KISS and Def Leppard will team up this summer for a 42-city North American tour that will “deliver good news and excitement,” says KISS guitarist Paul Stanley.
The tour begins June 23rd in West Valley City, Utah, and wraps up August 31st in Woodlands, Texas. Tickets go on sale starting Friday.
The groups announced the tour Monday at the House of Blues in Los Angeles.The press conference was streamed live via the Live Nation website.
Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott says he and Gene Simmons first discussed the idea of the two bands touring together when he and the Kiss bassist played some South American dates two years ago as part of a rock-and-roll all-stars tour. “It’s finally happened, which is fantastic,” Elliott says.
It’ll be the first time the two bands have shared a bill, though Stanley says, “We’ve run into each other at festivals. It just seemed to be a natural fit.” Stanley also noted that one of guitarist Phil Collen’s pre-Def Leppard bands, Girl, opened for KISS in the U.K. during the early ’80s.
KISS did a similar co-headlining tour with Motley Crue in 2012.
KISS released its first albums, 40 years ago, and the band will commemorate the anniversary with a slew of archival releases, including a 34-LP vinyl box set and a two-CD compilation called KISS 40. The group will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame April 10th.
Def Leppard has been writing music for the group’s next album. “We all camped out at my house last month and wrote songs, which you will hear none of this summer,” Elliott says. Collen says he expects that album to come out in 2015.
Simmons says a dollar from each ticket sold on the tour will go to to the Wounded Warrior Project and other military non-profits. Those charitable partners include the USO, Hire a Hero, Project Resiliency/The Raven Drum Foundatio, and The Augusta Warrior Project. “Politicians fart through their mouth,” Simmons says. “Only the military makes freedom possible.”
Stanley adds that the group also plans to hire vets for its crew. “We try to find a couple of vets who want to go out and be part of the team,” he says. “This is a chance for somebody to travel and be part of the KISS Army.”
Elliot says he doesn’t see any rivalry developing between the groups while they’re on tour. “It’s two great bands that are going to be playing for the same amount of time,” he says. “It’s joint forces. I don’t see it as competitive at all.”
KISS/Def Leppard tour dates:
June:
23 – USANA Amphitheater, West Valley City, Utah
25 – Pepsi Center, Denver, Colo.
27 – Sleep Country Amphitheater, Ridgefield, Wash.
29 – White River Amphitheatre, Auburn, Wash.
July:
2 – Concord Pavilion, Concord, Calif.
3 – Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Wheatland, Calif.
5 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Irvine, Calif.
6 – Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Chula Vista, Calif.
8 – The Forum, Los Angeles, Calif.
9 – Ak-Chin Pavilion, Phoenix, Ariz.
12 – Austin360 Amphitheater, Austin, Texas (on sale March 22nd)
13 – Gexa Energy Pavilion, Dallas, Texas
15 – Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
16 – Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn.
18 – Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood, Atlanta, Ga. (on sale March 22nd)
19 – PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, N.C.
20 – Walnut Creek Amphitheatre, Raleigh, N.C.
22 – Cruzan Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach, Fla.
23 – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa, Fla.
25 – Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, Va.
26 – PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, N.J. (on sale March 22nd)
August:
1 – Xfinity Center, Mansfield, Mass.
2 – Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, N.J.
3 – Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, N.J.
5 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (on sale March 22nd)
6 – Nikon At Jones Beach Theatre, Wantagh, N.Y. (on sale March 22nd)
8 – Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach, Va. (on sale March 22nd)
9 – Pavilion at Montage Mountain, Scranton, Penn.
10 – Xfinity Theatre, Hartford, Conn.
12 – Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto, On.
13 – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien, N.Y. (on sale March 22nd)
15 – Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, Wisc.
16 – First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, Ill.
17 – Target Center, Minneapolis, Minn.
20 – Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa
22 – Klipsch Music Center, Noblesville, Ind.
23 – DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston, Mich. (on sale March 22nd)
24 – First Niagara Pavilion, Burgettstown, Penn. (on sale March 22nd)
26 – Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
28 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Maryland Heights, Mo. (on sale March 22nd)
29 – BOK Center, Tulsa, Okla.
31 – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Woodlands, Texas
additional source: usatoday.com
77 Responses
And if Stanley and Simmons weren’t such complete dicks at this point in their careers, fronting a glorified tribute band, they wouldn’t have to do co-headlining tours every summer. But their behavior and poor choices continue to deplete the fanbase…
That’s an interesting construct. But one that doesn’t hold water. If your premise were true, bands like Def Leppard, who do nothing but build good will with their fan base, would be selling out arenas and stadiums worldwide. While people have their issues with Simmons and Stanley, the amount of people that truly feel passionate about it are not significant enough to truly tank their current successes, or explain their current failures. The truth is that none of these bands and their peers are selling out arenas and must resort to co-headlines and smaller bills. Bon Jovi is the only exception, and only because they adapted as music trends changed. And in spite of Jon Bon Jovi’s only reputation for being egotistical and ego-maniacal.
And AC/DC.
Dana from EddieTrunk.com 🙂
I think AC/DC is biggest of them all – should they release another album and tour with it, they will most certainly sell out any arena anywhere. Last time Kiss was in Europe they played 12,000 seaters, last time AC/DC was around they played stadiums of 40,000. Bon Jovi might have a a bit of a problem in the future if Sambora does not return.
Gee, so I guess the Creatures era was a glorified coverband right? Or Revenge? Or Hot in the Shade era? Etc, etc, etc. Thats okay man, youre stuck in the 70s Even if Pete and Ace had big money contracts they wouldve still fucked up Kiss. Ace was TRASHED even on opening night of the farewell tour, so I guess according to you Gene and Paul shouldve let an alcoholic dictate their careers. Almost every band out there is lacking a full lineup…I did say ALMOST…so just stay home, no biggie.
Y’know why CREATURES, REVENGE or HOT IN THE SHADE aren’t tribute bands? Because they didn’t paint their new members in other members’ make-up and try to pretend the previous members hadn’t been kicked out or left (over money…not alcoholism). Peter asked to be paid the same as Ace and get back pay. Kicked out. Ace left…for various reasons. He wasn’t kicked out. They begged him to stay…even going to a convention and giving him a birthday cake. Once he said forget it, they revised history and said he was always high or drunk and they had to let him go.
As for those eras, they made music that they wanted to and didn’t try to recreate the past. CREATURES is a great album and every guitarist on it sound like themselves…not copying Ace.
I saw KISS without Ace and Peter before the reunion. Great shows by a current band. I saw them reunited three times. The sloppiest player all three times I saw them was Gene. Ace was great. Peter was good…not great. But certainly good enough and not drunk or high.
I saw KISS a few years ago. It was pathetic. Tommy’s solo was a rip-off of Ace’s with none of his own identity. I actually heard more than a few fans that night complain that the band was doing nothing new. It was just a tired show.
I don’t mind the new albums. But I wish they would try to be their own band.
And yes…they could be the original four. They could, if they stopped paying the original members shit and then revising history every time one of them has to leave. Funny that the two members that most other people in the industry bitch about being hard to work with or likely to rip you off are the two members left. Meanwhile, most people who have worked with Ace or Peter sing their praises.
KISS should have broken up in 2000 (as they promised to…”Farewell Tour”, my ass).
I very much agree, well-said.
Ohh you heard “more than a few” fans complain. One to the left of you and one to the right? Your entire post is so tired. Same old yearning for the good old days. Dude, you will never have the 32 inch waist and the full head of hair ever again. You need to evolve as an adult and accept the fact that your calendar says 2014.
No, KISS need to evolve and realize that THEIR calendar says 2014. They’re the ones who are stuck in the past, trying to recreate with impersonators what they did decades ago. Sounds like Erik just wants the band to go forward like they did in the 80s and 90s, rather than backward like they’ve done since 2000.
Thanks, Gene.
I’m sure they don’t care if they hurt your feelings. Now get back on your big wheel and go home. It’s not 1977 any more.
Oh brother!! Kiss is just so done now. Touring with one of te most vanilla bands ever. I do like some Def but just so over produces cheesy songs if you ask me. High “N” Dry was the real deal. Some of Paromania kicked. This proves Eddies point. Kiss can no longer cut it alone doing big arena shows. I last saw Kiss in Dec. of 09″ at Sprint Center in Kansas City. It was a little more than half full. Mabe. The show wasn’t even close to the every level of original Kiss. Gene and Paul can put Ace and Peter down all they want. But they can’t deny the energy Ace and Peter bring on stage. Mistakes included.
Can’t wait. I’ll be there !
The charities Simmons speaks of are great… But how about preventing these wars started by the bankster-run Military Industrial Complex in the first place? “Politicians fart through their mouth,” Simmons says. Agreed, but we elect them. Politicians are just the teleprompter-reading puppets. You know there’s more than just the two duopoly lobby-funded parties to vote for?
More vets die from suicides when back home than from combat. There’s no freedom when the US and the world is being over-run by this scum. Look at the state of Iraq now compared to prior the wars.
Simmons says. “Only the military makes freedom possible.” Complete Lie. Tell that to Mahatma Gandhi. He’s encouraging more war based on propaganda. The US is becoming a police state, based on false pretences. Violence breeds violence. If we want to know about freedom, and how to go about it, we’re better off staying out, and minding our own business, and not going into more debt, Future generations will be paying off trillions in war debt. Freedom, eh?
I’ll be impressed on the day I see some Palestinian roadies helping putting the Kiss show together. Much like the politicians we know of, I wouldn’t let Simmons screw with your wallet, or your life (by serving in these wars)…
What does have to do with a rock show? One of the bands aren’t even American. If they want to give money to soldiers then good for them. I think Simmons is grateful to be American considering where he started out. That being said, could anyone find 2 less political bands in all of music? All of their songs are about girls and good times. Did you get lost on the way to another website. POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME? Boy that one makes me political. COLD GIN? That affects my opinion on foriegn policy. Talk about the shirtless guitar player and go elsewhere with 2 duopoly funded parties.
Sorry. What does this have to do with a rock show……..
That is why I am saying it is all business moves, appealing to the veterans, disguising the two employees as founding members, you name it, it is all about filling the wallets no matter how strange, inconsistent, idiotic or even blantently obvious it is. As long as people keep buying tickets, they’ll carry on this way.
Dude, every band is a business. The romance is over.
Why would you insult me??
Agreed Erik, why split the cash with def Leppard, bring back peter and Ace and sell out a world tour.
Peter couldn’t play a world tour. Reunion would be a disaster.
Peter couldn’t keep up with Rick Allen.
They have no choice, no Leppard then it is the 7,000 seaters.
No Kiss, it’s the 7000 seaters for Leppard as well.