Kiss – Rock The Nation 2004 World Tour 072304 Scranton PA
Alright, let’s get this straight: Kiss doesn’t mess around. This live album from their 2004 world tour is raw energy bottled up and thrown at your face. Released under Instant Live in the US, it’s not some studio-perfect polished crap—it’s real, sweaty, boots-on-the-ground rock 'n' roll. And if you’re a fan of that unfiltered vibe, this one’s for you.
The setlist? Oh man, they hit hard with classics like "I Was Made For Lovin’ You" and "Detroit Rock City." But two tracks stuck out to me more than the rest—like punches to the gut that you can’t forget. First off, there’s "God Gave Rock ‘N Roll To You II." Holy hell, does Paul Stanley own this stage or what? The way he belts out those vocals feels like he’s daring anyone to even think about leaving early. It’s anthemic as fk, dude. Every word hits like a hammer, and by the end, you’re screaming along whether you want to or not.
Then there’s "Psycho Circus." That opening riff just slaps you upside the head, and when Gene Simmons growls into the mic, it’s pure chaos wrapped in leather. You feel it in your chest, man. Like, yeah, these guys might be older, but they still bring that fire like it's 1978 all over again. No excuses, no apologies. Just straight-up rock fury.
Sure, some people will nitpick about how the sound quality isn’t perfect. Yeah, okay, genius—it’s a live show, not a damn opera recording. If anything, the rough edges make it better. It reminds you that this isn’t some rehearsed Disney act; it’s Kiss doing what they do best: tearing st up.
By the time they close with "Rock And Roll All Nite," you’re exhausted but buzzing. Fireworks going off in your brain. Confetti stuck to your shoes. Whatever. Point is, you don’t walk away from this album thinking, “Oh, that was nice.” Nah, you leave feeling like you got hit by a freight train full of glitter and guitars.
Here’s the kicker though: listening to this makes me wonder—how many bands today could pull off something like this? Most would fold after five songs. Kiss? They’re still standing tall, middle fingers raised, proving once again why they’re legends. So crank this baby up loud, throw some fists in the air, and remember why rock 'n' roll kicks ass.
And hey, if you see Gene Simmons breathing fire on stage at his age, maybe we should all start drinking whatever he’s having. Cheers to that.