will kiss tour in the us again

KISS announces a final extension to its ‘End of the Road’ farewell tour

The legendary rock band Kiss has announced its final tour dates, taking a spin across North America and ending with a final bow in New York City’s Madison Square Garden. 

The “End of the Road Tour" lists 19 shows, kicking off Oct. 29 in Austin, Texas; hitting stops in California, Washington, Illinois and Canada; and closing with two final shows in New York City on Dec. 1 and 2. 

The iconic rockers, who kicked off their career in New York City, said ending the tour in Manhattan will bring their careers full circle. 

“KISS was born in New York City. On 23rd Street. Half a century ago. It will be a privilege and honor to finish touring at Madison Square Garden, 10 blocks and 50 years from where we first started,” the band said. 

The band’s lineup includes two original members, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, along with drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Tommy Thayer. Some of the band's biggest hits are “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Detroit Rock City” and “Heaven’s on Fire”

Tickets go on presale March 6.

Marlene Lenthang is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.

KISS's Longtime Manager Says Final Show Of 'End Of The Road' Tour Will Definitely Happen In 2023

KISS 's longtime manager Doc McGhee says that the final concert of the band's "End Of The Road" tour will definitely take place this year.

KISS launched its farewell trek in January 2019 but was forced to put it on hold in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"End Of The Road" was originally scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2021 in New York City but has since been extended to late 2023. The trek was announced in September 2018 following a KISS performance of the band's classic song "Detroit Rock City" on "America's Got Talent" .

Speaking to "Podcast Rock City" , Doc said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET ): "[The last show of the 'End Of The Road' tour] be finalized in the next few days, and we'll be making an announcement probably in the next days.

"One thing about KISS , we've always been that band that went to places where most bands didn't go. So we play everybody's town… You name it, we've played there. So we always go where the people are anyways. The reason why we're continuing doing this last [run] is because obviously the pandemic has stopped us from finishing. And the fact that people just wanted to see us. But we had to end it at some time, which will be this year."

Asked about the possibility of KISS continuing without co-founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons , Doc said: "There's a lot of talk about everything. And nobody knows what's gonna happen in the future. So what we've kind of put in our minds is let's go through this like this is the end of KISS as we know it. And whatever comes our way, with technology and everything else, we'll look at it. Will be Gene and Paul out there in makeup. No. I can tell you that. They're hanging their hats up after the [final] show, which is gonna be very, very difficult and very emotional for them after 50 years of doing this. And they love it.

"A lot of my bands — most of my bands — [say], 'I hate this. I don't wanna be out there anymore. I don't wanna do this. This is bullshit.' That's not [ Paul and Gene ]," Doc continued. "They love it. They thrive on it. We have a great time on the road, or an extremely good time on the road. So, it's, like, 'Why are we ending this?' And we're ending this because this is the time to end it. This is it, 50 years of KISS . And let them move on to their next phase of whatever they wanna do, whether it's Gene in business or having a country named after him, the Gene Simmons World; we don't know, however that works. And Paul 's got a family. He's got three kids — he actually has four kids, but he's got three kids in the house.

"For us, we're just kind of open," McGhee explained. "People are throwing ideas around to us, and then we'll look at it. But, really, it has to be amazing. We don't fall for gimmicks, as much as some people would think we're a gimmick. But we don't fall for 'em. We didn't do NFTs, we didn't do all that stuff, because we didn't believe in it. We didn't believe that people were gonna get anything out of it. And it wasn't gonna be long-lasting.

"I like to think years and years ahead; I don't like to think days ahead. So with that, we're gonna go and finish this up and see what happens in the realm of the metaverse and the world of that type of things that can come back and people can experience things in different ways for KISS .

"To me, KISS is more like Marvel . There's all kinds of things that can happen with KISS , and probably will. So it's a whole new frontier out there starting in '24."

KISS 's current lineup consists of original members Stanley and Simmons , alongside later band additions, guitarist Tommy Thayer (since 2002) and drummer Eric Singer (on and off since 1991).

Formed in 1973 by Stanley , Simmons , Peter Criss and Ace Frehley , KISS staged its first "farewell" tour in 2000, the last to feature the group's original lineup.

In a recent interview with Yahoo! entertainment music editor Lyndsey Parker , Stanley touched upon the fact that the "End Of The Road" tour was originally scheduled to conclude in July 2021. He said: "This tour, interestingly, seems to go on forever. That's because we lost two years to COVID. People go, 'Oh my God. This tour…' Well, yeah, there's two years that didn't count. And it's a big world. So, there've been some countries that I thought we were finished with, and the fans and the promoters wanted us to come back. So we have shows to do.

"The end is in sight — more so than some people know," Stanley confirmed. "But we'll have an announcement about that in the not-too-distant future."

Asked if the KISS farewell tour will end with the band's July 15 performance in Norway, which is the last listed tour date on the official KISS web site, Paul said, "It would only make sense for us to play the States, and I think it would make sense that we would end where we started," strongly hinting that the final concert will take place in New York City.

As for whether he thinks it will be emotional for him to play the final KISS show, Paul said: "More so than I know. There's gonna be some tears shed, for sure.

"You've gotta remember that Gene and I started this together when I was 17 and he was 20, 21. It's 50 years later. We've lived pretty interesting lives, and we have families and children and huge sales in terms of albums and concerts. So it's a big part of who we are; it's a big part of our lives. So, that final show, yeah, that's momentous. And it's gonna hit harder than I think we know. And we know it's gonna hit hard."

Asked whether the last concert of KISS 's "End Of The Road" tour will truly mark the band's final performance or if there is a chance of one-off shows or a Las Vegas residency in the future, Stanley said: "I really can't say. But it is the last of any kind of regular shows or touring.

"It's just time," he explained. "And in the same way, it's time consuming. And physically, it's grueling to do what we do. Hell, if I could go out on stage in my jeans and a t-shirt, give us another 10, 15 years easily. But what we do is a whole different sport. I mean, we're athletes; we're running around on stage with 30, 40, pounds of gear, and it's not possible to do it that much longer. So we're not like other bands.

"So, will we do more shows or one-offs? I really have no idea," Paul admitted. "But this is a real clear mindset that the touring days and doing those kind of shows, that's over."

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).

• Win a Jericho Cruise Trip
• Album Release Calendar
• Festival Guide

KISS Officially Announce Final Date of Their Farewell Tour During ‘Howard Stern Show’ Appearance

During a highly publicized appearance on  The Howard Stern Show on SiriusXM, KISS have officially announced the final show of their End of the Road farewell tour, which will take place on Dec. 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, the second of back-to-back nights. They've also unveiled a new batch of North American stops leading up to the finale.

There had been other proposed end dates for the rock legends just on this tour alone (which began in 2018) with manager Doc McGhee floating a couple loose timelines before declaring earlier this year that KISS will indeed put on their final tour performance in 2023.

Notably, this trek is not the first time the group has made an attempt to retire and there will surely be speculation about the legitimacy of this announcement.

Considering the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers booked a set of 2023 U.K. dates and mentioned it'd be their last shows in the region, it really does appear that KISS are winding down their 50-year touring career with lone mainstays Paul Stanley having turned 71 earlier this year and Gene Simmons set to turn 74 this summer.

The band specifically noted this is the end of the farewell tour, leaving the door open for other opportunities such as one-off shows, residencies or festival appearances. Only time will tell.

See all of KISS' upcoming tour dates at their website and for your chance to see them, perhaps for the final time, get tickets here .

See the latest tour dates directly below and look for those tickets to go on sale on March 10 at 10AM local time at Live Nation . A KISS Army pre-sale will begin on March 6 at 10AM local time.

KISS Reveal Final Tour Date on  The Howard Stern Show

New kiss 2023 tour dates.

Oct. 29 — Austin, Texas @ Moody Center Nov. 01 — Palm Springs, Calif. @ Acrisure Arena Nov. 03 — Los Angeles, Calif. @ Hollywood Bowl Nov. 06 — Seattle, Wash. @ Climate Pledge Arena Nov. 08 — Vancouver, British Columbia @ Rogers Arena Nov. 10 — Edmonton, Alberta @ Rogers Place Nov. 12 — Calgary, Alberta @ Scotiabank Saddledome Nov. 13 — Saskatoon, Saskatchewan @ SaskTel Centre Nov. 15 — Winnipeg, Manitoba @ Canada Life Centre Nov. 18 — Montreal, Quebec @ Centre Bell Nov. 19 — Quebec, Quebec @ Videotron Centre Nov. 21 — Ottawa, Ontario @ Canadian Tire Centre Nov. 22 — Toronto, Ontario @ Scotiabank Arena Nov. 24 — Knoxville, Tenn. @ Thompson-Boling Arena Nov. 25 — Indianapolis. Ind. @ Gainbridge Fieldhouse Nov. 27 — Rosemont, Ill. @ Allstate Arena Nov. 29 — Baltimore, Md. @ CFG Bank Arena Dec. 01 — New York, N.Y. @ Madison Square Garden Dec. 02 — New York, N.Y. @ Madison Square Garden

Bands Who Had Final Tours That Weren’t Final

The 10 rock + metal bands with the most diehard fanbases, more from loudwire.

Kiss say farewell to live touring, become first US band to go virtual and become digital avatars

The cutting-edge technology was used to tease a new chapter of the rock band: after 50 years of kiss, the band is now interested in a kind of digital immortality, by maria sherman | associated press • published december 3, 2023 • updated on december 3, 2023 at 12:03 am.

On Saturday night, Kiss closed out the final performance of their “The End of the Road” farewell tour at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden.

But as dedicated fans surely know — they were never going to call it quits. Not really.

📺 24/7 South Florida news stream: Watch NBC6 free wherever you are

During their encore, the band’s current lineup — founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons as well as guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer — left the stage to reveal digital avatars of themselves. After the transformation, the virtual Kiss launched into a performance of “God Gave Rock and Roll to You.”

The cutting-edge technology was used to tease a new chapter of the rock band: after 50 years of Kiss, the band is now interested in a kind of digital immortality.

The Hurricane season is on. Our meteorologists are ready. Sign up for the NBC 6 Weather newsletter to get the latest forecast in your inbox.

The avatars were created by George Lucas’ special-effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, in partnership with Pophouse Entertainment Group, the latter of which was co-founded by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus. The two companies recently teamed up for the “ABBA Voyage” show in London, in which fans could attend a full concert by the Swedish band — as performed by their digital avatars.

Per Sundin, CEO of Pophouse Entertainment, says this new technology allows Kiss to continue their legacy for “eternity.” He says the band wasn’t on stage during virtual performance because “that’s the key thing,” of the future-seeking technology. “Kiss could have a concert in three cities in the same night across three different continents. That’s what you could do with this.”

U.S. & World

Will Los Angeles 2028 be the moment when the Paralympics conquer America?

New Hampshire governor helps save man choking on lobster roll at seafood festival eating contest

In order to create their digital avatars, who are depicted as a kind of superhero version of the band, Kiss performed in motion capture suits.

Experimentation with this kind of technology has become increasingly common in certain sections of the music industry. In October K-pop star Mark Tuan partnered with Soul Machines to create an autonomously automated “digital twin” called “Digital Mark.” In doing so, Tuan became the first celebrity to attach their likeness to OpenAI’s GPT integration, artificial intelligence technology that allows fans to engage in one-on-one conversations with Tuan’s avatar.

Aespa, the K-pop girl group, frequently perform alongside their digital avatars — the quartet is meant to be viewed as an octet with digital twins. Another girl group, Eternity, is made up entirely of virtual characters — no humans necessary.

“What we’ve accomplished has been amazing, but it’s not enough. The band deserves to live on because the band is bigger than we are,” Kiss frontman Paul Stanley said in a roundtable interview. “It’s exciting for us to go the next step and see Kiss immortalized.”

“We can be forever young and forever iconic by taking us to places we’ve never dreamed of before,” Kiss bassist Gene Simmons added. “The technology is going to make Paul jump higher than he’s ever done before.”

And for those who couldn’t make the Madison Square Garden show — stay tuned, because a Kiss avatar concert may very well be on the way.

Kiss Announces ‘Final Shows Ever,’ Capping Another Long-Winded Farewell Tour

By Thania Garcia

Thania Garcia

• Selena Gomez Is a Billionaire, Bloomberg Estimates 3 days ago
• Music Industry Moves: Warner Chappell Music Signs Sabrina Carpenter Collaborator John Ryan 3 days ago
• Linkin Park Selects Emily Armstrong From Rock Band Dead Sara as New Singer, Reveals Tour and Album ‘From Zero’ 4 days ago

Kiss have announced the “absolute final shows of their final tour,” a North American leg that kicks off in October and closes with two back-to-back nights at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Dec. 1 and 2.

These dates are pegged to the band’s “ End of the Road Tour,” which started in 2018 and was originally scheduled to end in 2021, but was delayed due to the pandemic. The long-winded trek is the band’s self-proclaimed final retirement send-off, though the band’s touring career has notably been extended several times following a “Farewell Tour” in 2000.

Popular on Variety

Related stories.

Fubo’s Battle With Venu Sports Is a Stopgap Measure

'The Order' Review: Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult in an Explosive Crime Drama About the White-Supremacist Cult of the 1980s

“KISS was born in New York City. On 23rd Street. Half a century ago. It will be a privilege and honor to finish touring at Madison Square Garden, 10 blocks and 50 years from where we first started,” said Kiss in a news release.

The long-running rock band has also booked a set of 2023 U.K. dates throughout the summer and mentioned it’d be their last concerts in the region. There is sure to be speculation surrounding the validity of this being Kiss’ “final shows ever,” since frontmen Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons have shown no signs of slowing down and the narrative of a “final send-off” has been regularly used by the band’s tours.

During the pandemic, Stanley told Variety , he was regularly “bike-riding 25 miles, three times a week,” to help keep in shape during the pandemic hiatus. And although he’s had several surgeries over the years, including hip replacements, Stanley said he “[feels] great and I’m good for another 50,000 miles.”

More from Variety

‘Rings of Power’ Director Charlotte Brändström Explains Sauron’s Origins in Season 2 Premiere, Why Celebrimbor Is Like Oppenheimer and Directing 200 Orcs (EXCLUSIVE)

Why Studios Still Haven’t Licensed Movies and TV Shows to Train AI

‘Emily in Paris’ Star Lucas Bravo on That Season 4 Twist and Where Gabriel Stands With Emily After ‘Part 1’

‘Sunny’ Star Hidetoshi Nishijima on Working With Rashida Jones and the Future of His Mysterious Character

High-Resolution 8K Has Its Places, but TV Might Not Be One of Them

‘Perfect Couple’ Premiere Red Carpet Swarmed By Gnats: ‘You Have a Bug on You!’

More from our brands, patti scialfa reveals cancer diagnosis in bruce springsteen and the e street band documentary.

Car of the Week: This Ultra-Rare Porsche 911 Racer Could Fetch $3.5 Million at Auction

NCAA Could Roll Dice on Winning House Case at SCOTUS

The Best Loofahs and Body Scrubbers, According to Dermatologists

Joey Turns 20: Why Isn’t the Friends Spinoff Streaming Anywhere?

KISS Announces ‘Absolute Final Shows' for Their ‘End of the Road' Farewell Tour

Kiss will perform across the u.s. and canada, ending with two shows at new york city's madison square garden on dec. 1 and 2., by gerardo pons • published march 2, 2023 • updated on march 3, 2023 at 12:18 am.

The iconic rock band KISS has announced the “absolute final shows of their final tour,” which will take the band for one last ride across North America which will then end with a cherry on top at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Dec. 1 and 2.

The band's “End of the Road Tour,” which started back in 2018 and was originally scheduled to end in 2021 but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, lists 19 shows and will kick off Oct. 29 in Austin, Texas with stops in California, Washington, Illinois, New York, and Canada.

As for the lineup, the band will bring back two original members, Paul Stanley, and Gene Simmons, along with drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Tommy Thayer.

24/7 New York news stream: Watch NBC 4 free wherever you are

“KISS was born in New York City. On 23rd Street. Half a century ago. It will be a privilege and honor to finish touring at Madison Square Garden, 10 blocks and 50 years from where we first started,” the band said. 

Tickets for the newly announced tour dates will go on presale on March 6, with a Kiss Army presale at 10 a.m. ET.

Here's KISS's full 2023 North America tour dates:

Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.

• Oct. 29, 2023 Austin, TX Moody Center
• Nov. 1, 2023 Palm Springs, CA Acrisure Arena
• Nov. 3, 2023 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
• Nov. 6, 2023 Seattle, WA Climate Pledge Arena
• Nov. 8, 2023 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
• Nov. 10, 2023 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place
• Nov. 12, 2023 Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome
• Nov. 13, 2023 Saskatoon, SK SaskTel Centre
• Nov.15, 2023 Winnipeg, MB Canada Life Centre
• Nov. 18, 2023 Montreal, QC Centre Bell
• Nov.19, 2023 Quebec, QC Videotron Centre
• Nov. 21, 2023 Ottawa, ON Canadian Tire Centre
• Nov. 22, 2023 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
• Nov. 24, 2023 Knoxville, TN Thompson-Boling Arena
• Nov. 25, 2023 Indianapolis. IN Gainbridge Fieldhouse
• Nov.27, 2023 Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena
• Nov. 29, 2023 Baltimore, MD CFG Bank Arena
• Dec. 1, 2023 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
• Dec. 2, 2023 New York, NY Madison Square Garden

This article tagged under:

KISS announces the ‘absolute final shows’ of their ‘End of the Road’ farewell tour

• Copy Link URL Copied!

More than four years after KISS hit the road for its farewell tour, the glam metal band has announced there’s finally an end in sight.

The previously announced final tour date was in 2021, but now the band is set to conclude its “End of the Road Tour” at the end of the year at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The final curtain call is scheduled for Dec. 2, 2023 — more than 50 years after the iconic band’s first show.

The tour kicked off in Vancouver on Jan. 31, 2019, and went on a pandemic-induced hiatus pushing shows set for 2020 to 2021. In 2022, the band admitted they weren’t quite ready to say farewell, and announced that they would be adding another 100 shows to their “End of the Road Tour.”

“It’s like painting a painting or writing a book. When somebody says, ‘When is it gonna be finished?’ You’re in the middle of it; you don’t know,” Simmons said in a 2022 interview with YouTube channel Chaoszine. “ ... this is a tour that will not stop until it stops.”

Behind the scenes of the KISS farewell tour

Somewhere in the skies above San Diego, the God of Thunder is eating a sugar cookie.

Feb. 16, 2019

The final leg of the “End of the Road Tour” lists 19 shows, beginning Oct. 29 in Austin, Texas. From there, the band will hit arenas in Palm Springs and Los Angeles, then onward to Washington, Canada, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois and Maryland before they close out where it all began in New York City on Dec. 1 and 2.

“KISS was born in New York City. On 23rd Street. Half a century ago. It will be a privilege and honor to finish touring at Madison Square Garden, 10 blocks and 50 years from where we first started,” the band stated on its website . “New York City has been a part of our ethos and storyline for more than four decades, so we felt it fitting to culminate our career on stage at Madison Square Garden.”

The musicians behind the makeup include two original members, frontman Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, along with drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Tommy Thayer.

KISS Keeps Up the Antics as Tour Fades

KISS them goodbye.

March 20, 2000

KISS, known for hanging from rafters with pyrotechnics sparking the stage, will perform greatest hits like “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Shout it Out Loud” and “Beth” as well as other KISS Army favorites “Detroit Rock City,” “Deuce” and “Black Diamond.”

Presale begins March 6.

More to Read

Oasis confirms 2025 reunion tour after 15-year split: ‘This is it, this is happening’

Aug. 27, 2024

Queens of the Stone Age cancels remainder of 2024 shows due to Josh Homme’s illness

Aug. 23, 2024

Ms. Lauryn Hill and the Fugees cancel 2024 U.S. tour

Aug. 7, 2024

The biggest entertainment stories

Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

Emily St. Martin is a former entertainment reporter on the Fast Break Desk. Before joining the Los Angeles Times, she contributed to the New York Times, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, NBC, Vice, Los Angeles Magazine and the Southern California News Group. She also previously worked at the Hollywood Reporter. In 2022, she won third place for best news feature with the L.A. Press Club. St. Martin has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of La Verne and a master’s in creative nonfiction from UC Riverside.

More From the Los Angeles Times

Adam Kinzinger would ‘certainly’ be open to serving in Kamala Harris’ cabinet

Sept. 9, 2024

Entertainment & Arts

Commentary: The highs, lows and sacrifices of building a giant theme camp at Burning Man

Can ‘The Golden Bachelorette’ Joan Vassos help restore luster to Bachelor Nation?

With ‘Only Murders’ Emmy win, songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul gain EGOT status at 39

Sept. 8, 2024

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

• Entertainment

KISS Announce 'Final Shows Ever' in New York City — Where the Iconic Rock Band Was 'Born'

The rock and roll band will conclude The End of the Road Tour at Madison Square Garden

Rebecca Aizin is an Editorial Assistant at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2023. Her work has previously appeared on Elle, HGTV and Backstage. 

KISS has been together for over four decades, but the iconic band's final days on the road are near.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers announced that their string of farewell concerts, The End of the Road Tour, will recommence in October and conclude in December — with two dates at New York City's Madison Square Garden on Dec. 1 and 2.

The band chose N.Y.C. for its "final shows ever," per a press release, in honor of their roots, as they first joined together as a group in the city in the 1970s.

"KISS was born in New York City. On 23rd Street. Half a century ago," the band shared in a press statement. "It will be a privilege and an honor to finish touring at Madison Square Garden, 10 blocks and 50 years from where we first started."

The final leg of the tour will span 18 cities across North America, with tickets going on presale starting on March 6 and a general sale on March 10.

The End of the Road Tour began in 2019, but was put on pause due to the pandemic. However, the final tour may not be the end for KISS' time onstage together, as the band members have expressed that despite retiring from touring, they may still be open to one-off concerts, festivals or a Las Vegas residency.

During a July 2022 interview with Chaoszine , singer and bassist Gene Simmons shared that the band was enjoying touring so much — then on the second European leg of the tour — that they wanted to add "another 100 cities."

On when they will retire, Simmons, 73, said, "We don't know. We've never retired before. This is our first time. It's like painting a painting or writing a book. When somebody says, 'When is it gonna be finished?' You're in the middle of it; you don't know."

Simmons shared the band — which also includes members Paul Stanley , Eric Singer and Tommy Thaye — were "happy" to keep going.

"The crew is happy. Everybody's happy," he said at the time. "So we've decided to add another 100 cities before we stop. I don't know how long that's gonna take."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Since the End of the Road World Tour's launch in January 2019, KISS has played concerts across North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Australia.

Related Articles

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

KISS performed their final concert, but have they reached the end of the road?

"End of of the Road" tour is over and the band is done with live touring. But during an encore, KISS stepped offstage to be replaced by digital avatars. They can rock and roll all night — forever.

Copyright © 2023 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

As Kiss' Final Concert Approaches, What's Next for the Rockers?

A fter nearly five years, 200-plus shows and millions of dollars in box office receipts, Kiss will wrap their End of the Road farewell tour with two back-to-back hometown shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Dec. 1 and 2, 2023.

It’s been a long, sometimes difficult road for the face-painted rockers, who launched their farewell trek in 2019 but were forced to postpone it in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons both contracted the virus in 2021, causing additional cancellations, and Stanley’s nasty bout of the flu in November 2023 forced the band to scrap three dates as their final concerts loomed.

Nevertheless, Kiss triumphed over illness, brushed off accusations of lip syncing and only occasionally responded to jabs from ex-bandmates as they said goodbye the only way they know how: with a roaring, fiery rock ‘n’ roll spectacle the likes of which they helped pioneer.

As the End of the Road tour approaches its (alleged) actual end, what’s next for the band?

The End of the Road Won’t Be the End of Kiss

The members of Kiss may be planning to hang up their platform boots for good after their Madison Square Garden blowout, but that doesn’t mean the band will cease to exist — at least not if Stanley or Simmons have anything to say about it.

“Kiss is like an army or a sports team,” Stanley told UCR in 2022. “When the MVP is no longer playing or retired, the team doesn’t call it quits. On a battlefield, an army, when they lose soldiers, doesn’t wave the white flag. Somebody else picks up the weapon and runs forward. So in one form or another, I believe there will always be a Kiss.”

READ MORE: Kiss Are Still Rock and Roll’s Greatest Comic Book Heroes: Review and Photos

Stanley’s philosophy on this matter predates the End of the Road tour. “When a band or anything, a team, lasts 40 years, 50 years, the only way for it to continue is to evolve,” he said in 2018. “There are bands touring at this point with one or no original members and I have no problem with that, because it didn’t happen overnight. It was a series of changes over years or decades. If someone were to say, ‘Well, there’s no original members in one of the versions of Yes ,’ I’d say, ‘Who cares?’ It sounds like Yes and the pedigree is Yes, so is it Yes? Yes!”

It’s not surprising that Stanley would feel this way — after all, he and Simmons have kept the Kiss name alive for half a century with a rotating cast of other musicians. “I think that Kiss is a concept, it’s an ideal,” Stanley said in the same interview. “It’s a way of performing and giving to an audience, and that goes far beyond me. I’m a big fan of mine – I think I’m really good at what I do – but it doesn’t mean there’s not somebody else out there who can bring something to the band.”

Could Kiss Tour With No Original Members?

Although Simmons and Stanley are essentially the faces of Kiss these days, they’ve made it clear in various interviews that they consider the band to be greater than the sum of its parts. In fact, Simmons admitted in 2022 that he could envision a future “Kiss” tour that features no original members.

“Kiss will continue in ways that even I haven’t thought of,” Simmons said. “But I can conceive of — you know, the Blue Man Group and Phantom of the Opera tour around the world with different personnel. There could and should be a Kiss show, kind of live on stage with effects and everything else, but also a semi-autobiographical thing about four knuckleheads off the streets of New York that ends with the last third as a full-blown celebration, a full-on performance.”

The Demon was quick to add: “Not with us. Although not a problem stepping in every once in a while.”

READ MORE: Paul Stanley Says Original Kiss Lineup Reunion ‘Doesn’t Make Sense’

Stanley is also open to the idea of a next-generation Kiss lineup, though he said it’s not currently at the top of the band’s priority list. “I think anything is possible,” he told UCR in October 2023. “It’s certainly something that we’ve spoken about, but not anything more than that.”

“Kiss Will Always Exist”

Kiss has never shied away from a good business opportunity, so one might naturally be skeptical of their claim that they’re done touring for good. Still, the band has remained steadfast on the matter.

Some people — including those of us at UCR — have suggested that Kiss would be a perfect fit for Las Vegas’ new, state-of-the-art MSG Sphere . But Stanley doesn’t think it in the cards. “I can’t speak to it in any other way except to be honest with you about how I feel now, and the way I feel today is … I can’t really see that happening,” he told UCR. “As far as I’m concerned, we’re done.”

Done onstage , that is. Stanley and Simmons agree that Kiss will endure long after they ring out their final note at Madison Square Garden — even if they haven’t specified in what capacity. “We couldn’t stop Kiss if we wanted to, because it belongs to the people of the world,” Stanley said. “So we can be the keepers and the curators. Kiss will always exist.”

Click here to view photo gallery

Next: Kiss Lineup Changes: A Complete Guide

Kiss Announce Final Concert, Map Out More ‘End of the Road’ Tour Dates

• By Daniel Kreps

Daniel Kreps

Kiss ‘ End of the Road farewell tour has scheduled its final stop: July 17th, 2021 in the band’s native New York City. Before that, however, Kiss has added a ton of new 2020 dates to their final trek, including two lengthy North American legs.

“We’ve been on the End of the Road tour, and people have said, ‘When is the last show?'” Paul Stanley recently told the audience aboard the Kiss Kruise ( via Ultimate Classic Rock ). “So, we’re here to tell you that the end of the road comes to an end on July 17, 2021 in New York City.”

Following a tour of Australia ( where the band will play a concert for great white sharks ) and Japan to close out 2019, Kiss will return to the road in 2020 with a 29-date U.S. tour that begins February 1st in Manchester, New Hampshire, and ends March 15th in Biloxi, Mississippi. Kiss will then return overseas to South America, Europe and Africa before a second North American leg opens August 28th in Mansfield, Massachusetts.

Tickets for the new North American shows will go on sale November 22nd at 10 a.m. local time, while tickets for a meet and greet with the Kiss will be available starting November 19th at 10 a.m. local time via the band’s website . Kiss Army fan club members will have access to presales starting November 20th at 10 a.m. local time, while Citi cardholders will be able to purchase tickets on the 20th starting at 12 p.m. local time.

“We can’t be running around for that much longer in 40 pounds of gear,” Paul Stanley recently told Rolling Stone of the farewell tour. “There’s nothing maudlin about it. It’s a celebration with our fans around the world. We wanted to raise the bar again as to what a band can do live. That’s really what we’ve always done: we’ve always wanted to be the band we never saw. There are a lot of shows out there that have Kiss DNA in them because they really weren’t shows of any magnitude before us.”

Kiss Tour Dates

February 1 – Manchester, NH @ SNHU Arena February 4 – Allentown, PA @ PPL Center February 5 – Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center February 7 – Charlottesville, VA @ John Paul Jones Arena February 8 – Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum Complex* February 11 – Columbia, SC @ Colonial Life Arena* February 13 – Lexington, KY @ Rupp Arena February 15 – Peoria, IL @ Peoria Civic Center February 16 – Fort Wayne, IN @ Allen County War Memorial Coliseum February 18 – Springfield, MO @ JQH Arena February 19 – Wichita, KS @ INTRUST Bank Arena February 21 – Sioux City, IA @ Tyson Events Center February 22 – Grand Forks, ND @ Alerus Center February 24 – St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center+ February 25 – Lincoln, NE @ Pinnacle Bank Arena+ February 29 – Laughlin, NV @ Laughlin Event Center March 2 – Bakersfield, CA @ Mechanics Bank Arena (formerly Rabobank Arena) March 4 – Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center March 6 – Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena March 9 – El Paso, TX @ UTEP Don Haskins Center March 10 – Lubbock, TX @ United Supermarkets Arena March 12 – Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center March 14 – Lafayette, LA @ Lafayette Cajundome March 15 – Biloxi, MS @ Mississippi Coast Coliseum August 28 – Burgettstown, PA @ KeyBank Pavilion August 29 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall August 31 – Canandaigua, NY @ Constellation Brands – Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center September 3 – Bangor, ME @ Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion September 4 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center September 5 – Hartford, CT @ XFINITY Theatre September 8 – Atlanta, GA @ Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood September 9 – Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park* September 11 – Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre September 12 – Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Chicago, IL September 14 – Dayton, OH @ Wright State University Nutter Center September 15 – Milwaukee, WI @ American Family Insurance Amphitheater September 19 – George, WA @ Gorge Amphitheatre September 20 – Ridgefield, WA @ Sunlight Supply Amphitheater September 22 – Boise, ID @ ExtraMile Arena September 24 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre September 27 – Chula Vista, CA @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre September 29 – Phoenix, AZ @ Ak-Chin Pavilion October 1 – Austin, TX @ Austin360 Amphitheater October 2 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena

July 17, 2021 – New York, NY @ Venue TBD

Editor’s picks

Every awful thing trump has promised to do in a second term, the 250 greatest guitarists of all time, the 500 greatest albums of all time, 25 most influential creators of 2024, watch carrie underwood open the 2024 season of 'sunday night football'.

• Still Waiting
• By Joseph Hudak

Herbie Flowers, Bassist on Lou Reed's 'Walk on the Wild Side,' Dead at 86

Long-running self-described queerpunks the dead betties imagine an 'impossible future'.

• The Future Now
• By Kory Grow

Kendrick Lamar to Headline Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2025

• 'the right one'

Meet the Rock Band the U.S. Enlisted to Help Win the Vietnam War

• Run Through the Jungle
• By David Browne

Most Popular

Linkin park selects emily armstrong from rock band dead sara as new singer, reveals tour and album 'from zero', demi moore fuels speculation that she doesn't approve of channing tatum's plans to remake ghost, planes targeting trump fly over college football stadiums, telling voters to sack project 2025 (exclusive), navarro, pegula highlight billionaire parents at u.s. open, you might also like, creative arts emmys: night two – updating live, all of ella emhoff’s new york fashion week outfits for spring 2025 shows, so far, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors, 2024 creative arts emmy awards winners (updating live), ncaa could roll dice on winning house case at scotus.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

• Moscow concerts Moscow concerts Moscow concerts See all Moscow concerts ( Change location ) Today · Next 7 days · Next 30 days
• Most popular artists worldwide
• Trending artists worldwide

• Tourbox for artists

Search for events or artists

• Sign up Log in

• Get the app
• Moscow concerts
• Change location
• Popular Artists
• Live streams
• Deutsch Português
• Popular artists

Kiss  

• On tour: no
• Upcoming 2024 concerts: none

1,164,654 fans get concert alerts for this artist.

Join Songkick to track Kiss and get concert alerts when they play near you.

Find your next concert

Join 1,164,654 fans getting concert alerts for this artist

Similar artists with upcoming concerts

Tours most with, past concerts.

Madison Square Garden

CFG Bank Arena

View all past concerts

Kiss are an American rock band, forming in New York City, New York, United states of America, they have been making: hard rock, heavy metal and glam rock since 1973.

Originally Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley were a part of a rock and roll band called "Wicked Lester" left the band after feeling that their music needed to head in a new direction. Later in 1972 Peter Criss joined the band after auditioning for the duo when they came across an advert he had placed in Rolling Stone.

The band went on to audition for Epic Records, they however were not liked and did not manage to secure a record deal. During this time period the band began to mess around with their image, they started to dress differently from the stereotypical rock scene at the time and also wore make up. In 1973 the band gained Ace Frehley who would become their lead guitarist as they were very impressed with his audition, the band soon officially became known as "Kiss".

On November 1 1973, Kiss were signed to Casablanca records, later that year the band had their first opening for a band called "Blue Oyster Cult" at the Academy of Music in New York. It was here that Gene Simmons accidentally set his hair on fire (needless to say he survived).

Kiss received positive reception when they released their live version of song "Rock and Roll All Nite" This was followed by the bands release of studio album "Destroyer" which was released in 1976, the album went gold a month after release and their song "Shout It Out Loud" reached number 1 on the Canadian Singles Chart. The album went on to go double platinum in the US with 2 million sales.

Kiss have received over 15 awards such as Band Of The Year by Metal Edge Readers' Choice Awards, Favorite new song for "Beth" and have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

As of 2014 the band members of Kiss include: Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer.

Live reviews

Kiss & Def Leppard ... what a pair! The concert took place at Lakewood Amphitheater in Atlanta. As we were driving in, we could see the clouds getting darker and darker ... storm coming our way ... seemed like the gray/black in the sky, along with the occasional clap of thunder, were getting ready for a night of rooooccckk! Of course, we arrived and it started raining … but that did not stop us … it was a night to remember. I’ve been a Def Leppard fan since the early 90s … the amphitheater was packed … they sang non-stop all their greatest hits – and boy do they have a lot of them! I could see the crowds (different ages – some who had brought their kids), join me as we travelled back in time to those high school or college years and remembered that special someone as we were singing “Two Steps Behind” or “Pour Some Sugar on Me”. It was priceless! Short break … it stopped raining and it’s now dark. A black curtain with the famous KISS logo is covering the stage and it’s now completely dark outside. The crowd is standing up and curiously waiting for what’s coming next … Down comes the curtain and the group starts descending to the stage on one of those … oh, so well known mechanical platforms used during the 80s. KISS on stage is the stereotype of the glam 80s band on steroids. I love going to concerts and usually make it to pretty much any concert that hits Atlanta: old, new, rock, alternative – you name it. I have seen all kinds of cool stages, lightshows, fireworks, etc … but nothing could prepare me for seeing this band which continues to deliver on the excess of 80s rock & roll even after we’ve long past the decade of rock. It was amazing … the makeup, the costumes, that platform as they descended onto the stage … it was a combination of “Rock of Ages” and “Rockstar”. For those of you who were young during the 80s … this show will infuse you with that energy that only music can provide … for those of you in the mid-to late 90s and after … if you know good music – you know these guys and the show is something to remember!

Report as inappropriate

Thank you for caring enough to see if we enjoyed our time at the Kiss concert on 3-26-19. This is the first concert I’ve ever been to here and the first concert my sons have ever been to. Most of all this was a birthday gift to my husband. I have to say Kiss is amazing. Your staff and cleanliness was amazing for such a big place. Great job!!! But I do have to say I was very disappointed in our seats. We had so much obstruction from the jumbo tron and poles from our seats. It hugely impacted how much of the show or what we could see of the show.

So instead of a great visual and audible experience, it was more audible with some glimpses of the huge screen and some stage. I wish as I purchased these tickets I was shown where the poles and equipment were going to be because I bought these tickets the first day they were opened to purchase and there were many seats in that price range to purchase at the time. I would have definitely purchased different seating for the same money. I could send you pictures of what we saw from our seating, if you would like to see them. Just sad...again I do appreciate you actually reaching out to us about our experience and actually I’m very impressed. Keep up the great work and cleanliness, because we were very surprised on how amazingly cared for the TD Garden was taken care of and again nice staff. Obviously great management. I also appreciate you reaching out to us, again Great customer service. Thank you Traci Mahar

KISS was the best act I have ever watched. From Paul Stanley zip-lining to perform mid-audience on a platform, in his twelve-inch platform boots, to the band members not only performing on stage but high above it, as well, to Gene Simmons "breathing fire" and sililoquiy spitting blood segment. All the band members were lifted above the main stage at various times through-out the concert. It was quite the spectacle.

They also did not waste time before the encore performance as there was a curfew. So they just kept playing on. I did not hear any curse words as they must have been aware of their young KISS army members in the audience, dressed fully in KISS regalia. A few fans were also observed outside who were dressed up as Ace Freley, the space object, Peter Criss and even the vampire, Gene Simmons.

At one point, Paul Stanley joked that the previous night's audience in Austin had said the same thing about Dallas fans as the Fair Park crowd had booed the southern fans when Paul had asked who were the biggest rock and roll fans in the state of Texas. KISS closed their set with the classic rock anthem, "Rock and Roll All Night and Party Every Day". Over-all, the KISS experience made up for what was lacking from the previous act and the opening one. Kudos to KISS!

Thank you for caring enough to see if we enjoyed our time at the Kiss concert on 03-26-19. This is the first concert I’ve ever been to here, also this was the first concert my sons have ever been to. Most importantly this was a gift for my husband for his birthday. I have to say Kiss is amazing. Your staff and cleanliness for such a big place was amazing. Great work, but I do have to say I was disappointed with our seats. We had so much obstruction from the jumbo tron, and poles in front of the stage, it hugely impacted how much or what we could see of the show. So instead of a great visual experience it was more audible with glimpses of the huge screen and some stage. I wish as I purchased these tickets I was told or shown where all the staging and lighting and poles where gonna be, because I bought these tickets the first day they went on sale and could have picked different seating for the same money. I could send you pictures of what we saw from our seats. Again I do thank you for caring enough about our experience

I Have Only Been Going To Concerts Since The End Of 2017 and I've Already Seen Many Of My Favourites And I Have Always Wanted To See Kiss as they are One if not My top favourite band of All Time and after seeing them for the first and only time last night in London i can say without a doubt it was and is (I Stand By My Word When I say This) the best thing i have ever been to in possibly my entire lifetime (not kidding) There will never be another band like Kiss The Stage setup, timing with the pyro etc was outstanding as you expect from kiss, and the finale was awesome I have been a fan Of Paul Stanley For years and my favourite thing to watch him do is when he smashes his guitar at the end of the show, it made me so happy to see it live in person i got emotional, like i said you'll regret it when Kiss is No Longer About, No One Does A Live Show Like Kiss and if this is indeed the Final Tour they indeed went out with a bang And il'l Never forget it.

Another great Kiss concert, they know how to put on a show! The first time I've seen them in this lineup. They played most of the songs I expected and wanted them to play, from Detroit Rock City to Black Diamond, Psycho Circus, Lick it up and Rock and Roll all night. Was a bit baffled that I was made for loving you got one of the best reactions from the audience. Seriously, Paris? I think there was a fairly equal spread of songs from most parts of their career, although they maybe should have played I just wanna, and no matter how much Paul wants Hell or Hallelujah to become a classic, I don't think it will. Anyway, this is supposed to be a positive review. Kiss rock and which other bands shoot fireworks from their guitars and have their band members play above the audience and in the crowd? Yes, Kiss will probably back again, but I'd say, go and see them while you still can!

A KISS Goodbye! I’ve seen KISS 3 other times, once in the 70’s, once in the 80’s and once in the 90’s. But last nights concert in Minneapolis was a Crazy, Crazy Night!! They pulled out all the stops to make sure that their last concert here was an amazing spectacle! I brought my 24 year old son to witness his first (and probably last) KISS concert and he was literally blown away! Thank you KISS for allowing me to share this experience with my son!! Thank you Gene and Paul for the many decades of incredible music and on stage mayhem! Thank you Tommy and Eric for being absolutely top-notch replacements for the other two originals. I have been, since my teenage years, an avid KISS fan...and now in my fiftys, I am proud to say I Still Am!! Thank You KISS!!

The End of the Road Tour stopped in Ottawa last night. It was almost painful to watch. They should no longer be playing back to back shows, Paul Stanley's voice is done. It was clear that he is using backup vocals. There were times when you'd hear his voice but he was not at his mic. Tommy Thayer is not Ace Frehley that much was obvious. The show appeared clumsy and disorganized at times. The setlist needs some tweaking, not a very good sampling of their entire catalog. They often at times seemed like they were just collecting a paycheque. Gene and Paul say they couldn't depend on Ace and Peter but Ace simply cannot be replaced. This tour will suffer because of this.

Being a rock fan, I wanted to go for the single reason that they are considered a legendary rock band and I wanted to cross them out of my list.

It happened to be - most likely, honestly! - the best show I have ever been to in my life. They showed they are not a bunch of old rags that rely on top of past achievements but a bunch of passionate rock professionals who, despite their age, give all they can to deliver an outstanding performance - and the most impressive thing is, they DID!

Imagine now, if it was THAT good and they are in their late 60s, how epic it must have been when they were younger!

I truly hope I have the opportunity to see them again!

One of the best concerts I have ever been to and I've been to a lot !! Great theatre and a fantastic spectacle all round. This is why these guys have survived the rock industry for 40+ years and still pack out arenas. They can truly teach bands of today how it's done. Absolute professionals. Money well spent. If I had to find a negative (which isn't easy) it would be the concert length. At around 1hr 45 mins, I would have liked a few more songs to push it to 2hrs but seeing they are in their 60's I can forgive them for that !! Don't waste a second and make sure you see kiss while you can. You won't regret it !! Rock on !!

Videos (23)

Photos (105)

Posters (95)

Find out more about Kiss tour dates & tickets 2024-2025

Want to see Kiss in concert? Find information on all of Kiss’s upcoming concerts, tour dates and ticket information for 2024-2025.

Unfortunately there are no concert dates for Kiss scheduled in 2024.

Songkick is the first to know of new tour announcements and concert information, so if your favorite artists are not currently on tour, join Songkick to track Kiss and get concert alerts when they play near you, like 1164654 other Kiss fans.

Last concert:

Last concert near you:

Popularity ranking:

• Kehlani (261)
• Lil Baby (263)

Concerts played in 2024:

Touring history

Most played:

• New York (NYC) (70)
• Los Angeles (LA) (64)
• Detroit (61)
• Philadelphia (37)
• Twin Cities (36)

Appears most with:

• Mötley Crüe (63)
• Def Leppard (58)
• Queensrÿche (46)
• David Lee Roth (45)

Distance travelled:

Similar artists

• Most popular charts
• Campaigns for promoters
• API information
• Brand guidelines
• Community guidelines
• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Cookies settings
• Cookies policy

Get your tour dates seen everywhere.