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KISS have announced the will again play an unmasked show in Las Vegas ahead of launching their much-vaunted avatar show there in 2028.

Gene Simmons announced new KISS music had been written for the avatar shows while manager Doc McGee answered the thorny question of whether former members Peter Criss and the late Ace Frehley would be represented by the new installation.

Speaking at a KISS Fan Expo in Las Vegas, vocalist and rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley said of the ‘KISS Kruise landlocked in Vegas’ concept: “We’ll do it again this coming year. We’ll do it in November.

“And as good as (2025) was, this one’s gonna be so much better, because we learn as we’re going. And this next KISS Kruise in Vegas is gonna be awesome. I mean, we can’t wait to play, and we can’t wait to have the bands we’re gonna have and be with you again. So, pack your bags.”

Subsequently, Stanley, bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons, McGhee and Jessica Koravos, CEO of Pophouse which now owns the band’s music and image rights, conducted an extensive interview with Pollstar magazine.

The avatar show has been earmarked as Pophouse’s first foray into the US market with a venture roughly equivalent to the Abba Voyage show in London.

McGhee was asked what eras of the band would be represented, with Criss and Frehley namechecked, and said: “It’s going to be the iconic face personas, The Demon, the Starchild, and so on. Who you want to place into that lineup is up to you.”

Simmons was quoted as saying: “You’re gonna get all that stuff, and also new songs. Exactly what that means, written by us. We have songs done.”

He went on to suggest more than just sight and sound would be represented in the avatar shows, saying: “Imagine all your senses are being attacked right along with the visuals”.

Karavos was asked about Stanley and Simmons being allowed to continue performing as KISS although they are no longer owners of the trademark. Aside from confirming they were able to do so under their business arrangement, she did not explain the legal boundaries of their agreement.

In the feature story, Simmons describes Pophouse “as terrific bunch of entrepreneurial futurists”.

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Steve Mascord

Author Steve Mascord

Steve came up with the name of Hot Metal magazine in 1989 and worked for the magazine in its early years. He is HM's editor and proprietor in 2022.

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