KISS have revealed the details of their last-ever show in Australia, set to go down this October as a one-off performance in Eora/Sydney.
The show – formally dubbed ‘The Final Curtain’ – will be held on Saturday October 7 at Accor Stadium, with support coming from Weezer. Tickets will go on sale here at 12pm this Wednesday (May 31). A pre-sale for KISS Fan Club members will also be made available from 2pm today (May 29).
The iconic hard-rockers will perform no other shows in Australia (though it’s unconfirmed at the time of writing whether Weezer will). The exclusive Eora date comes just over a year on from their last tour Down Under, where they performed three shows in Naarm/Melbourne, two in Eora, and one each in Kaurna/Adelaide, Boorloo/Perth, Meanjin/Brisbane and Kombumerri/Gold Coast.
In a press statement, KISS bassist Paul Stanley said of the upcoming show: “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.”
In a statement of his own, Geoff Jones – CEO of the TEG Group, which is hosting the concert – said his team is “incredibly excited to be able to bring this iconic and legendary band back to Australia for one last time”.
He added: “As the only country to receive an additional last-ever show, it speaks to the power of the band’s passionate Australian fanbase 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.”
KISS have spoken openly about their plans to break up for nearly five years now. Gene Simmons said in 2018 that their prolific touring efforts would come to an end out of “self-respect” and “love” for their fans. The band announced their final UK tour earlier this year, but recently cancelled the first date due to “travel, equipment and logistical complications”.
Stanley in particular has made headlines lately, with several controversies emerging from comments he’s made. Back in March – the same month a KISS biopic was announced – he said a reunion of KISS’ original line-up would be more like “PISS”. Former guitarist Ace Frehley threatened to release “dirt” on KISS if Stanley didn’t apologise; he later said Stanley did call him, but only to say “fuck you”.
Earlier this month, Stanley brewed controversy again when he made transphobic comments about children undergoing gender reassignment surgery, branding the scenario (which is fictional – gender-affirming procedures cannot legally be obtained by minors in most countries) “a sad and dangerous fad”. He later made an attempt to clarify his comments, saying he “support[s] those struggling with their sexual identity”.