DVD Review - Kiss - Rock The Nation Live

Kiss still commands huge audiences and continue to play arenas and stadiums. "Rock the Nation Live" is a concert DVD mixing two shows both from July 2004. The band still rely on the same old songs that made them superstars in the seventies, but luckily they changed the set list a little bit by playing tracks like She, Makin' Love and War machine.

Personally I am a bit fed up with the band. Kiss hasn't released a studio album since "Psycho Circus" in 1998 and has been riding on the reunion wave for almost 10 years even though the original re-union was short-lived. Eric Singer was soon back on drums with "new guy" Tommy Thayer from Black N' Blue on guitar. Kiss has undaunted put out symphony albums, compilations and now a live DVD all based on the same old songs with Kiss members performing in the old costumes with make up, so people can re-live their youth. I grew up listening to "Asylum" and "Crazy Nights" hence the eighties era and I think its an insult to the rue Kiss fans that we have to hear the same old again. Unholy, Lick it Up, God Gave Rock & Roll to You plus Tears are falling are the only songs that represents the band after the year 1982.

There is no doubt that Kiss is great performers and gives the audience a big production with bombs and fire. Paul also sings I Was Made for Loving you from a platform located in the middle of the crowd.

The band sounds great and Tommy Thayer has totally adapted Ace Frehley´s sound but technically Thayer is a much better guitar player.

Mixed with the concert footage there are six "behind the scenes" segments. The coolest footage is from soundcheck where the band jams on old Kiss riffs. There is also a meet and greet footage, where Gene and Paul expresses how great it must be for the fans to meet the band in person. Oh yeah Mr. $immon$ -meeting the band also requires a platinum pass, which probably is very expensive if I am not wrong about Kiss. We also learn that Kiss likes to go bowling when they are on the road.

As a very special feature there is the option of watching your favorite Kiss performer throughout 7 of the songs, which is a neat little feature.

This is a double DVD with a playing time of 136 minutes. The filming is top notch with lots of cameras, great mixing and production.

Addressing the re-union I think it's sad to see Eric Singer dying his hair black and painting his face as "catman" and also Tommy Thayer painted as space ace. They are pretending to be Peter Criss and Ace Frehley.

30 years of music makes Kissstory and the band still live in the past - equal their heyday in the seventies with Ace and Peter Criss. C´mon - make a new album and let Eric Singer be Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer be Tommy Thayer.

All in all a mixed DVD with both good points and low points, but the concert footage should appeal to any Kiss fan

Rating: 6/10

Written by Michael
Friday, February 24, 2006