Gene Simmons Seems To Be Actually Enjoying His Australian Tour

Gene Simmons, the normal cold-hearted, money grabbing bass player for Kiss actually seems to be putting the fans first on his 2018 Australian tour.

Gene Simmons is touring Australia for the first time as a solo act. Without the big budget Kiss production he has flexibility to experiment with the setlists each night and he is using it to good advantage.

‘Watching You’ from Hotter Than Hell was played at the last two shows in Sydney and Brisbane. Before that it was pulled out for the Kiss Kruises of 2014, 2015 and 2016. Prior to that it was a Kiss setlist feature on the 2009 tour. Gene played the song in Sydney on Friday and again Saturday night in Brisbane, but not at the Adelaide or Melbourne shows.

The Gene Simmons Band solo show is giving Simmons the chance to play songs even Kiss rarely got to. ‘I’ from The Elder, ‘Charisma’ from Dynasty and ‘Love Theme From Kiss’ from the debut album have been getting a good thrashing on this tour, despite hardly ever (or never) being heard before in a Kiss set.

The addition of Ace Frehley as opening act and who later shares the stage with Gene Simmons has also meant Australian fans are getting a rare Kiss live experience.

Gene Simmons setlist, Brisbane, The Tivoli, 1 September 2018

Shout It Out Loud (from Destroyer, 1976)
I (from Music From The Elder, 1981)
Are You Ready (from Gene Simmons Vault, 2018)
War Machine (from Creatures of the Night, 1982)
Calling Dr. Love (from Rock and Roll Over, 1976)
Charisma (from Dynasty, 1979)
She’s So Australian (She’s So European) (from Unmasked, 1980)
Love Theme from Kiss (from Kiss, 1974)
Radioactive (from Gene Simmons Vault, 2018)
Let Me Go, Rock ‘N’ Roll (from Hotter Than Hell, 1974)
I Was Made for Lovin’ You (from Dynasty, 1979)
Do You Love Me (from Destroyer, 1976)
Long Tall Sally (Little Richard cover)
Watching You (from Hotter Than Hell, 1974)
I Love It Loud (from Creatures of the Night, 1982)
Plaster Caster (Love Gun, 1977)
Deuce (from Kiss, 1974)
Rock and Roll All Nite (from Dressed To Kill, 1975)

Ace Frehley stuck to the usual setlist. His four shows so far have been exactly the same except for ‘Shock Me’ instead of ‘Detroit Rock City’ in Adelaide.

Ace Frehley setlist, Brisbane, The Tivoli, 1 September 2018

Fractured Mirror (From Ace Frehley, 1978)
Parasite (from Hotter Than Hell, 1974)
Hard Times (from Dynasty, 1979)
2000 Man (The Rolling Stones cover) (from Dynasty, 1979)
Rock Soldiers (from Frehley’s Comet, 1987)
Rip It Out (From Ace Frehley, 1978)
Love Gun (from Love Gun, 1977)
Rocket Ride (from Kiss Alive II, 1977)
Strange Ways (from Hotter Than Hell, 1974)
New York Groove (From Ace Frehley, 1978)
Shock Me (from Love Gun, 1977)
Detroit Rock City (from Destroyer, 1976)
Cold Gin (from Kiss, 1974)