Psycho Circus World Tour

The Psycho Circus World Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Kiss that started on October 31, 1998 and concluded on April 24, 1999.

Psycho Circus World Tour
Tour by Kiss
Associated albumPsycho Circus
Start dateOctober 31, 1998
End dateApril 24, 1999
Legs3
No. of shows68 scheduled, 6 cancelled
Kiss concert chronology

Background

This concert tour was the first to implement 3-D imagery and effects with glasses included, as well as a big video screen.[1][2]

In the tour program for the band's final tour, Simmons reflected on the tour:

The Psycho Circus tour was far and above anything that people have ever seen. It started with a concept called "Psycho Circus" our manager Doc McGhee was talking about. He goes, "Wouldn't it be great if the tour was like a 'Psycho Circus' thing and anything was possible?" On that tour we utilized spectacular 3-D technology. There were certain parts of the show where the fans put on their 3D glasses to experience the full spectrum of the visual effects. With that tour, we wanted to bring back the fun to rock and roll with a kick-ass rock and roll show.[3]

Reception

Kiss performing in Paris on March 22, 1999

A local reporter from the Los Angeles Times, gave the first show at Dodger Stadium a mixed review. The reporter noted on the wrinkles of the aging superstars 'creasing their Kabuki-style makeup' and the attraction of the over-the-top, 70s-vintage rock sound. Concluding the review, the reporter stated that what mattered the most to the band and the fans was 'preserving the sweetest essence of rock 'n' roll: attitude'.[4]

A reviewer from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, gave the December 20, 1998 performance a positive review, stating: "The Kiss Army was treated to more than two hours of fireworks, 30-foot-high columns of flame, lascivious tongue-wriggling, pelvic gyrations, confetti blizzards, levitating drum risers, fake blood spitting, synchronized high-kicking, fire-breathing, and 3-D imagery splashed across several jumbo screens. There was music too, of course: fuzzy monster chords, throbbing bass, and anthem after anthem in praise of rocking all night and partying every day... the 3-D gimmick was a one-trick pony and not nearly as entertaining as the band's other shenanigans."[5]

One reporter from Nashville, reported on Frehley during the show at the Nashville Arena on January 2, 1999, stating that the lead guitarist was smoking, noting on the special effects that his guitar's body had with the white smoke and Roman candle blasts fired to the arena's roof. The reporter concluded their review, stating on how every song was about how neato it is to rock and roll all night and party every day.[6]

Setlist

  1. "Psycho Circus"
  2. "Shout It Out Loud"
  3. "Deuce"
  4. "Do You Love Me?"
  5. "Firehouse"
  6. "Shock Me"
  7. "Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll"
  8. "Calling Dr. Love"
  9. "Into the Void"
  10. "King of the Night Time World"
  11. "God of Thunder"
  12. "Within"
  13. "Cold Gin"
  14. "Love Gun"
  15. "100,000 Years"
  16. "Rock and Roll All Nite"

Encore

  1. "Beth"
  2. "Detroit Rock City"
  3. "Black Diamond"
  • "She" and "Nothin' to Lose" only played in Dodger Stadium of Los Angeles.
  • "Makin' Love" was added from the second show onwards but was dropped after a few performances.
  • "Cold Gin" was dropped after Gothenburg show on March 5.
  • "I Was Made for Lovin' You" was played early in the tour but was dropped after a few performances. It was played again on the European and Latin American tour.

Tour dates

List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, and opening acts
DateCityCountryVenueOpening Act(s)
North America[7]
October 31, 1998Los AngelesUnited StatesDodger Stadium1The Smashing Pumpkins
November 12, 1998BostonFleetCenterEconoline Crush
November 13, 1998
November 15, 1998AlbanyPepsi Arena
November 16, 1998PortlandCumberland County Civic Center
November 18, 1998University ParkBryce Jordan Center
November 19, 1998Washington, D.C.MCI Center
November 21, 1998PhiladelphiaFirst Union Center
November 22, 1998East RutherfordContinental Airlines ArenaOzone Monday
November 23, 1998New York CityMadison Square GardenEconoline Crush
November 25, 1998HartfordHartford Civic Center
November 27, 1998UniondaleNassau Coliseum
November 28, 1998RochesterWar Memorial Arena
November 29, 1998BuffaloMarine Midland Arena
December 1, 1998MontrealCanadaMolson Centre
December 2, 1998TorontoSkyDome
December 4, 1998PittsburghUnited StatesCivic Arena
December 5, 1998ColumbusValue City Arena
December 6, 1998ClevelandGund Arena
December 8, 1998CharlestonCharleston Civic Center
December 9, 1998LexingtonRupp Arena
December 11, 1998FairbornErvin J. Nutter Center
December 12, 1998Terre HauteHulman Center2
December 13, 1998IndianapolisMarket Square Arena2
December 15, 1998MinneapolisTarget Center
December 16, 1998OmahaOmaha Civic Auditorium
December 18, 1998RockfordRockford MetroCentre
December 19, 1998Cedar RapidsFive Seasons Center
December 20, 1998MilwaukeeBradley Center
December 27, 1998MadisonDane County Expo ColiseumCaroline's Spine
December 29, 1998RosemontRosemont Horizon
December 30, 1998Grand RapidsVan Andel Arena
December 31, 1998Auburn HillsThe Palace of Auburn Hills
January 2, 1999NashvilleNashville ArenaOzone Monday
January 31, 1999Miami GardensPro Player Stadium
(Super Bowl XXXIII)[8]
Europe[7]
February 26, 1999HelsinkiFinlandHartwall AreenaBuckcherry
February 28, 1999OsloNorwayOslo Spektrum
March 2, 1999StockholmSwedenGloben Arena
March 3, 1999
March 4, 1999GothenburgScandinavium
March 5, 1999
March 7, 1999BerlinGermanyBerlin Velodrom
March 8, 1999CologneKölnarena
March 9, 1999FrankfurtFesthalle Frankfurt
March 11, 1999ErfurtMessehalle
March 12, 1999BremenBremen Stadthalle3
March 13, 1999UtrechtNetherlandsPrins Van Oranjehal
March 15, 1999MilanItalyFilaforum
March 17, 1999ViennaAustriaWiener Stadthalle
March 18, 1999PragueCzech RepublicPrague Sports Hall
March 19, 1999MunichGermanyOlympiahalle
March 20, 1999StuttgartSchleyerhalle
March 22, 1999ParisFrancePalais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
March 23, 1999BrusselsBelgiumForest National
March 25, 1999LondonEnglandWembley Arena
March 27, 1999DortmundGermanyWestfalenhalleJustice
March 28, 1999KielOstseehalleNatural Born Hippies
Latin America[7]
April 10, 1999Buenos AiresArgentinaRiver Plate StadiumRammstein
April 15, 1999Porto AlegreBrazilHipodromo do Cristal
April 17, 1999São PauloAutodromo de Interlagos
April 21, 1999San JuanPuerto RicoRoberto Clemente ColiseumPuya
April 24, 1999Mexico CityMexicoForo Sol StadiumRammstein
  • ^Note 1 The first show of the tour was broadcast on Fox TV's Halloween special and on the radio.
  • ^Note 2 These shows were recorded and released as a live bonus EP, which was in support of the European leg.
  • ^Note 3 Kiss was banned from performing from the venue, after setting off the pyrotechnics despite the warnings of the local fire marshal.[9]

Postponed and cancelled dates

DateCityCountryVenueReasoning
January 29, 1999Fort Lauderdale, FloridaUnited StatesNational Car Rental CenterPoor ticket sales due to the Super Bowl
March 1, 1999CopenhagenDenmarkForum CopenhagenLow ticket sales / added dates in Sweden which would have forced the band to play 6 days in a row
April 1, 1999MoscowRussiaOlympic ArenaRussian political and security issues
April 2, 1999
April 4, 1999St. PetersburgSKK Peterburgskiy
April 13, 1999SantiagoChileVelodrome Estadio NacionalLogistical issues

Box office score data

List of box office score data with date, city, venue, attendance, gross, references
DateCityVenueAttendanceGrossRef(s)
November 21, 1998PhiladelphiaFirst Union Center12,927 / 15,690$566,130[10]
November 22, 1998East RutherfordContinental Airlines Arena14,858 / 14,858$748,945
November 23, 1998New York CityMadison Square Garden15,173 / 15,173$797,900
November 25, 1998HartfordCivic Center7,715 / 11,809$300,820[11]
November 27, 1998UniondaleNassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum12,773 / 14,007$626,730[10]
December 11, 1998FairbornErvin J. Nutter Center8,877 / 11,754$337,457[11]
December 31, 1998Auburn HillsThe Palace of Auburn Hills14,431 / 14,431$936,625[12]

Personnel

References

Sources

  • Gooch, Curt; Suhs, Jeff (2002). Kiss Alive Forever: The Complete Touring History. New York: Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-8322-5.