What is the best KISS stage?

wise · Post by **wise** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 4:04 pm

What is the best KISS stage? I didn’t list them all, just the ones that stand out.

67321 · Post by **67321** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 4:06 pm

The Love Gun stage is epic‚ and simply perfect!

My 2nd favorite ( of course ) is LEON!

His Majesty · Post by **His Majesty** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 4:11 pm

The best Boston stage was Third...

Oh, and KISS? Love Gun. Easy.

nibbler1982 · Post by **nibbler1982** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 4:20 pm

Leon for the win.

PsychoElder · Post by **PsychoElder** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 4:32 pm

Leon!

mojavebassman · Post by **mojavebassman** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 4:59 pm

Love Gun and Leon!

bassmansteiny · Post by **bassmansteiny** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 5:01 pm

Mr Leon Sphinx!

rocksteady77 · Post by **rocksteady77** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 5:05 pm

I'll never understand the love for Leon... I'd understand if it was Iron Maiden with some Egyptian or Pharaoh themed album but Leon is just a head scratcher for me. I don't hate it, I just don't understand the love.

drolaw · Post by **drolaw** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 5:53 pm

Leon ruled!

KISSTRONAUT · Post by **KISSTRONAUT** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 6:21 pm

Love Gun. Also love Dynasty stage.

Post by **spACEship** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 6:41 pm

rocksteady77 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 5:05 pm I'll never understand the love for Leon... I'd understand if it was Iron Maiden with some Egyptian or Pharaoh themed album but Leon is just a head scratcher for me. I don't hate it, I just don't understand the love.

Do not expect to find the average Kiss-fan on Kissfaq. Whatever subject, most of them prove rather avant garde. I don't hate the HITS stage design either, but it is just not Kiss. Whatever could have been saved by some icing on the cake, was ruined by the terrible Kiss-sign, shamefully ascending at some point during the show. Seriously - just look at the shape of that K. I am amazed at how it could pass - even for financial reasons. Those who have compared it to child's work are spot on!

In the Suds · Post by **In the Suds** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 6:48 pm

Dynasty

kenn.ace · Post by **kenn.ace** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 6:49 pm

Love Gun

Lofton23rdSt · Post by **Lofton23rdSt** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 7:02 pm

Was the Reunion Tour stage really their biggest stage show up until then?

Randell Stevens · Post by **Randell Stevens** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 7:57 pm

I actually had to think about it for a minute. At first it was.......ooohhh the one with the tank......no, the one with Leon......no, the one from Alive II.......then I realized I liked Destroyer the best. The little sections for each guy, were pretty neat.

I remember watching some pbs mini series documentary thing about the history of RNR years ago, and the stage designer (I guess) was talking about stages he had created for Bowie and KISS. Guy had like this little diorama thing of the stage. Pretty cool from what I remember, of course, that was the mid 90's, everything probaly seemed cooler than it was.

Post by **Forevertj** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:02 pm

rocksteady77 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 5:05 pm I'll never understand the love for Leon... I'd understand if it was Iron Maiden with some Egyptian or Pharaoh themed album but Leon is just a head scratcher for me. I don't hate it, I just don't understand the love.

Leon was on the cover of the HITS album. That is why it was used.

Post by **spACEship** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:26 pm

Forevertj wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:02 pm
rocksteady77 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 5:05 pm I'll never understand the love for Leon... I'd understand if it was Iron Maiden with some Egyptian or Pharaoh themed album but Leon is just a head scratcher for me. I don't hate it, I just don't understand the love.

Leon was on the cover of the HITS album. That is why it was used.

And why was an Egyptian Sphinx with sunglasses used as artwork for the cover in the first place? It looked corny - as a joke or at best as work in progress. A disaster. Then, on the tour, they tried to make it look cool, only to ruin it all by an out of proportions childlike creation of their logo. By the way, they played well on that tour, but that is not the subject matter in this thread.

Post by **spACEship** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:37 pm

Randell Stevens wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 7:57 pm I actually had to think about it for a minute. At first it was.......ooohhh the one with the tank......no, the one with Leon......no, the one from Alive II.......then I realized I liked Destroyer the best. The little sections for each guy, were pretty neat.

I remember watching some pbs mini series documentary thing about the history of RNR years ago, and the stage designer (I guess) was talking about stages he had created for Bowie and KISS. Guy had like this little diorama thing of the stage. Pretty cool from what I remember, of course, that was the mid 90's, everything probaly seemed cooler than it was.

You probably saw one or more of the blueprints designer Mark Ravitz drew, ahead of building the stage itself.

Strutter67 · Post by **Strutter67** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:38 pm

HITS. Something just too damn cool about that stage. Coming out of the mouth to open then show and laser lights shooting out its eyes.

acefan1975 · Post by **acefan1975** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:46 pm

In the Suds wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 6:48 pm Dynasty

I totally agree. While I think Destroyer/Rock and Roll Over Tours were pretty sweet and the Love Gun Stage was iconic, the Dynasty stage was totally a level up from any of those.

I thought HITS and Revenge were pretty cool too, but that Dynasty stage was so ahead of its time.

star_paul12 · Post by **star_paul12** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:48 pm

What I’m not getting is why every stage after 2000 is filed under “other.” That’s 17 years of touring and multiple stages just written off. And while many of them may not be the most inventive, it seems a bit odd to leave spidey and the Vegas residency-era stages out.

ManifestBlasphemy · Post by **ManifestBlasphemy** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 10:23 pm

Thread needs pics for comparison imo.

Velvis · Post by **Velvis** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 10:38 pm

Despite what many here say about Kiss' modern staging, the Monster Tour Spider was really cool.
I think alot of time people see things through rose colored glasses and the passage of time amplify's that.

lespaul · Post by **lespaul** » Thu Oct 11, 2018 11:43 pm

love gun.

I love Alive ! as well

metalfuel · Post by **metalfuel** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 1:58 am

Mother Mercury · Post by **Mother Mercury** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 3:01 am

metalfuel wrote: ↑Fri Oct 12, 2018 1:58 am

Agreed.
A lot of them are good for different reasons, though I can only say I've seen 3 of them in the flesh.

Love Gun is obviously special, but the one that got me initially was the COTN stage. That clip of the show climax at the end of Exposed, with the tank firing one way, then the other, then slowly spinning around and firing right over the crowd.. wow.
Add the the side of stage treads, simple Marshall back line and some cool lights, and that's one amazing looking stage.

jconnors · Post by **jconnors** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 3:43 am

Dynasty. Loved the elevator lift during the opening.

johnsaidwhat · Post by **johnsaidwhat** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 4:01 am

Denial

Padilla18 · Post by **Padilla18** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 5:00 am

spACEship wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 6:41 pm

Do not expect to find the average Kiss-fan on Kissfaq. Whatever subject, most of them prove rather avant garde. I don't hate the HITS stage design either, but it is just not Kiss. Whatever could have been saved by some icing on the cake, was ruined by the terrible Kiss-sign, shamefully ascending at some point during the show. Seriously - just look at the shape of that K. I am amazed at how it could pass - even for financial reasons. Those who have compared it to child's work are spot on!

That "K" still makes me cringe today.

Crown Royal · Post by **Crown Royal** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 5:18 am

Love Gun

Tommyr · Post by **Tommyr** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 5:25 am

I say the Alive! stage. #2 AliveII stage.

Rockandrolloverman · Post by **Rockandrolloverman** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 5:48 am

For the time love gun was an amazing spectacle, but it did lack any themed area that destroyer had

To me a blend of love gun and destroyer would’ve been epic

TRIOdevil · Post by **TRIOdevil** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 5:58 am

Velvis wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 10:38 pm Despite what many here say about Kiss' modern staging, the Monster Tour Spider was really cool.
I think alot of time people see things through rose colored glasses and the passage of time amplify's that.

I agree. That spider stage (or lighting truss) looked quite impressive.

I chose the H.I.T.S. stage as my favorite despite the terrible KISS logo the band used at the time. That stage was unique with a great look and cool special effects.

I get why people like the look of the Love Gun set because at the time it seemed monstrous and represents the look of the band at it's height of popularity in the 70s, but viewed today that stage looks quite lackluster--stairs, amps, risers, and a boring lighting rig. Granted, in it's day that stage was phenomenal, but they've updated and recycled that concept several times since the Reunion and it makes for a boring stage. Therefore, I would welcome another H.I.T.S. or Revenge or Creatures-style themed set updated with 21st century technology.

AllCanadianMan · Post by **AllCanadianMan** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 6:08 am

Love Gun/Alive II stage, Leon stage was cool but the awful K ruins it for me. The post reunion ones have been boring other than Spidey which had potential but they couldn't get it to work most nights. With all the money they were/are making that is a complete failure on the part of KISS Corp.

*Chameleon* · Post by ***Chameleon*** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 7:54 am

I'd love to have seen the Destroyer tour - hoping the End Of The Road encorporates elements of all the stages in some way, we'll see.

Post by **ZachAttack** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 10:52 am

I wonder if having the singing Sphynx was some kinda reaction to what Iron Maiden was doing, who pretty much handed them their asses at Monsters Of Rock the year before

metaldad · Post by **metaldad** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 10:53 am

Love Gun

I Am A FREAK · Post by **I Am A FREAK** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 11:04 am

Love Gun stage

mojavebassman · Post by **mojavebassman** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 11:34 am

For me, my first tour was Asylum which was not that fantastic except for the logo and then Crazy Nights was bare minimum. Leon was a major step up in terms of staging as well as setlist. Saw it in Peoria and Carbondale and was blown away both times.

Post by **sneed78** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 12:05 pm

67321 · Post by **67321** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 12:48 pm

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 3:25 pm

ASYLUM was on my ballot! How else was I expected to vote? THIS ... if COOL!

Spiritual_Chaos · Post by **Spiritual_Chaos** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 3:31 pm

The simpler the better.

rocksteady77 · Post by **rocksteady77** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 4:08 pm

Forevertj wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:02 pm
rocksteady77 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 5:05 pm I'll never understand the love for Leon... I'd understand if it was Iron Maiden with some Egyptian or Pharaoh themed album but Leon is just a head scratcher for me. I don't hate it, I just don't understand the love.
I know but still doesn't explain (to me) the LOVE for the stage. For an album that gets such a 'meh...' response, people do seem to love the artwork/stage. To each their own I guess...

Leon was on the cover of the HITS album. That is why it was used.

Planet Caravan · Post by **Planet Caravan** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 7:05 pm

Why is there an option for both Dynasty and Unmasked? They were the same stage.

My vote would be Love Gun followed by COTN.

Pieter Khris · Post by **Pieter Khris** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 7:20 pm

LOVE GUN. It's the answer for almost all of these types of questions.

acefan1975 · Post by **acefan1975** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 8:03 pm

Bruce wrote: ↑Fri Oct 12, 2018 3:25 pm ASYLUM was on my ballot! How else was I expected to vote? THIS ... if COOL!

Isnt that the Animalize stage?

JohnBergless · Post by **JohnBergless** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 8:03 pm

Coventry!

Eddie Van Hazel · Post by **Eddie Van Hazel** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 8:25 pm

Love Gun

LoveGuns · Post by **LoveGuns** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 8:37 pm

Destroyer. Its got character and different sort of worlds. Very theatrical]