10 Rock Bands With Amazing Live Shows
3. KISS
When Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley first got the ball rolling for KISS, they weren't trying to be just any other rock and roll band. Their previous project Wicked Lester had already gone for straight ahead rock and roll, but they had their minds set on something much bigger. This was going to be the band that was going to put together the stage show that no one had ever seen before.
As each member donned themselves in black and white face paint, the entire mindset for every show was a lot more than just playing through the songs. From day one, every KISS show was meant to be the rock and roll equivalent of a circus, with every single member serving as his own spectacle. Playing off their personas perfectly, each member tried outlandish effects whenever they could, whether that meant levitating Peter Criss' drum set or Ace Frehley installing rockets into his guitar as he played.
Gene Simmons really was the one who sold the circus atmosphere the most, playing his Demon persona at every moment, where he was known to breathe fire halfway through the set and eventually having a segment during his bass solo where he would spit up blood for the audience's amusement. Even though the music itself is not bad by any stretch, it almost feels like you're at a KISS show to see the spectacle rather than listen to the actual music.