The KISSFAQ © 2008 - "KISS" Tour!

Section 2. Kiss' first tour was a hap-hazard affair. The band played for and with anyone. The band's pro-debut could more appropriately be included in the "Club" era since "100,000 Years" was still using the original arrangement with 4th verse, but it makes such a nice segue between clubs and circuit venues.

"Kiss" Tour

1973, December 31
Academy Of Music
New York, NY
Set list: Deuce / Cold Gin / Nothin' To Lose / Firehouse / Let Me Know / 100,000 Years / Black Diamond
Notes: This show was Kiss' industry pro-debut opening for Teenage Lust, Iggy Pop, and Blue Oyster Cult. While their set was short the band's performance was notable as being the first occasion they performed with their iconic lighted 4x10' "KISS" logo that replaced the spider-web backdrop they'd been using. The logo was a surprise gift from manager Bill Aucoin. Gene also set his hair on fire, though it wasn't his first public fire-breathing attempt. According to one contemporary review of the New Year's Eve show, it "almost proved disastrous as the hair of bass guitarists/lead vocalist Gene Simmons, weirdest in make-up, caught fire. A roadie quickly covered it without a note being missed" (Kirby, Fred - Variety 1/2/74).

The band were even mentioned in a major review of the show: "After a fiery opening set by Kiss (an "American Black Sabbath" on Neil Bogart's new Casablanca label) and the ribald antics of Teenage Lust, the Stooges assaulted the audience with wave upon wave of material from Raw Power" (Rolling Stone #153, Jan. 1974, Gordon Fletcher). It was at least a mention of the band's name.
Quality: The sound quality of this recording is generally poor.

1974, February 17
Long Beach Auditorium
Long Beach, CA
Set list: Deuce / Strutter / She / Firehouse / Nothin' To Lose / Cold Gin / Acrobat
Notes: Probable set list filmed in silent Super8 (8mm) footage. The footage comes from a 27 minute source that was originally auctioned on Ebay in 2000 and purchased by Jack Sawyers ("Tale of the Fox" video). It was in circulation by 2003. The band were opening for Rory Gallagher and the "new" Fleetwood Mac for their first performance on the West Coast, following their first Canadian tour. Gene suggested, "Our touring schedule was so intense that by the time we got to the West Coast, we were doing five or six shows a week" ("KISSology" liner notes). Not really. The February 17 show was the first that KISS had played since Manitoba eleven nights earlier. While travel and rehearsals were certainly part of the interim, the band certainly weren't doing what Gene suggested. "Acrobat" was eventually released on the "Kissology Vol. 1" DVD.
Quality: Grainy video, which in many cases has been synched with audio from the FM broadcast from Lafayette's Music Room in Memphis, TN, on April 18. For some the footage is better on the 2001 unofficial "The Vintage" DVD where 17 minutes were released. While we can't hear the original performance, the band received a positive review: "The first group, Kiss, far out-distanced the top-billed Mac, with an offering of hard-pounding rock and roll. If they lacked polish, they made up for it with an energetic approach to their music. They're young and a group worth watching" (Long Beach Press-Telegram, 2/19/74).

1974, February 21
Aquarius Theatre
Los Angeles, CA
Set list: Deuce / Nothin' To Lose / Firehouse / Black Diamond
Notes: There really isn't much to say about this footage. It's a very important part of KISStory, regardless of how many times it's been seen before. Four days after the Long Beach performance the band filmed their first national television appearance for Dick Clark's "In Concert" show on ABC. The short set has long circulated unofficially, with the exception of the lost "Deuce." Broadcast on March 29, 1974 and officially released on the "Kissology Vol. 1" DVD. Other guests on the broadcast included Foghat, Melissa Manchester, Redbone, and Kool & The Gang.
Quality: TV. Excellent.

1974, March 25
The Bayou
Washington DC
Set list: Deuce / Strutter / She / Firehouse / Acrobat / Let Me Know / Black Diamond / Baby, Let Me Go
Notes: This recording was from the band's second set and is notable as being the only complete ("Love Theme From Kiss" plus the instrumental "Much Too Young") version of "Acrobat" to circulate as part of a 1974 show. Quality: Very listenable for an AUD recording of its age.

1974, March 27
WDCA Studios
Washington DC
Set list: ~unknown
Notes: While the set or song performed is unknown, Kiss filmed an appearance for Barry Richards' WDCA local television show "Rock 'N Soul" which aired Saturday nights at 8pm. It is likely that the performance was lip-synched ("Kiss Alive Forever") and could have been broadcast as early as March 30. Barry, in addition to his local media work on radio and TV, had promoted the band's gig at the Bayou.
Quality: Unknown. This is not known to circulate.

1974, April 7
Michigan Palace
Detroit, MI
Set list: Deuce / Strutter / She / Firehouse / Nothin' To Lose / Cold Gin / 100,000 Years / Black Diamond / Baby, Let Me Go
Notes: The WABX-FM "Kite-In and Balloon Fly" was an annual grassroots event in 1968, but quickly grew to require much larger venues that could accommodate thousands. Other acts that performed at the 1974 event included Aerosmith, Mojo Boogie Band, and Michael Fennelly. The station broadcast both the Aerosmith and Kiss sets, though Kiss performed during daylight and was introduced as a "most unusual band."
Quality: Outstanding, *the* 1974 bootleg to have.

1974, April 18
Lafayette's Music Room
Memphis, TN
Set list: Deuce / Strutter / Firehouse / She / Nothin' To Lose / Cold Gin / 100,000 Years / Black Diamond / Acrobat
Notes: Broadcast on WMC FM-100. Notable for the obvious inclusion of "Acrobat," though in this case only the second "jam" part is performed as an encore. Kathy McDonnell opened for Kiss on both this and the previous night's show at the venue.
Quality: Very reasonable. Again, "Acrobat" out-weighs any audio quality issues such as tape-flutters and drop-outs.

1974, April 29
KYW-TV Studios
Philadelphia, PA
Set list: Firehouse
Notes: Filmed during a brief break in touring activities for the "Mike Douglas Show." This show has previously circulated and was heavily edited on "KISSology Vol. 1" DVD. It remains somewhat infamous for Gene's run-in with comedienne Totie Field, and her hilarious "nice Jewish boy" comment. First broadcast on May 21. Other guests on the show included Robert Klein, singer Eartha Kitt, Ben Hunter, and Dr. Joyce Brothers.
Quality: The whole of the broadcast segment was released in 2003 on the unofficial "Lost 1976 Concert" DVD.

1974, May 31
Long Beach Auditorium
Long Beach, CA
Set list: Deuce / Nothin' To Lose / She / Firehouse / Strutter / 100,000 Years / Black Diamond / Baby, Let Me Go
Notes: Of any early Kiss show, this one is perhaps the most famous having been the classic "Fried Alive" bootleg sourced from the KNAC FM broadcast of the set. Kiss opened for Savoy Brown and Manfred Mann's Earth Band at this show.
Quality: Varies from very reasonable to nearly excellent depending on the source.

1974, June 1
Winterland Ballroom
San Francisco, CA
Set list: ~unknown.
Notes: Paul received his iconic "rose" tattoo at Lyle Tuttle's studio in Los Angeles earlier that day! This show was also filmed by the in-house filming crew, but the tapes were apparently "lost" to fire. Surely some sneak made a personal copy, huh!? It seems likely that "Kissin' Time" would have been in the set at this time. Kiss were opening for Savoy Brown and Manfred Mann's Earth Band at this 8pm show.
Quality: ~unknown.

1974, June 20
Electric Ballroom
Atlanta, GA
Set list: Deuce / Strutter / Nothin' To Lose / She / Firehouse / 100,000 Years / Black Diamond
Notes: The recording that circulates attributed as this show is fake.

1974, July 16
Independence Hall
Baton Rouge, LA
Set list: Deuce / Strutter / She / Firehouse / 100,000 Years / Black Diamond
Notes: Quite possibly a partial set, since it seems likely that "Baby, Let Me Go" would have closed the set. Paul doesn't interact with the audience until the intro to "She:" "We're going to slow it down a little. This is called 'She.'" Changes in the sound of the tape in between "She" and "Firehouse" suggest that "Nothin' To Lose" may have been performed but edited out of the tape that circulates.
Quality: Very reasonable, though with some fluctuations and drop-outs.

1974, August 4
Morris Civic Auditorium
South Bend, IN
Set list: Deuce / Nothin' To Lose / She / Firehouse / Strutter / 100,000 Years / Black Diamond / Baby, Let Me Go
Notes: A great audience recording (via Superscope CS200 stereo cassette recorder with built-in mics) of the band opening for Blue Oyster Cult. The PA cuts out during "100,000 Years" and Kiss keep playing. This was the final show prior to Kiss entering the studios to record the "Hotter Than Hell" album.
Quality: Excellent audience recording of the time.

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