The last couple of months have found me in a bit of nostalgia. First, I got to cover the current lineup of KISS at the Choctaw Casino Grand Theater in Durant, OK. That in itself was pretty awesome, as I was raised on KISS, thanks in part to my rockin' uncles. But I have added to that show by getting to cover original KISS guitarist, Ace Frehley, at the Bomb Factory in Dallas. This was big for me, as Ace was my favorite KISS member growing up. I have always fantasized about owning a cherry-sunburst Les Paul, sticking a smoke bomb in the middle pickup, and proceed to melt faces. The over the top performances of KISS will always stick out in my mind but it was Ace who made me a fan of everything guitars, most notably, the guitar solo.
Despite over half of the setlist being KISS "covers", which is understandable, but this was most definitely an Ace Frehley performance. Where Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley typically hold your attention during a KISS show, it was Ace who controlled the show at the Bomb Factory. Getting to hear songs like "Snowblind" and "Rip It Out" from Ace's solo KISS album was pretty awesome, as you would have never heard these during a KISS show. Others like "Detroit Rock City" and "Love Gun" remained pretty much intact, except for drummer Scot Coogan was on lead vocals. There was little flair to the show except for the expected theatrics during Ace's solo during a great performance of "Shock Me", where Ace's Les Paul began to flush smoke out across the stage. Always gives me goosebumps. But my favorite Ace cut is and forever will be "New York Groove". It's simply catchy and a signature Ace song, which was complete with lights rolling across his guitar body and changing the lyrics to "...back in the Dallas groove". Overall, the show was a lot of fun and it was great to see one of the great guitarists onstage and in his element. Now, if I could only find Peter Criss, I would have caught the original lineup in 2016. Photos of the show are below:
Ace Frehley @ Bomb Factory, Dallas, TX
Reviewed by Scott Rowe, Editor
on
March 03, 2016
Rating: