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Lick It Up World Tour - 1983 -'84

Start Date: October 11, 1983

End Date:March 17, 1984

Shows: 93

Legs: 2

Countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United States, West Germany

Opening Acts: Accept, Axe, Great White, Heaven, Heavy Pettin', Helix, Highfever, Pat Travers Band, Riot, Tigres de Oro, Vandenberg

Average Attendance: 5,052

Line Up: Paul Stanley, Vinnie Vincent, Gene Simmons, Eric Carr

Creatures Of The Night brought the band further back to their hard rock roots and beyond, but it did little to their popularity, KISS needed to get in the spotlight, a big commotion to get them noticed once again, this led to the famous KISS make-up coming off. On September 18, 1983, on MTV, Gene, Paul, Eric and Vinnie showed their faces to the world. This moment, years later was included in VH1's '100 Greatest Rock & Roll Moments on TV', broadcasting it on MTV was a very smart move, KISS was a pre-MTV era band, and this got them back into the MTV era, when the music video of 'Lick It Up' was released it got a heavy playtime on MTV. For the first time ever, KISS started with a tour in Europe, this also meant they had to bring along their alternate KISS logo along again. Even though KISS was back in the spotlight, there was not much in term of a budget as the Creatures Tour saw a record low turnout in fans and the Creatures album did so poorly, they released a reissue in 1985 with an alternate cover.


Vinnie Vincent was fired following the conclusion of the European leg of the tour, they searched for a replacement via phone but the search proved futile and Vinnie was rehired again for the North American leg of the tour. KISS's short lived relationship with Vinnie Vincent ended in March 1984 during the end of the Lick It Up Tour. Vinnie would reunite with KISS for one last time in 1992 to write songs for 'Revenge'. Vinnie eventually sued Gene and Paul two times over the years (last in 2011) regarding royalties he was supposedly not receiving over various songs he (co)wrote. In 2018 Vinnie joined Gene on his Gene's Vault Experience event for a few songs.

Lick It Up World Tour Stage


  • Creatures Stage - The stage was pretty much the same as the Creatures Tour. Only with a sparse amount of pyrotechnics, the band made up for this with showing allot of energy on the stage seeing they now could perform a full 100% as their heavy platform boots were not holding them back anymore.

  • Pyrotechnics - The Lick It Up Tour saw most of the pyrotechnics removed.

  • Tank Turret - Seeing they had to play in smaller venue's for the first time since 1976, the barrel of the tank had to be cut shorter or it would not have fit on the stage. The band still got on the tank turret at the end of 'Black Diamond' but the turret did no longer shoot pyrotechnics only steam from it's exhausts.

     Stage Props:

  • Fire Engine Lights

  • Fire Engine Siren

  • Fire Helmet

  • Tank Turret Drum Riser

  • Tank Stage

  • Pyrotechnics (Limited)

  • Dry Ice Smoke

  • Fire Breathing

  • Amplifiers

  • KISS Logo

  • Paul Smashing Guitars


No makeup meant no more Demon, but Gene still wiggled that tongue around like he was still the demon on that stage, for the unmasked years, it took him a long time to adjust to be playing without the Demon persona.

Typical Setlist:

01.'Creatures Of The Night'
02. 'Detroit Rock City'
03. 'Cold Gin'
04. 'Fits Like A Glove'
05. 'Firehouse'
06. 'Exciter'
07. 'Gimme More'
08. 'War Machine'
09. 'I Love It Loud'
10. 'I Still Love You'

11. 'Young And Wasted'

12. 'Love Gun'

13. 'Black Diamond'


Encore:

14. 'Lick It Up'

15. 'Rock And Roll All Nite'

Tour Book:

The European tour book with an altered Creatures/10th Anniversary cover

Special Shows / Happenings:

KISS in the MTV Studios with VJ J.J Jackson

MTV Studios, September 18, 1983

KISS held a exclusive interview with MTV hosted by VJ J.J Jackson showing their faces for the first time without makeup, MTV was first reluctant to the idea but some ass kissing from KISS's management persuaded them to go ahead with the interview and it was a ratings hit.

Sports Palais, Lisbon, Portugal, October 11, 1983

KISS was interviewed by a Portuguese music TV show and the program recorded some shows during the show and aired 'Creatures Of The Night',and 'Detroit Rock City'.

- Queens Hall. Leeds, England, October 21, 1983 -

Following the performance, a few fans ran in to the band at the Leicester East Service Station on the M1. When their car would not start, the band reportedly helped push the car around the parking lot to get it going.


- Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, MI, January 9, 1984 -

The band performed for a meager crowd of only 1,507 people, the lowest since they began headlining since 1975, reportedly this low attendance was effected because of a immense downpour on the evening of the show, but that did not stop fans in the past.


- Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN, January 11, 1984 -

The 'King Biscuit Flower Hour' recorded the show, it was broadcast in edited form, this is the same King Biscuit that recorded a Alive! show in 1975, this is one of the best quality bootleg recordings from the 80's out there.


- Dallas County Convention Center Arena, Dallas, TX, January 13, 1984 -

A overzealous fan pulled Gene by the leg and straight from the stage, Gene than jokingly sang the first line of 'Beth'. Reportedly a week's worth of Polaroids from Gene's collection was stolen at the venue. No pyrotechnics were allowed at the show as well.


- Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY, March 9, 1984 -

Peter Criss was in attendance. Paul and Vinnie reportedly got into some sort of physical confrontation off stage yet still in view of the audience. C.K Lendt recalls:

"I can recall a thing like that being talked about, but i didn't witness it. It doesn't surprise me, they really didn't get along that well."

Various backstage passes

One of the rare moments during the show where pyrotechnics were used.

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