negatives. Unfortunately, the vocals were often drowned out by the guitar. For example, when the drummer, Brian Tichy—who is an incredible musician, by the way—sang 'Ace of Spades,' I couldn’t hear him at all, which was a shame. The band closed the show with 'Rock and Roll All Nite,' during which Gene invited a few young fans on stage. Then he welcomed ten more people up, saying it was 'first come, first serve.' The stage was very high, and as a shorter girl, I had no way of pulling myself up. Somehow, others managed, and I was really disappointed to miss the chance—especially after wanting to meet Gene for so long. Here’s hoping he comes back to Pennsylvania so I can get another shot!

Overall, it was a lively, entertaining show with plenty of crowd interaction and kickass music. Even without the makeup and his iconic demon persona, Gene is still going strong after performing for over 50 years. If Gene and his band were to return to the area, I wouldn’t hesitate to go again for another fun night of rock and roll.

From left to right: Gene Simmons and Gene Simmons with his band. Photos by Rebecca Bromley