Psycho Circus World Tour - 1998 - '00
Start Date: October 31, 1998
End Date:January 3, 2000
Shows: 62
Legs: 3
Countries: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, England, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United States
Opening Acts: Big Wreck, Bionic, Buck Cherry, Caroline's Spine, Econoline Crush, Everclear, John Hayes Project, Junkbox, Lit, Los Villanos, Natural Born Hippies, Nickelback, Ozone Monday, PUYA, Rammstein, The Smashing Pumpkins
Average Attendance: 12,826
Line Up: Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss
After the hype of the reunion was settling down and the wildly successful reunion tour finished, Gene and Paul thought of new ways to get their next tour to be just as excited, they decided on making a new studio album, for the first time in 19 years with the original band members! Of course this gained allot of interest by fans and critics alike for their new tour!
But inside the band things were not going well as Ace only expected to be with the band for the reunion tour and than continue with his solo band and a solo album. Ace and Peter had to pretty much beg Gene and Paul to have any song of their creation on the album, Peter had no luck as he only sang lead on'I Finally Found My Way' that was written by Stanley. Years later Peter stated that the only track where the four original band members contributed instrumentally was Ace's 'Into The Void'. Ace was also falling further back into heavy substance abuse so much that he even nodded off applying his makeup sometimes during the end of the reunion tour and he was notoriously known to be late for everything. Peter was in a bad place physically and mentally so he was in a constant bad mood.
In 2012, Paul Stanley talked about why the original lineup didn't play on the record, he stated that so many lawyers were getting involved and they just got sick of it and told Frehley and Criss to not bother showing up for recording. Ace and Peter wanted to become full members again so they would get the same piece of the pie as Gene and Paul. Stanley since has stated: "Why would they be equal partners? The band had existed [for many years without them]." Ace has stated that he and Peter were not even getting invited to some of the recording sessions and many of his demo's he gave them were scrapped (Ace stated in his memoir "No Regrets", that the demo 'Life, Liberty, And The Pursuit Of Rock And Roll' had mirrored lyrics to Paul's song 'I Pledge Allegiance To The State Of Rock & Roll'.) Eventually the title song from Psycho Circus received a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance and the album was certified gold by the RIAA on October 22, 1998.
Psycho Circus Tour Stage:
For the Psycho Circus Tour the band used the same stage but made some tiny changes:
KISS Logo's - There were now two KISS logo's present on the stage left and right.
Video Screen - A huge Imax 3D video screen was placed in the middle above the drum riser, they shot the music video for Psycho Circus in 3D and the effect apparently was so impressive to Gene and Paul that they wanted to use a 3D screen for the tour, bits from the Psycho Circus video would be shown and fans could watch it with the 3D glasses they received at the door. It was impressive but after a hour most fans didn't care anymore and took the glasses off.
Costumes - The show pretty much stayed the same as it was in the previous tour, the band did change costumes as they were now wearing Destroyer era replica's, only Gene's costume never seemed to looked right with the huge shoulder pads.
Ace's Guitars - Ace came up with a new effect for his guitar, two actually, he had one silver Gibson Les Paul fitted with multiple lights at the end of the Reunion tour and he could turn them on with a switch, the guitar was nicknamed the "UFO Light Guitar". His guitar was made by Steve Carr, someone who had made guitars for Ace since 1978! Ace also added a fireworks spinner that he would activate for his guitar solo during 'Rock And Roll All Nite'.
Peter's Drum Riser - Peter also had modified his drum riser, his riser would go up in the air during his drum solo, and than go forward over the first few rows in the audience, something many people did not expect!
Drum Riser Curtain - Peter's beautiful drum riser curtain sadly was not used anymore because of Peter's drum riser flying forward to the crowd.
Gene and Paul Flying - Gene and Paul had no added effects to the show, Gene would spit blood and fire and fly to the rafters, Paul would fly to his little platform in the audience, but he did do something he rarely has done in the past or even in later tours, he would jump off the platform during the solo of 'Love Gun' and shook hands with fans at limited occasions, he really wasn't kidding this tour when he asked if he "could come over there!"
Flamethrowers- The flamethrowers underwent a change, no longer did they use the small chemical based versions but went back to the gas based flamethrowers giving the big towers of flames as KISS had used in the 70s!
Inflatable KISS Figures - The inflatable KISS figures were used again but were now printed with Destroyer costumes.
The tour was allot shorter than the reunion tour and cut short at the end as more shows were planned in Russia, but because of NATO bombings in Yugoslavia those shows were canceled. The band took a break after the American tour, Paul was busy with a project you would not expect from Paul as he played The Phantom in a Toronto production of 'The Phantom Of The Opera', he was playing the Phantom from May 25 to August 1, and later from September 30 to October 31, 1999, Paul did a great vocal job during the musical. Peter even showed up at the end of one show and both went out for sushi!
Gene was busy trying to finish the "Detroit Rock City"movie for a late August 1999 premiere, Ace's daughter Monique was flown over to do a scene with Edward Furlong, when Ace eventually got the final cut send to him and he was watched it with Monique, the scene was cut from the movie, Ace suspected this was Gene's doing. Eventually a rumored US summer tour never came to fruition. Ace did tell in a interview he gave in the fall that the band would continue touring and it would be their farewell tour, but Gene stated in response that this was not true. But we all knew, this indeed became their farewell tour, but only as the farewell tour of the original band because when the Farewell tour was finished, the original KISS formation never came back together.
Stage Props:
Pre-Show "hum"
Giant KISS Logo Curtain Before Show
Two Animated KISS Logos
Gene Spitting Blood
Gene Breathing Fire
Gene Flying
Paul Flying
Ace's Smoking, Shooting, Flying Guitar
Platform Risers
Dry Ice Smoke
Flash Pots
Fire Engine Lights
Fire Engine Siren
Bombs
Fireworks
Pyrotechnics
Drum Riser
Confetti
Giant 3D Video Screen
Amps Stacks
KISS Army Banners
Flamethrowers (Gas Based)
Paul Smashing Guitar
Peter drumming with a smile
Typical Setlist:
01.'Psycho Circus'
02. 'Shout It Out Loud'
03. 'Deuce'
04. 'Do You Love Me?'
05. 'Firehouse'
06. 'Shock Me'
08. 'Calling Dr. Love'
09. 'Into The Void'
10. 'King Of The Night Time World'
11. 'God Of Thunder'
12. 'Within'
13. 'I Was Made For Lovin' You'
14. 'Love Gun'
15. '100,000 Years'
16. 'Rock And Roll All Nite'
Encore:
17. 'Beth'
18. 'Detroit Rock City'
19. 'Black Diamond'
Tour Book:
The Psycho Circus World Tour book, the Dodger Stadium 1998 performance received its own tour book, but only the cover text was different.
The European tour book had 3 extra pages added with live pictures from the first part of the tour.
Special Shows / Happenings:
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA, October 31, 1998
The first show of the tour would start with a bang, in an outdoor stadium, loads of pyrotechnics were used. The show was aired live on Fox TV as part of the 1998 Fox Halloween Special, it also aired live on the radio via The Album Network and on the internet by Pepsi, special merchandise was made for this show, the Dodger Stadium Psycho Circus tour book and a $1,500 bottle of wine. This show eventually ended up on the DVD set Kissology III. Even though it was the opening show of the tour, it was not sold out, only 32,019 people were in attendance of the 40,000 capacity the stadium holds. After the show, the band got stuck in traffic because of the Hollywood Halloween Parade and they decided to walk back to their hotel while still in full KISS makeup and costume. Seeing it was Halloween, people thought they were just fans dressed up as KISS and got praise for such good looking costumes!
- MCI Center, Washington DC, November 19, 1998 -
When Paul brought his pre-cut guitar out to be smashed, he accidentally dropped it on the stage and it fell into pieces! He picked up the body of the guitar and smashed it against Peter's drum riser breaking it some more to keep the show going.
- Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, ON, Canada, December 3, 1998 -
KISS filmed concert sequences for the Detroit Rock City movie at the Copps Coliseum, the band wore their Love Gun outfits and a copy of the Love Gun stage was also used.
3,000 fans attended the shooting to act as the concert crowd.
- Schottenstein Center, Columbus, OH, December 5, 1998 -
After Gene's blood spitting act, he flew to the lighting rig as usual and when positioned on his platform, fake blood still kept seeping down through a hole in his platform that reached the first couple of rows in the audience, roadies walked out to hand out towels to people being hit.
- EJ Nutter, Dayton, OH, December 11, 1998 -
A pyro effect used during 'Rock And Roll All Nite' set a light on fire in the lighting rig that burned for several minutes, even making Peter point it out when he appeared on stage to perform 'Beth'.
- ISU Hullman Center, Terra Haute, IN, December 12, 1998 -
This show was recorded for a special six-track Extended Pay CD titled Live, eventually this limited edition CD was released in Europe on February 22, 1999 as a bonus CD to Psycho Circus.
- Omaha Civic Auditorium Arena, Omaha, NE, December 16, 1998 -
The motor used for Gene to fly burned out during sound checks and his flying act was not used until December 31. After 'Psycho Circus' Paul had security pull a 7 year old boy out of the crowd who got elbowed on the nose, he was allowed to watch the rest of the show on the side of the stage and even met Paul at the end!
- Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI, December 27, 1998 -
No video screens were used during this show and Paul also did not fly, his flying rig was probably still stranded because of a snow storm as noted that for the December 29 show in Chicago, he also did not fly there because of his flying rig being stranded because of a severe snow storm.
Superbowl XXXIII, Miami, FL, January 31, 1999
KISS was part of the pre-show ceremony for Superbowl XXXIII, they performed 'Rock And Roll All Nite' with loads of fireworks, two risers and dancers dressed up like the band.
Prior to leaving for the European leg of the PC tour, Paul underwent surgery to his left knee, explaining why he was wearing a big black knee brace for the rest of the tour. At the Göteborg, Sweden show Gene and Paul were in a real playful mood and this eventually turned into a water fight that lasted through the entire show, taking turns dousing each other with water. Paul eventually won the fight by taking a mouthful of water, walked up to Gene who nervously sang the first verse of 'Rock And Roll All Nite' Paul hovered inches for Gene's face and unloaded the mouthful of water on Gene's face.
- Velodrom, Berlin, Germany, March 7, 1999 -
Before 'Rock And Roll All Nite' Paul sang 'Deutschland, Deutschland, uber alles', not realizing this was a banned part of the German anthem and it had a affiliation with the Nazi era. Gene knew and quickly interrupted Paul but the damage was already done as boos were already coming out of the crowd.
- Messenhalle, Erfurt, Germany, March 11, 1999 -
While kidding around on stage, Paul asked Ace if he spoke any German, Ace replied with: 'Ja, ja, Deutschland, Deutschland, uber alles', making the same mistake as Paul did at the Berlin show.
Stadthalle, Bremen, Germany, March 12, 1999
The Bremen fire marshal prohibited the band to use any pyrotechnics during the show (looking at the video footage, probably because the low ceiling), the band obliged. Paul explained before 'Deuce' with the help of a German translator that they can't use the pyrotechnics but "they can stop the fire, but they can't stop KISS!" At the end of 'Black Diamond'the entire show' barrage of pyrotechnics were let loose giving one of the biggest pyro shows the band ever gave in a KISS show' finale. The fire marshal banned KISS for live to perform in Bremen!
- UCLA Parking Lot, Westwood, CA, August 9, 1999 -
This was a special performance for the premiere of the 'Detroit Rock City' movie for VIP's (DRC cast and staff members, their guests, New Line people, and other industry associates) where they performed a small set, but loads of pyrotechnics and fireworks were used! This took place on a parking lot of the UCLA after the movie was shown a block further back. Even though this was a 5 song performance, they brought out all the tricks for the show, pyrotechnics, fireworks, smoking guitar, lifts and Paul smashing his guitar! The band even arrived at the premier in a monster truck limo!! A fan reported seeing Eric Singer in the back at the show.
- 7080 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, August 11, 1999 -
This event was at the Hollywood Walk Of Fame were KISS got their Star! This had to be really exciting for Gene to have his band to receive a star among the many Hollywood stars (Lon Chaney) he looked up too...
MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV, August 23, 1999
This was a special performance at the popular WCW wrestling show where they would lip sync 'God Of Thunder' and at the end of the song debut a wrestler called The Demon who would be bearing Gene's makeup. The performance was not wildly received by the wrestling fans (as a wrestling fan myself, they came for the wrestling, not for musical acts). Plans were made for a entire "stable" aka group of KISS wrestlers with more wrestlers bearing KISS makeup, but this plan never came to live as in 2001 WCW was bought out by its competition, WWF (now WWE).
- MGM Grand Theme Park, Las Vegas, NV, October 29, 1999 -
This was a concert for a special event, called Pixelon's i-Bash '99 where many other musical acts performed as well, including a reunited The Who, Faith Hill, Tony Bennet, etc... For some reason KISS was the only band that night that lip-synced, but it didn't make KISS look bad in the end. Pixelon, who organized the event, was one big giant fraud, the guy behind this fraud, named David Kim Stanley (no relation to Paul Stanley) who's real name was wanted conman Michael Fenne, managed to get over 35 million dollars from investors for a brand new technology he so stated he invented that could send TV quality feeds over the internet (something that would only be realized many years later). He eventually ran when people found out he was a fraud but surrendered over to the police on April, 2000. KISS and the other artists never got anything for their performance, because they got paid in worthless Pixelon stock shares. Pixelon even leashed the Astrovision screen in Times Square to show an eight-hour-plus live feed of the event. Episode 3 of the mini tv series 'Valley Of The Boom' covered Pixelon with Steve Zahn as Michael Fenne a.k.a David Kim Stanley.
- BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, BC, Canada, December 31, 1999 -
This show was recorded for a new Alive! album to be called 'Alive IV', eventually this show was never released but it did end up on the 'KISS Alive! 1975 - 2000' Box set, but it was named 'Alive! The Millennium Concert'. 'Rock And Roll All Nite' of the show was released earlier on the 2001 released 'The Box Set'. It is clear why the show was never officially released, the tempo of the songs are really slow, an audience sound effect that is way too obvious it was added in later and also it sounds way too clean to be live, some songs seem to be recorded at sound checks as KISS had done before on the previous Alive! albums.
Backstage pass, guitar picks, tickets, a tour poster and the 3D glasses you used at a concert!
The full Psycho Circus stage, strangely almost no professional made photo's exist from this tour