Fans who attended the Love Ride 34 motorcycle and music charity event this Sunday, November 9, at Castaic Lake in California were treated to a nearly complete KISS reunion. As reported by Blabbermouth.net and other sources, during Gene Simmons’ performance with his solo band, the singer/bassist was joined by longtime KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer for a few KISS tunes.
Thayer and Singer hit the stage late in the Gene Simmons Band’s set to perform “Let Me Go, Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “Calling Dr. Love.” “Let Me Go, Rock ‘n’ Roll” was the only single from KISS’ second album, Hotter Than Hell. “Calling Dr. Love” was a hit single from the band’s fifth studio effort, Rock and Roll Over.
Videos by American Songwriter
Thayer stayed on for the show’s finale, a rocking rendition of KISS’ signature tune, “Rock and Roll All Nite.” Before that performance, Simmons asked the event’s emcee, actor Robert Patrick, to invite four military veterans in the audience onto the stage to sing along.
Earlier in the concert, Simmons performed the 1974 KISS tune “Cold Gin,” and dedicated it to the late Ace Frehley. The song was written by Frehley, KISS’ original lead guitarist, who died on October 16 at age 74.
According to Setlist.fm, the Simmons Band’s set also included renditions of the KISS tunes “Deuce,” “Shout It Out Loud,” “Charisma,” and the Simmons solo song “Are You Ready.” In addition, the group played covers of Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades” and Van Halen’s “House of Pain.”
You can check out a series of video clips of the performance at the Love Ride’s social media pages.
More About Love Ride 34
As previously reported, the Love Ride 34 event, which is sponsored by Harley-Davidson, raised money for the Wounded Warrior Project and Adopt the Arts charities. The latter organization was co-founded by former Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum to support music programs for underserved youth in the Palm Springs, California, area.
The 34th annual edition of Love Ride included a motorcycle ride from Glendale, California, to Castaic Lake, where multiple music performances and other activities took place.
The event also featured a performance by Chevy Metal, the cover-band side project co-founded by the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. The group, which now features Hawkins’ 19-year-old son Shane on drums, was joined by several guest musicians. They included Doors guitarist Robby Krieger, Poison drummer Rikki Rockett, ex-Guns N’ Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke, Anthrax’s Scott Ian, and Jackyl frontman Jesse James Dupree.
About KISS’ Upcoming Plans
The partial KISS reunion at Love Ride 34 comes before a full reunion of the band’s latest lineup is set to take place during the KISS Kruise XII: Landlocked in Vegas event, scheduled for November 14-16. It has just been announced that Singer will be joining Simmons, Thayer, and frontman Paul Stanley and the fan celebration.
As previously reported, KISS will be playing two “unmasked” shows during the gathering, separate electric and acoustic performances. The makeup-free performances will mark the first KISS gigs since the band’s final concert of its End of the Road farewell tour. That show took place on December 2, 2023, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Meanwhile, Singer also is slated to participate in the Q&A session with his KISS bandmates, and co-host a “Name that Tune” activity with Thayer.
To check out more details about KISS Kruise XII: Landlocked in Vegas, including a full list of performances and activities, visit KISSKruiseVegas.com.
(Photo by John Nacion/Getty Images)