The Alive 35 World Tour was a 2008–2009 concert tour by Kiss to celebrate their 35th anniversary. It was the band's first major tour since the Rock the Nation World Tour in 2004. On the tour, Kiss played in Europe for the first time since the Psycho Circus World Tour in 1999. Kiss wore Destroyer-themed costumes for the tour, but the majority of the songs played were on Alive!. The tour was highly successful and proved to be Kiss's biggest tour of Europe. This tour marked the first time Kiss visited Bulgaria, Greece, Latvia, Russia, Luxembourg, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela.
Three legs and 38 shows were announced. Kiss headlined the Download[1], Graspop Metal Meeting and Arrow Rock[2] festivals in Europe as part of the tour.
The tour began on May 9 in the König-Pilsener-Arena in Oberhausen, Germany. The South America leg started on April 3 in Chile. The tour ended on December 13, 2009, in Pittsburgh after the December 15, 2009 concert in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario was postponed until summer 2010 due to inclement weather.[1] The tour went on to gross $30,500,000 and play to over 385,000 fans in sold-out arenas from October to December 2009.[2] Gene Simmons stated that part of the tour's success could be attributed to the success of his hit television show, Gene Simmons Family Jewels.
In the tour program for the band's final tour, Stanley reflected on the tour:
Kiss is about believing in yourself and knowing you can succeed and knowing that the people who tell you you can't succeed are the ones who failed. It's also about celebrating life. It's about enjoying life for what it is. Every day is a miracle. Just being here is Christmas every day of the year. Playing live is the ultimate but doing it right is really really hard work. I push it as far as I can. That's always the philosophy as far as playing live.[3]
"Love Gun" (Paul Stanley flies out to the audience)
"Detroit Rock City"
European tour notes
During Tommy Thayer's solo after "She", rockets shot from his guitar neck as Ace Frehley had done previously.
Kiss agreed to play double dates in Helsinki after the first show sold out the venue (13000 tickets) in under seven minutes. The extra show was scheduled for the previous day.
For several German shows, the Kiss logo on the tour program was censored due to the SS at the end of the word Kiss looking too similar to the Nazi symbol for the Schutzstaffel, which was also two angular S's. The S's were made to look more traditional and less angular.
In Bergen and Athens, Paul Stanley didn't fly out over the audience during "Love Gun".
In Verona, Kiss received from Music Empire Awards a 35 platinum Award for their career of 35 years.
South American tour notes
Paul Stanley teased Buenos Aires', Lima's, Bogotá's and Caracas' audience with fragments of "Guantanamera" and "Cucurrucucú Paloma" (both sung in Spanish) before playing "Rock and Roll All Nite".
"Love Gun" was not played at the Rio de Janeiro show due to rain conditions.
Paul Stanley salutes the audience with "Yo no hablo muy bien español, pero conozco tus sentimientos y mi corazón es suyo" (I don't speak much Spanish, but I know your feelings and my heart is yours). He used the same phrase in their 1994 and 1997 visits.
A day before the performance in Peru, the band were seen sightseeing and learning about the Peruvian culture.
In Buenos Aires, Argentina the cable that was rising Simmons failed. Simmons said shortly after, "We put our lives on the line on a nightly basis all for you!", which was met with cheers from the crowd. Simmons also saluted the audience saying "Santiago" instead of "Buenos Aires". You can notice this on the Sonic Boom Bonus DVD.
North American tour notes
"Cold Gin", "I Was Made for Lovin' You", and Gene Simmons' bass solo in "I Love It Loud" were not performed at the Konocti Harbor show on August 31 due to wind conditions.
In Milwaukee on June 27, 2009, and in Paso Robles, California on July 28, 2009, Paul Stanley talked about Kiss' new album after "Hotter Than Hell" and he didn't fly over the audience during "Love Gun".
In Sarnia on July 10, 2009, on Kiss sets a Bayfest attendance record of over 22,000.
At the Bluesfest on July 15, 2009, in Ottawa, Kiss played to over 42,000.
In Quebec City on July 16, 2009, Kiss played to a crowd of over 90,000.
In Paso Robles on July 28, 2009, and in Montreal on October 1, 2009, Paul Stanley didn't fly over the audience.
In Toronto on October 2, 2009, during the opening song "King of the Night Time World" the power went out in the Air Canada Centre, although they did finish the show.
In Greenville, South Carolina on October 17, "Shock Me" and "Calling Dr. Love" were played for the first time on the American leg of the tour.
In Philadelphia, on October 12, during Gene's bass solo, he spat blood AFTER he flew up onto the platform above. He also brought back the clock bell and the white light that hadn't been used since the Creatures of the Night Tour/10th Anniversary Tour which adds a more frightening effect to his performance.
In Atlanta, on October 26, Kiss performed "Say Yeah" off the Sonic Boom album for the first time ever live.
In Winnipeg on November 9, a concussion bomb (explosive) caught fire after "Black Diamond" and continued to burn for several minutes. To kill time, Kiss improvised and Simmons began to play the bassline for "Firehouse": the other members eventually joined in. The song was sung by drummer Eric Singer as the others could not access their mics while the crew dropped down the row of lights to extinguish the flame.
On November 25, 2009, the show at the Staples Center was aired online live. The show got over 200,000 viewers.
On November 28, 2009, in Las Vegas, Paul Stanley did not fly over the audience during "Love Gun".
On December 4, 2009, in Austin, Texas, Kiss did not play "Shout It Out Loud" being the only date they didn't play it.
Regulars of the Alive 35 tour:
During the Reunion Tour in 96, Ace Frehley fired rockets into the light truss during his solo. When the rocket reached the lights, there would be an explosion and a piece of the light rigging would fall. It's all part of the act. On this 2009 tour Tommy Thayer has adopted the same effect during his guitar solo.
Paul Stanley teasing the crowd with "Stairway to Heaven" became a regular in the Alive 35 Shows.
Tommy Thayer's Gibson Explorer was used in all encores of the Alive 35 tour, stating "I've been playing this guitar during our encores as a change of pace from my workhorse Les Pauls".
During "Lick It Up" the band broke out "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who with Paul Stanley doing Roger Daltrey's yell.
Songs such as "King of the Night time World", "Shock Me", "Cold Gin", "I Stole Your Love", "Strutter", "Calling Dr. Love" and "Nothin' to Lose" were songs that varied throughout the tour.
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