The KISSFAQ © 2008 - Kiss in the clubs

Section 1. This section covers known recordings of Rainbow/Wicked Lester and Kiss' club period, 30 I 1973 - 22 XII 1973. There are few recordings, and only one show plus parts of two anothers widely circulate (because they were officially released). Thanks Kiss!

Rainbow/Wicked Lester

1971, March ?
Richmond College
Staten Island, NY
Set list: Little Lady / About Her / Love Her All I Can / Keep Me Waiting / Suitor / First Time Around / Eskimo Sun / Stanley The Parrot / It's A Wonder / Movin' On / Sweet Flora / Sunday Driver / When I Awoke / Let's All Fly Away / She / Simple Type / I Am A New Man / She Goes
Notes: Three sets comprising Rainbow's first live performance at Gene's former college. This show was recorded and was one of at least five shows that Wicked Lester played, and the only known live recording from that band.
Quality: This recording does not widely circulate.

Kiss in the clubs

1973, June 16 (First Set)
The Daisy
Amityville, NY
Set list: Nothin' To Lose / Firehouse / Life In The Woods / Simple Type / Acrobat / Deuce / 100,000 Years / Black Diamond
Notes: This, and the partial second set, is probably the earliest surviving Kiss live audio recording. The Daisy became the second venue where Kiss played after their five-week performing hiatus following the debut shows. Owned by Sid Benjamin, the venue "was no bigger than a living room," (Metal Muscle #1, Spring 1986) according to Paul. Crowds were generally well under 100, though the band used Sid's office to hype their performances to people calling in. The Daisy would be the real proving ground for the band through June 1973 as they honed their live performance and their visual appearance evolved.
Quality: This recording does not widely circulate.

1973, June 16 (Second Set)
The Daisy
Amityville, NY
Set list: Strutter / Watchin' You / Sunday Driver... {rest unknown}
Notes: Recorded and mixed by Eddie Solon on a nine-channel 27 input Peavey Sound System.
Quality: This recording does not widely circulate.

1973, September 2?
23rd Street Rehearsal Loft
New York City, NY
Set list: Strutter / Firehouse / Watchin' You / Let Me Know / Life In The Woods / Acrobat
Notes: As noted in KISS Magazine #2 ("Into The Vault by Jeff Suhs), this recording was from a rehearsal conducted at the band's loft.
Quality: This recording does not widely circulate.

1973, September 24/25
Bell Sound Studios
New York City, NY
Set list: Let Me Know / 100,000 Years / Baby, Let Me Go / Firehouse / Acrobat / She / Love Her All I Can / Simple Type / Keep Me Waiting / Life In The Woods / Nothin' To Lose / Strutter / Deuce / Black Diamond / Let Me Know / Go Now / Watchin' You / Cold Gin
Notes: The Bell Sound demos were essentially a quick and dirty recording of Kiss' song catalog live in the studio. As a result, the songs retain their live arrangements. The recording was to provide producers Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise an overall idea of the band's material for consideration and selection of what would be recorded for the debut album. The first four songs were released on Kiss' "Box Set" (2001), the rest is pure conjecture of what is known to have been in the bands sets at the time and may or may not have been recorded. It is included here since it is essential a live recording, albeit in a studio.
Quality: Very reasonable.

1973, December 21
The Coventry
New York City, NY
Set list: Deuce / Cold Gin
Notes: This show was filmed, but filmed over the following night leaving only the first song intact. Half of "Cold Gin" remains. Even before the beginning of this show, a frame of the band rehearsing remains ("Into The Vault by Jeff Suhs). The "KISSology Vol. 1" DVD "Easter Egg" suggest that the performance of "Deuce" is from this show, but it's from the following night's show and lacks the "In Concert" info bit prior to the band's introduction.
Quality: This recording does not widely circulate.

1973, December 22
The Coventry
New York City, NY
Set list: Deuce / Cold Gin / Nothin' To Lose / Strutter / Firehouse / Let Me Know / 100,000 Years / Black Diamond / Baby, Let Me Go
Notes: It was long known that the band had filmed their final club shows, though the recordings didn't surface until 2004, at which time Bill Aucoin registered the copyright of the video! The show was included as a general bonus disc included in initial pressings of the "Kissology Vol. 3" DVD package. Like the 12/31 "Academy of Music" show, "100,000 Years" still includes the fourth verse.
Quality: This recording is a historic document even with the visual and audio short-comings from how it was filmed.

[Main Page]