Gene Simmons has announced that not all members of KISS may participate together at the “KISS Army Storms Vegas” event, a three-day fan gathering set for Nov. 14-16 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
“This is much more a fan gathering,” Simmons said in an interview with a Long Island radio station. “The KISS Army are taking over the Virgin Hotel and we will show up, but I don’t even know if the entire band’s gonna be there.”
Simmons added, “I know Paul and I are gonna be there, and Tommy. Bruce Kulick probably will show up, and we’ll jam, answer questions and stuff. It ain’t a concert, we’re gonna do none of that stuff. I may even bring my solo band up there just for fun.”
The event will be KISS’s first public appearance since concluding their “End of the Road” farewell tour at Madison Square Garden in New York in December 2023. Simmons previously told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in March that the band would not perform in makeup during the event, honoring their commitment that the MSG show was their final performance in full costume.
“There’s no stage show. There’s no crew. We won’t have 60 people levitating drum sets and all that stuff,” he said at the time.
“KISS Army Storms Vegas” will commemorate the fan club’s 50th anniversary and will include Q&A sessions with Paul Stanley, Simmons, and longtime manager Doc McGhee.
Additional performances will feature sets from Tommy Thayer’s former band Black ‘N Blue, former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach, and tribute bands Mr. Speed and KISS Nation: The KISS Tribute Show. Kulick, who was with KISS from 1984 to 1996, is also slated to perform. It remains uncertain if drummer Eric Singer will be involved.
“There might be some KISS tribute bands, almost like a convention, if you will. So it’s much more personal. And of course, we can’t get by without playing, so we’ll get up and do some tunes,” Simmons said. “What they are, how long, I don’t know.”