 "Photo: Special to The Prospector")
 "Photo: Special to The Prospector")
Identified mostly by their painted faces and flamboyant stage outfits, KISS has gone down in music history as one of the most influential rock and roll bands of all-time. Continuing their ALIVE 35 tour, the band performed at the Don Haskins Center Dec. 2 and excited fans.
"It's good that El Paso is getting big bands to come, especially older ones," Joel Gannon junior electronic media major said. "I like their music and hear they put on a wicked good show."
Since the 1970s, KISS has performed hits such as "Calling Dr. Love," "God of Thunder" and "Creatures of the Night" all over the globe, and even after 30 years of rocking, nothing has stopped this band from spreading their music to their KISS Army. If anything, their music has been passed down from the early listeners back in the day to young generations of music lovers.
"I have liked their music since I was a kid because of my mother, Guadalupe Landeros, who is also finishing her bachelor's at UTEP, who used to play their songs all the time, and I can remember singing along at age five," Jose Landeros graduate student in public administration said. "I saw their reunion tour in 1996, that was my first concert at age 9."
This mother and son have found a bond with KISS' music. Not only were they planning to attend the concert, but they also own at least 15 KISS memorabilia each including T-shirts, vinyl records, dolls and more. They even dress up like the band members for Halloween.
"I grew up listening to KISS…It was the thing in the 70's," Guadalupe Landeros senior interdisciplinary studies major said. "I would not miss the concert for anything because if I would not go I would mostly regret it."
CABoots, a successful business dedicated to making and selling boots in El Paso, has been making boots for the band since 1990 when owner Joey Sanchez met band member Paul Stanley (guitar & vocals). Since then, they have made about 40 pairs of boots for the band. Some of the boots have even made appearances in three of their music videos and Stanley's wedding back in 1992.
"Paul has always been very supportive of CABoots. He has introduced us to a bunch of great clients," Sanchez said. "Gene was very excited about the limited-edition boots we made calling them his favorite merchandise item."
KISS has been touching the ears and hearts of people of all ages with their powerful drums (Eric Singer), eclectic electric guitar (Tommy Thayer & Paul Stanley), banging bass and vicious vocals (Gene Simmons) all over this KISS nation. But for the first time ever, the El Paso KISS Army joined together in listening to one of the greatest bands of all time sock and rock the crowd.
"I expect to see the 'hottest band in the world' performing all of their classics and showing the crowd that concerts can appeal to all five senses," Landeros said.
For more information on KISS, future concerts or how to join the KISS Army, visit their Web site at www.kissonline.com.
Concert Recap
Now as far as how the grand upheaval went, the concert itself wasn't exactly what the average KISS admirer would've expected, depending on what the dazed and utterly confused fans had in mind. Of course, the Don Haskins Center was jam-packed with thousands of members of the KISS Army.
The fire[works] and all, KISS made their introduction as one that you can almost forget, yet there was something about the way they came out on stage with heavy lights and that familiar sound of thunder that was earthquake-like.
"I can't believe I'm here watching KISS for the first time since 1996. They've evolved definitely, but they're still the same," said medical assistant and long time fan Abbie Peterson.
Despite the redundant chords and chorus in most of their songs, and even though it seemed like Gene Simmons was on the verge of collapsing by the look of his excessive sweating, KISS nearly nailed their reputation in the butt.
However, it almost seemed like the audience had gone mute because as much as the influential band filled the Haskins with a great amount of KISS life, it was sad to see a legendary band not be recognized and appreciated for their hall of fame talent.
"I don't know, there's just something about them that just doesn't move me like it used too. I guess cause I'm drunk," said concert attendee Mike Tellez, jeering sarcastically.
It was a scandal of instrumental frequencies that urged the crowd to keep standing and start fussing, because what's a KISS concert if there isn't any fighting. There was a whole lot of kissing, yet there was no telling, except for the high notes Tommy Thayer kept hitting, and he, as well as the entire band, sure knew how to hit the spot.
Sarah Garcia and Stephanie Soto may be reached at prospector@utep.edu.
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