KISS brought its “End of the Road” farewell tour to the PPG Paints Arena on Saturday night in anticipation of hanging up the costumes and platform boots for good.
The highly theatrical band, which first came to the Steel City 40 years ago with an appearance at the more intimate Stanley Theater, went out with a bang, delivering their most powerful, over-the-top rock-n-roll party yet.
The show kicked off with “Detroit Rock City” and continued with hard rock anthems “Shout It Out Loud” and “Duece.” The setlist went deep with songs that relied heavily on the band’s early records.
Kiss is rocking Pittsburgh @KISSOnline @PaulStanleyLive pic.twitter.com/rZjuislcuz
— Dennis Rundle JR (@Redneck2275) March 31, 2019
Shout It Out Loud @PPGPaintsArena #Pittsburgh! #EndOfTheRoad pic.twitter.com/3U0TLRqr5Z
— KISS (@KISSOnline) March 31, 2019
Other songs the band played — according to Setlist.fm — included “Heaven’s on Fire” from 1984’s Animalize album; “Lick It Up;” and “Calling Dr. Love.”
“Cold Gin” featured a guitar solo by Tommy Thayer with a his guitar firing a pryo blast to match an overhead light show . “War Machine” from the Creatures of the Night album had bassist Gene Simmons breathing fire; while he had a solo and spit blood on “God of Thunder.” “Love Gun” had lead vocalist and guitarist Paul Stanley interacting with the crowd.
WOW! @tommy_thayer scorching #Pittsburgh at @PPGPaintsArena! #EndOfTheRoad pic.twitter.com/DsmBCiff3a
— KISS (@KISSOnline) March 31, 2019
KISS mixed up the show with the disco-tinged hit “I Was Made for Lovin’ You.”
After closing the show with “Black Dimaond,” the band came back for a encore with the ballad “Beth,” with drummer Eric Singer alone on the piano. That was followed by “Do You Love Me.”
And they fittingly closed the show with confetti canons and pyrotechnics — in possibly their last show in Pittsburgh — with “Rock and Roll All Nite.”
The band shared some photos from backstage before the show started.
Backstage at @PPGPaintsArena #Pittsburgh #EndOfTheRoad pic.twitter.com/iHQlPGoR48
— KISS (@KISSOnline) March 30, 2019
Simmons even tweeted a photo of him getting his mask put on:
Getting ready backstage. Pittsburgh, here we come! pic.twitter.com/KJgBCp60nX
— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) March 30, 2019
Fans also shared photos and clips from the concert. Here are some:
Awesome Show in Pittsburgh PA Tonight!! My 40th KISS Show!! pic.twitter.com/qSJa3aePTT
— Michael Feltner (@feltner_michael) March 31, 2019
KISS KILLED PITTSBURGH!! pic.twitter.com/DVopnCumDi
— Gary Deitch (@inbred_ged) March 31, 2019
#PITTSBURGH
— Madden Producer (@MaddenProducer) March 31, 2019
You want the best?
YOU GOT THE BEST! #KISS pic.twitter.com/tNLGONVNtg
Live at the kiss concert in Pittsburgh pretty cool and loud as hell pic.twitter.com/MJkDsKk7fl
— TankTyrantYT (@TankTyrantYT) March 31, 2019
