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5 Times KISS Rocked Boston Over the Last Five Decades

As we wait for KISS to bring their End of the Road World Tour to Boston on Wednesday night, let’s look back at some of the band’s legendary local gigs….

''Kiss'' Performs in New Jersey

371734 05: Bass player Gene Simmons, lead guitarist Ace Frehley, and rhythm guitarist and vocalist Paul Stanley of the rock group ”KISS” perform live, June 27, 2000 at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by George De Sota/Liaison)

As we wait for KISS to bring their End of the Road World Tour to Boston on Wednesday night, let's look back at some of the band's legendary local gigs.

2019

The KISS Farewell Tour ("farewell" for about 2 years, it turned out to be) rolled into TD Garden on March 26, 2019. A fan with pretty good seats captured the band's bombastic intro and "Detroit Rock City."

2003

The World Domination Tour brought KISS back to Boston on November 26, 2003. The first comment on this bootleg pretty much sums it up: "I was 10 years old.... Kiss nearly made me deaf before Aerosmith even took the stage."

1996

Let's travel back almost exactly 25 years: July 31, 1996. KISS live at the FleetCenter (remember?) for the second night of their Alive/Worldwide Tour. Were you there?

1984

Our KISS live list wouldn't be complete without a makeup-free show from the '80s. I went with the Worcester Centrum stop on the Lick It Up Tour: February 24, 1984.

1975

Back to the beginning: the Dressed To Kill Tour. KISS played the Orpheum in Boston on May 11, 1975. Given the fact that this bootleg is almost 50 years old, the quality is pretty damn good.

adam12Writer
Adam 12 is the Program Director of Boston's ROCK 92.9, heard weekdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. He's been flexing his encyclopedic rock knowledge in New England for over 2 decades, both on-air and online, at WBCN, WFNX, Boston.com, and indie617. At ROCK 92.9, he keeps you in the know on the big stories from the Boston music scene and writes about great places to eat, drink (beer), and to spend time outdoors in and around Boston.