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By JASON PRICE
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Paul Stanley is one of music’s legendary frontmen and has been delivering his brand of rock n’ roll to audiences world wide for over three decades. Now, just in time for the holidays, you can unleash the power of The Star Child’s live show in the comfort of your own living room! One Live Kiss is the first ever offering of Stanley’s live performances on DVD. Filmed during the ‘Live To Win Tour’ back in 2006, the footage was shot live in the intimate setting of Chicago’s House of Blues. Shot by director Lou Antonelli, the film looks to set you in the front row of the show and really captures the fun and energy of Paul Stanley’s live show.
From the moment Paul Stanley takes the stage and you hear the first rockin’ riff, the show grabs hold of the viewer and doesn’t let go until the final note. Stanley’s voice still sounds just as good today, if not better, than it did when KISS first was laying the foundation for their epic career. A frontman can only be as good as the raw talent that plays behind them and as always, Stanley has that base covered as well. The Paul Stanley Band is comprised of Jim McGorman (Guitar, Vocals,) Sasha (Bass, Vocals,) Rafael Moreira (Lead Guitar, Vocals,) and Paul Mirkovich (Musical Director, Keyboard. Vocals,) who served as the house band on the series ‘Rock Star’. The band plays perfectly to all of Stanley’s strengths and look as if they have served alongside him for years.
The setlist for the show is quite diverse and is part of what makes the live show so much fun to watch. Songs from Stanley’s first solo album include “Got To Choose”, “A Million To One” and even “Move On”, show that his brand of songwriting can really stand the test of time. Seeing them performed live is a real treat as several of these songs have been lost in the evolution of the live shows over the years. There are also songs from Stanley’s latest solo offering, Live To Win, which include the title track from that album as well as “Everytime I See You Around” and “Bulletproof”. This songs sound even better when performed live and are certainly every bit as good as any of the older tunes included in the set.
Of course, no outing would be complete if it didn’t include some of these classic KISS songs that have become ingrained in our hearts over the years. “Strutter”, “Love Gun and ‘Detroit Rock City” drive the crowd wild and Paul and his band give the energy back tenfold. There is no doubt that whether he is performing in a huge arena or just a small club, Paul Stanley gives his all to the fans every time he takes the stage. The only shortcoming that this release has is the lack of any extras or bonus footage. It would have been great to see an accompanying tour documentary or a “Making Of” segment. That isn’t to say that you don’t get plenty of bang for your buck already as commanding performance with great sound and song selection are pretty hard to come by these days. If you’re a member of the KISS Army, a fan of Paul’s solo work or just someone looking to see a top notch live performance, you can’t go wrong with One Live Kiss.
TRACKLISTING:
Prologue
Live To Win
Hide Your Heart
A Million To One
Got To Choose
Move On
Bulletproof
Tonight You Belong To Me
Lick It Up
Wouldn’t You Like To Know Me
Magic Touch
I Still Love You
Strutter
Everytime I See You Around
Do You Love Me
I Want You
Love Gun
Lift
Detroit Rock City
Goodbye
Jason Price founded the mighty Icon Vs. Icon more than a decade ago. Along the way, he’s assembled an amazing group of like-minded individuals to spread the word on some of the most unique people and projects on the pop culture landscape.
