Sheehan wants to Kiss up with band
By BRIAN KELLY, THE SAULT STAR
There could be an awkward moment if city councillor Terry Sheehan meets with Kiss on Tuesday.
The Ward 2 councillor, representing the city of Sault Ste. Marie, plans to wear a white T-shirt featuring the community's logo and the heads of the four classic rockers.
Sheehan may present the quartet with city swag, but if Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer want their own Kiss/city shirts, they'll just have to make their own.
Sheehan only has one. "They'll have to put themselves on it," he said.
"It would be easy to modify, if they like, if they want to copy me."
If Sheehan meets with Kiss before a sold-out show at Essar Centre, his goal is pitching the city as a future host for an official gathering of the band's fans.
"This is obviously the area to hold a convention," he said.
"It just makes sense. (The city is) a natural converging point for Kiss Army fans. The Kiss forces are out there and they're all converging here on the Twin Saults."
The band played to nearly 10,000 at Kewadin Casino in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., in 2007.
Fans in the Canadian Sault pushed hard in an online competition, where the nearly 40-year-old group promised to play in communities that garnered the most votes.
The much-anticipated concert was supposed to happen in December 2009, but was postponed because of bad weather in Pittsburgh where the group played before the Sault date.
There could be an awkward moment if city councillor Terry Sheehan meets with Kiss on Tuesday.
The Ward 2 councillor, representing the city of Sault Ste. Marie, plans to wear a white T-shirt featuring the community's logo and the heads of the four classic rockers.
Sheehan may present the quartet with city swag, but if Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer want their own Kiss/city shirts, they'll just have to make their own.
Sheehan only has one. "They'll have to put themselves on it," he said.
"It would be easy to modify, if they like, if they want to copy me."
If Sheehan meets with Kiss before a sold-out show at Essar Centre, his goal is pitching the city as a future host for an official gathering of the band's fans.
"This is obviously the area to hold a convention," he said.
"It just makes sense. (The city is) a natural converging point for Kiss Army fans. The Kiss forces are out there and they're all converging here on the Twin Saults."
The band played to nearly 10,000 at Kewadin Casino in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., in 2007.
Fans in the Canadian Sault pushed hard in an online competition, where the nearly 40-year-old group promised to play in communities that garnered the most votes.
The much-anticipated concert was supposed to happen in December 2009, but was postponed because of bad weather in Pittsburgh where the group played before the Sault date.
After months of waiting, Kiss announced in June its August date.
"They honoured their commitment. It's a major testament to their character," said Sheehan.
"They could have easily said, 'Oh, there's a snowstorm. We cancelled. We tried. Hey, you missed your leg (of the tour). Too bad. No. They went out of their way (and) rescheduled."
A presentation of a key to the city to the group would not only symbolize the community's thanks for honouring its concert commitment, but act as an invitation back to the Twin Saults. Michigan Sault city commissioner Ray Bauer offered a similar gift three years ago.
"The city is always open for their return," said Sheehan.
But he's close-lipped on what else he plans to present Kiss should he meet with them Tuesday. It will, said Sheehan, be memorable.
"We want to make sure that we leave them with something that they can remember the city by," he said.
"We do have a little surprise for them that we hope will make their stay in Sault Ste. Marie memorable."
Sheehan is not aware of a similar presentation being made to other musicians, including Tom Cochrane, Bob Dylan, Heaven and Hell and Backstreet Boys who have played Essar Centre since it opened in 2006.
Some artists aren't interested, he said. Others, like Elton John, arrive shortly before a show and leave the city shortly after their final bows.
"We have to always be kind of ready to move," said Sheehan.
"When the opportunities are there, then we pounce on them."
The Ward 2 councillor plans to attend Kiss fan gatherings at Foggy Notions and RockStarBar before and after the concert.
Sheehan, who still has a copy of the band'sDetroit Rock Cityalbum and a 45 of their biggest hit,Beth,is still deciding if he'll don face paint to resemble bassist Gene Simmons.
http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2704397
