Well, I DID see that show, and I've seen Kiss more than any other band (and will very definitely see them again if circumstances allow).
I don't know what to say to some of this stuff, but "Kiss" is like bourbon or vodka; you either like it or you don't. Kiss Alive II was the first (or second; might have been "The Stranger" by Billy Joel) record I bought with my own money, and I've been hooked ever since. I think saying "Oh, but they can't play" is bullshit; it's like saying "Well, Van Halen sucks because their lyrics are bad". Certainly - his voice today notwithstanding - Paul Stanley had almost 40 years of top tier live singing and he's one of the best frontmen in rock history (certainly, every bit as good as the likes of Vince Neil and Ozzy). Even the last time I saw them - in 2014 with Def Leppard - it wasn't that Paul "SUCKED!", but he just wasn't Paul of 1976. Ace has influenced 100's of guitar players, including, if you believe it, the aforementioned Eddie Van Halen. The only one I think really did strike the lottery was Peter Criss. His drumming was great on Hotter Than Hell, but it goes down quickly from there, and added to a lack-luster voice and writing shitty songs, well, he's a bust (BTW, rumors are that he did little of the writing for Beth, and that it was Stan Penridge that did most of the heavy lifting).
I can only relate the following:
- I took my daughter to the 2014 show. After Def Leppard, she commented on how good the guitar players were, and how she loves to sing along with them. After Kiss, she took a shot not that different than the one above (but with the pinwheels of fire during RnRAN), posted it on Instagram and wrote "Greatest night of my life!"
- During that show, they played 75 minutes, and started off sort of flat. First four songs I was thinking "wow, my kid's not going to dig this.", and then Gene's rig failed as he was lifted up and he got stuck. He also got PISSED. He said something to Paul, then for most of the rest of the next song, he was at stage right barking at a roadie. Well, it was like a switch was flicked and the band realized they had to kick it up a notch. They finished the last 45 minutes to an hour was some of the best live Kiss I've ever heard. They were on FIRE. Even my kid said on the way home "Dad, what happened? it was like there were two different Kiss' on stage!"
- I've met Paul and Gene twice; the first time on the Lick It Up tour. It was a line, and Paul was talking to two girls, so I was stuck in front of Gene. He was the nicest guy and the LAST thing from a "rock star asshole". I had the inserts from the Kiss Alive! and Alive II records, and he walked through the pictures with me while the line waited for Paul. "Oh, I remember this! There was no audience, we just played Deuce through and the guy took pictures". "Oh, I remember that!" He had a neat little story for almost every picture we looked at. Later, like 15 years later, (with the Kisstory books) the secrets came out about ghost players and stuff, and it came out that the cover of Alive! was staged.... well Gene told me that 15 years ago.
- I met Paul - with my wife and daughter - at a painting exhibition. He got down on one knee and talked to my daughter - 7 or so at the time - and talked to her like she was the most important person on the planet. Asking her about her dress, and her earrings... she didn't know this guy from a row of assholes, but knew a) that her dad looked up to him, and b) "he sang Beth", and that was enough. And he did nothing to disavow that view. Gentleman across the board (though I agree he is more asshole pretending to be nice than the other way around).
- I got to sing with Gene on stage during his solo tour last year. (not JUST me, about 8 or 10 of us). Fun, unassuming, no rock star bullshit, and I stood about two feet from him as he played and sang I Love It Loud. At the end he turned to me, fist bumped and said "having fun?" with that big goofy smile, and he genuinely meant it. He was there to deliver fun, nothing more, nothing less. If I didn't have kids in college, I would ABSOLUTELY buy the vault, not for the music, but to meet him again and sit and talk with him. I do think he's a genuinely nice guy, a big kid, a big fan, that also likes seeming tough and so has his moments. I think he's also blunt, and that rubs people the wrong way sometimes.
By the way, the Dan Rather interview with Gene is a must-listen.