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Kissteria: a look back at the 1980 australian kiss tour.

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43 Years Ago: Kiss Conquers Australia

Kiss ' following in the United States had declined drastically by the time Unmasked arrived in 1980.

Looking back, it's shocking to think that just two years earlier Kiss looked like an unstoppable juggernaut that would be raking in massive crowds (and dollars) forever. But Unmasked – like its predecessor, 1979's Dynasty – was a more polished and poppier record than the gritty rock 'n' roll foundation on which the band had built its reputation. The cultural winds were also shifting in the wake of punk and disco.

Nevertheless, the demand for Kiss remained brisk, even rabid, in other parts of the world – most notably Australia, where the band kicked off their four-night debut on Nov. 8, 1980 at the since-demolished Perth Entertainment Centre.

Kiss sparked a protest consisting of just one person , according to local news reports. Overall, however, collective anticipation for Kiss' first Down Under shows was high, fueled in part by the Australian success of the sugary-pop ballad "Shandi" from Unmasked . Numerous clips from the period underscore how media from throughout the country began to buzz well before the band's visit.

The enthusiasm of the crowds made it possible for Kiss to put on a brave face and bask in the sea of cheers they were met with every night, but the armor were starting to crack in earnest by this point. Things would only get worse.

Watch News Coverage of Kiss' 1980 Trip to Australia

Kiss had announced the departure of drummer Peter Criss earlier in 1980. Several years later, they publicly disclosed that he hadn't actually played on Dynasty  or  Unmasked  (other than the Dynasty track "Dirty Livin'"). His replacement, Eric Carr , joined one of the world's biggest acts just as its fortunes were sinking.

Tellingly, Kiss didn't tour the U.S. in support of Unmasked . Meanwhile, tensions between founding guitarist Ace Frehley and bandleaders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons came to a head the following year, during the making of the follow-up to Unmasked – 1981's disastrously poor-selling  (Music from) The Elder .

Australian fans couldn't detect any of these simmering troubles through the din of fireworks, power chords and screams of excitement. Kiss' 1980 tour of Australia and New Zealand marked a high point that, in retrospect, seems strangely contradictory to the troubled waters the band found itself in at the dawn of the new decade.

In one news clip where the band – seemingly in good spirits – says goodbye to their Australian fans, Frehley concludes " We'll be back next yee-ah ." It was not to be. The 10 shows Kiss played in the South Pacific actually marked the end of the line for the short-lived Frehley-Carr lineup as a live entity, and it wouldn't be much longer before Kiss were forced to radically re-think how – or if – they were going to remain viable .

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KISS rock out Australia for the last time ever in a stellar Sydney show

During their last ever Australian show, one member of iconic rock band KISS shocked the Sydney crowd with just six simple words.

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If I asked you to imagine what your life might look like when you’ve reached your 70s, what kind of future is conjured up in your mind?

Perhaps you’re reading a book while curled up on the couch, sipping a warm cup of tea, or perched on a sun lounger, blissfully watching your grandkids play in your pool.

Well, I think we should all be channelling our inner ‘Starchild’ Paul Stanley from KISS, who rocked out Sydney’s Accor stadium on Saturday night for the very last time.

The 71-year-old icon was dressed head to toe in tight studded leather and donned knee-high platform boots, before confidently launching himself at full speed via zip line from one end of the stadium to the other, mesmerising the crowd below.

I am more than four decades younger than this man and yet can barely get out of bed some mornings, let alone put my body through the insane circus-like escapades that he had made look effortless.

Amid the excitement, there was a sombre feeling washing over the audience that night, as many struggled to accept that this would be the final time KISS would ever perform in Australia.

It simply didn’t feel real.

Many in attendance had been at the band’s very first concert Down Under back in 1980, when the boys visited all our major cities as part of their Unmasked tour and cemented our love of the group for decades to come.

But there is no denying that we’ve heard this before.

The band said goodbye to Australia at their End Of The Road tour in 2022, promising it would be the last time they would ever set foot on our shores.

However, their love for the land down under is strong, with Stanley revealing his true feelings during the show.

“Australia is like our second home” he affectionately declared, a stunning revelation that incited audible gasps, laughs and a choir of “aww” from the crowd.

#KISSTORY - Nov 8, 1980 - #KISS performed their first-ever concert in Australia at the Perth Entertainment Centre. pic.twitter.com/hViNxxtpl2 — KISS (@kiss) November 8, 2015

KISS simply can’t stay away, returning to rock out the AFL grand final last week in Melbourne , before their ‘final curtain’ Sydney show on Saturday, hosted by TEG Live and One World Entertainment.

But there was something different in the air that evening, a palpable sense of sadness that this was really it – the final hurrah.

However, it was this knowledge that spurred everyone into slipping on their dancing shoes and making this farewell party as memorable as it could be, both for us and for them.

The crowd was lucky enough to catch three incredible opening performances, with Aussie acts The Delta Riggs and Regurgitator pumping out some classics, before beloved American band Weezer graced the stage.

Then, it was time.

The anticipation and lead up to KISS being unveiled was unlike anything I’d seen before.

Everything went pitch black, before bright red spotlights danced around the crowd and a suspenseful track vibrated throughout the stadium.

On the giant screens, fans are given an exciting sneak peek at the musicians emerging from their dressing rooms, fully adorned with their unmistakeable attire and painted faces, as they begin their slow walk out to the stage.

Then comes their famous introduction.

“All right Sydney, you want the best, you got the best,” a disembodied voice booms.

“The hottest band in the world – KISS!”

With a deafening bang, the curtain dramatically drops to unveil the foursome slowly descending from the heavens above, encircled by billowing puffs of smoke, enormous flames and fireworks lighting up the sky.

“We thought we had said goodbye, but you asked us to come back,” Stanley announced to the enamoured crowd.

“We are humbled, we are honoured and we are here to kick some ass. Australia is like our second home. We love you!”

With his ghostly white painted face, iconic black star over his right eye and perfectly applied red lippy on his pout, the KISS frontman magically exudes the same electric energy and effortless charm that he did 50 years ago, when the New York band first formed in 1973.

Bassist Gene Simmons at 74 is somehow just as bewildering and formidable in the best possible way as ‘The Demon’, both enchanting and horrifying the crowd with his classic tongue antics and mouth-bleeding performances.

Made complete with 62-year-old lead guitarist Tommy Thayer’s expert acoustic skills as the ‘Space Man’ and drummer Eric Singer, 65, providing the beating heart for the band as ‘The Cat’.

Launching into classics like Shout It Out Loud ( 1976) Deuce (1974) and Heaven’s On Fire (1984), the crowd was amped up and hungry for more.

A KISS performance is so much more than just a concert – it is an other-worldly, unforgettable blitz on the senses.

“The first time we came here was in 1980, and you people have always been awesome,” Stanley shouts, as the camera pans out into the crowd.

There are KISS lookalikes as far as the eye can see, with both young and old getting into the spirit and reminding us of the monumental role music plays in connecting people from all walks of life.

A five-year-old boy donning Gene Simmons style face paint playfully pokes out his tongue as he bounces on his father’s shoulders, while an 85-year-old woman waves from her wheelchair, a perfect black star etched onto her face and crimson lippie painted on her pout.

“We know you’re not all from here,” Stanely said, acknowledging the thousands that were flocking to the show from all over the country.

Powering through other hits such as Calling Dr. Love (1976), Lick It Up (1983) and Psycho Circus (1998), it was soon time for the unforgettable God Of Thunder (1976) act.

As a stormy scene lights up the stage, the camera zooms in on Simmons as he appears to be having an exorcist-type reaction, before fake blood cascades out his mouth as he personifies his character of ‘The Demon’.

Not one to be outdone, Stanley leaps into his pièce de résistance trademark stunt.

“We won’t be back, this is the last time. I know, it’s horrible,” he says. “And this is the last time that I can come out there and be with you.”

Before long, he seamlessly places a single foot onto the zip line and effortlessly glides across the crowd and onto a tower in the middle of the pit.

Fans go wild, uncertain which way to turn as he busts out some killer dance moves while playing Love Gun (1977) and then flying back onto the stage for Black Diamond (1974).

#ThrowbackThursday : November 1980 - Amazing welcome at Sydney's City Hall during our first visit to #Australia . 43 years later, we'll be back in #Sydney for our final Australian show at Accor Stadium on October 7th. #KISSTORY #EndOfTheRoadTour pic.twitter.com/3v4fOdvNiz — KISS (@kiss) August 24, 2023

The perfectly-timed theatrics of it all are a testament to the band’s professionalism, and despite the hundreds, if not thousands, of times they have performed these tricks, they continue to blow the audience away and make us feel as if we are the first to ever witness such crazed antics.

After teasing the crowd by disappearing from stage, drummer Eric Singer re-emerges with his solo of Beth (1976) after desperate pleas for an encore, and the stadium is illuminated by gently swaying lights from the torches on everyone’s mobile phones.

The rest of the band return and light up the crowd with Shandi (1980), a song which despite having just moderate success in the U.S. at number 47 on the Top 100 Billboard Charts, captivated Australian audiences when it was first releases, skyrocketing to number 5 here.

It is clear by the number of people singing their lungs out that the emotive tune continues to be uniquely appreciated by crowds down under.

With the end edging closer, everyone got on their feet as they busted out fan favourites I Was Made For Lovin’ You (1979) and Rock and Roll All Nite (1975).

“Sydney, we will never, ever forget you,” Stanley says with a smile, as the reality of the inevitable final goodbye sets in.

“Goodnight, we love you.”

Although the night was freezing – getting down to 14 degrees celcius with an icy wind – a warmness enveloped the crowd, as if we had all just been part of one giant hug goodbye.

During the mass exodus, I spotted a few teary-eyed fans staring longingly at the stage, clearly moved by the concert and struggling to believe it was finally all over.

This degree of emotion on such a large scale reminded me of the incredible power of music and how it can stir things up inside of us that we never even knew existed.

Although we’ve kissed KISS goodbye, the legacy of the band and the decades of memories they have created in this country will be forever etched onto the heart of their Australian fans.

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Though most of us have accepted that this is truly the end, some remain hopeful they might return.

After all, how long can they stay away from their “second home”?

Only time will tell.

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KISS: The Final Curtain – Exclusive Australian Show at Accor Stadium this October

• Legendary rock band KISS will perform a not-to-be-missed last-ever show in Australia at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Saturday 7 October;
• The KISS farewell show will take place just one week after the NRL Grand Final and will kick off another huge Summer of Entertainment at Accor Stadium, Sydney’s Home of Major Events;
• Californian rockers Weezer , who have sold over 35 million albums worldwide, will be special guests;
• Pre-sale tickets will be available via Ticketek from 2pm (AEST) Monday 29 May and General Public tickets will go on sale at 12noon Wednesday 31 May;
• Want to see KISS: THE FINAL CURTAIN in style with clients, family and friends? Enquire about Premium Hospitality Experiences here .

ROCK icons KISS will perform one epic and monumental farewell show – THE FINAL CURTAIN – exclusively at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Saturday 7 October.

Promoters One World Entertainment, TEG Live and Pure Gold today announced that the rock legends and kiss-tory-making gods will turn it on one last time in the way that KISS only can – and only in Sydney.

The Final Curtain show was initiated via a national petition, with passionate KISS fans pleading for the band to return to play one more show in Australia before they bring their incredible touring career to an end with their final-ever performance at Madison Square Garden in New York City on 2 December 2023.

KISS frontman Paul Stanley said: “Australia you have made your voices loud enough that it was impossible for us not to hear you! We are overwhelmed by your petitions and calls for one last KISS so we are now announcing that The End Of The Road will detour one last time to Sydney for a final bombastic farewell. As unexpected as this is for us, we will make it unforgettable for all who share the night with us.”

TEG Group CEO Geoff Jones said “TEG is incredibly excited to be able to bring this iconic and legendary band back to Australia for one last time.  As the only country to receive an additional last-ever show, it speaks to the power of the band’s passionate Australian fan base and TEG’s commitment to delivering the shows that fans demand. This final exclusive stadium show at Accor Stadium is sure to be a monumental goodbye for KISS fans from across Australia.”

One World Entertainment CEO Andrew McManus hinted that fans may see a concert for the ages at Accor Stadium on Saturday 7 October.

“My journey of over 22 years with KISS continues for one, final, huge and explosive event, I can’t call it a concert as this is going to be so much more,” he said.

“Now adding WEEZER as ‘special guests’, I’m proud to continue my partnership with the great folks at TEG and deliver what will be The Final Curtain and Goodbye which promises to have a few amazing surprises.

“All I can say is . . . don’t miss the final bow!”

KISSteria well and truly took over Australia in 1980 after their first-ever tour here, resulting in a deep & lasting connection between the band and their fans.  The sold-out Unmasked Tour broke all kinds of records.  Four decades on, KISS has continued their love affair with Australia, whilst gaining new fans across multiple generations along the way. 

The sold-out End of the Road tour in November last year received blistering reviews and proved, yet again, why KISS are the most iconic live show in the world.

It’s only fitting that they perform their final ever Australian show at Accor Stadium – the home of Sydney’s major events. It will be bigger, louder, hotter, and crazier than ever before.

Come and celebrate THE FINAL CURTAIN with the hottest band that gave rock ‘n roll to us! 

KISS: The Final Curtain Saturday 7 October 2023 Accor Stadium, Sydney www.accorstadium.com.au

KISS Fan Club Presale: Monday 29 May, 2pm (local time)

General Public On-sale: Wednesday 31 May, 12noon (local time)

Tickets are available via Ticketek

KISS: The Final Curtain is proudly presented by One World Entertainment, TEG Live, and WSFM.

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• November 10, 1980 Setlist

KISS Setlist at Perth Entertainment Centre, Perth, Australia

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• Detroit Rock City Play Video
• Cold Gin Play Video
• Strutter Play Video
• Shandi Play Video
• Calling Dr. Love Play Video
• Firehouse Play Video
• Talk to Me Play Video
• Is That You? Play Video
• 2000 Man ( The Rolling Stones  cover) Play Video
• Guitar Solo Play Video
• I Was Made for Lovin' You Play Video
• New York Groove ( Russ Ballard  cover) Play Video
• Love Gun Play Video
• Bass Solo Play Video
• God of Thunder Play Video
• Drum Solo Play Video
• Rock and Roll All Nite Play Video
• Shout It Out Loud Play Video
• King of the Night Time World Play Video
• Black Diamond Play Video

Edits and Comments

6 activities (last edit by ExecutiveChimp , 19 Sep 2020, 13:58 Etc/UTC )

Songs on Albums

• Detroit Rock City
• God of Thunder
• King of the Night Time World
• Shout It Out Loud
• Black Diamond
• Guitar Solo
• Is That You?
• 2000 Man by The Rolling Stones
• New York Groove by Russ Ballard
• Rock and Roll All Nite
• I Was Made for Lovin' You
• Calling Dr. Love

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Kiss gig timeline.

• Nov 08 1980 Perth Entertainment Centre Perth, Australia Add time Add time
• Nov 09 1980 Perth Entertainment Centre Perth, Australia Add time Add time
• Nov 10 1980 Perth Entertainment Centre This Setlist Perth, Australia Add time Add time
• Nov 11 1980 Perth Entertainment Centre Perth, Australia Add time Add time
• Nov 15 1980 VFL Park Melbourne, Australia Add time Add time

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Kiss - end of the road tour.

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