The Animalize World Tour was a concert tour by American rock band Kiss in support of their twelfth studio album, Animalize.
| Tour by Kiss | |
| Associated album | Animalize |
|---|---|
| Start date | September 30, 1984 |
| End date | March 29, 1985 |
| Legs | 2 |
| No. of shows | 119 |
| Kiss concert chronology | |
Background
editThis was the first tour with Bruce Kulick on lead guitar, replacing Mark St. John who couldn't play due to his arthritic condition.[1] Originally Kulick was a temporary replacement, but after St. John's condition improved and he returned to the group, the other members decided Kulick was a better fit musically, resulting in Kulick being named an official member on December 2, 1984 after the band had played three shows with St. John.[2][3]
According to Pete Bishop, a reporter from The Pittsburgh Press, the design of the stage featured a leopard-zebra appearance taken from the cover of the album Animalize. The lighted band logo was hung over the upstage portion with specials effects also featuring blasting caps and sparkler jets. There was also colored lights on trusses and beneath meshwork ramps. A truss would lift downwards to lift up the guitarists and lift them to a catwalk, descending down later on a smoke spewing platform.[4]
The Animalize period was the band's most successful of the decade with the crossover success of "Heaven's on Fire" onto CHR/Top 40 radio, a very well-attended concert trek, and with Animalize selling nearly 2 million copies by the end of the tour.[citation needed] The live video Animalize Live Uncensored was recorded at Cobo Hall on December 8, 1984 during this tour, later airing on MTV.[5] On April 7, 2023, Kiss officially released the only known soundboard recording of a live show with Mark St. John, as part of their Off the Soundboard series. The concert was recorded on November 28, 1984 at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, New York.[6]
In the tour program for the band's final tour, Simmons reflected on the tour:
You can't help but have a good time at one of our shows when everybody is going nuts onstage. That kind of good time is infectious. You can't fake it. You can't fool the audience. The people will see right through you if you put on a fake smile or you're not putting out your best. The band are alive and well and playing better than we ever have.[7]
Reception
editLinda Moleski, a reporter from Billboard, who had attended the performance in Uniondale began her review by noting that the theatrics had not been toned down, but had toned down in appearance. She praised the concert as a 'powerful metal fury', but said she was disappointed from the performance of "Heaven's on Fire" as it was delivered more weakly and harshly. She pointed out the strong connection with both the audience and the players, even praising the uncluttered stage.[8]
Jeff Bunch, a correspondent from The Spokesman-Review was not impressed from the band's performance in Spokane, stating that they were nothing more than a 'play-it-loud-and-say-it-crude' band and suggested that 'if the rumors that rock 'n roll died, it was true. He criticized that the band were strutting around on stage in a graphic matter while Stanley spent more time telling stories than singing - while noting the band having the audience on their feet throughout the whole performance. He concluded his review by stating that the band's success was relied on playing music loud and throwing in many theatrics as possible. He however, claimed that the opening act played to a better-than-average reception.[9]
Setlist
editThese are example setlists of what was performed during the tour on each leg, but may not represent the majority of the tour.[2]
Europe setlistedit
Encore |
North America setlistedit
Encore
|
Tour dates
edit- ^Note 1 Bruce Kulick performed the first half of this show and Mark St. John performed the second half.
- ^Note 2 Mark St. John performed the entirety of these shows.
- ^Note 3 This was Bruce Kulick's first show as a permanent member of the group.
- ^Note 4 This show was professionally recorded and shown on MTV, then later released as Animalize Live Uncensored.
Box office score data
edit| Date (1984) |
City | Venue | Attendance | Gross | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 15 | Bethlehem | Stabler Arena | 4,472 / 6,000 | $49,346 | [11] |
| December 2 | Indianapolis | Market Square Arena | 10,393 / 10,500 | $111,865 | [12] |
| December 4 | St. Louis | Kiel Auditorium | 4,380 / 5,700 | $54,533 | [13] |
Personnel
edit- Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar
- Gene Simmons – vocals, bass
- Eric Carr – drums, vocals
- Bruce Kulick – lead guitar, backing vocals (all but November 28 and 29 dates)
- Mark St. John – lead guitar, backing vocals (only November 27, 28, and 29 dates)
References
edit- ^ Giles, Jeff (April 27, 2017). "The Life and Death of Kiss Guitarist Mark St. John". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Gooch, Curt; Suhs, Jeff (2002). Kiss Alive Forever: The Complete Touring History. New York: Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-8322-5.
- ^ Wilkening, Matthew (December 7, 2019). "35 Years Ago: Kiss' Bruce Kulick Era Begins With 'Animalize Live'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
- ^ Bishop, Pete (March 27, 1985). "Music still second fiddle at Kiss concert". Pittsburgh: The Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
- ^ Durr, Matt (March 9, 2019). "KISS's most memorable Michigan moments". mlive. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
- ^ Wardlaw, Andrew. "Kiss to Release Rare 1984 Mark St. john Show as Next Live Album". Ultimateclassicrock.com. Andrew Wardlaw.
- ^ (2019). End of the Road World Tour Program, pg. 21.
- ^ Moleski, Linda (December 15, 1984). "Talent in Action". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 50. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 45. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
- ^ Bunch, Jeff (February 27, 1985). "KISS concert is nothing more than play it loud, say it crude". Spokane: The Spokesman-Review. p. 12. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
- ^ North America show notices:
- "What's Happening Out of Town?". The Bryan Times. November 23, 1984. p. 7. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
Kiss Concert, Dec 7
- "Arts - Activities: On Stage..." Warsaw, Indiana: Times-Union. February 23, 1985. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
Saturday, March 23, KISS Concert, 8 p.m.
- "Calendar of Events". Gadsden, Alabama: Gadsden Times. January 11, 1985. p. A9. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
KISS to perform
- "What's Happening Out of Town?". The Bryan Times. November 23, 1984. p. 7. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
- ^ "Amusement Business Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 48. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. December 1, 1984. p. 37. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
- ^ "Amusement Business Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 50. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. December 15, 1984. p. 45. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Amusement Business Boxscore: Top Concert Grosses". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. December 22, 1984. p. 41. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
Sources
edit- Gooch, Curt; Suhs, Jeff (2002). Kiss Alive Forever: The Complete Touring History. New York: Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-8322-5.