Gene Simmons Performs with Former KISS Guitarist Bruce Kulick

Sharing a rare moment in KISS history, Gene Simmons played a solo show with the band’s former guitarist Bruce Kulick, along with current drummer Eric Singer during a special VIP event in Las Vegas on Saturday (May 6).

Videos by American Songwriter

Hosted by Simmons at the Rio Hotel and Casino—also the home of the KISS World Museum and KISS by Monster Mini Golf course—the show, and its related events, dubbed “An Evening With Gene Simmons,” came with a hefty ticket price of $4,955.

The weekend event also included dinner with Simmons at the Voodoo Steakhouse inside the hotel, along with hand-picked items from the KISS co-founder’s personal collection, and an intimate performance from the Gene Simmons Band. Bassist Todd Kerns and drummer Brent Fitz, who both played in Kulick’s solo band and guitarist Brent Woods were also members of the “house band” for the special event.

During their set, the band performed songs from the KISS catalog, including “Deuce” and “Domino,” among others. Kulick, who was with KISS from 1984 through 1996, shared several clips from the show on his social media pages.

“Gene Simmons invited Todd Kerns, Eric Singer, Brent Woods, Brent Fitz, and I to perform with him today at his event,” wrote Kulick. “The mentalist Gerry McCambridge opened the show. It was KISSTORY, and the fans loved it. What a show.”

The guitarist appeared on 12 albums released by KISS from their 1984 album Animalize through Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions in 1997.

KISS is currently on their End of the Road farewell tour, which is set to conclude with two shows in the band’s hometown of New York City at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 1 and 2.

In addition to some dates in South America, KISS will also kick off the European leg of the tour on June 3 in Plymouth, England, which will wrap up in Tonsberg, Norway on July 15 before starting up their final run of shows in the U.S. on Oct. 20 in Detroit, Michigan.

Read our recent interview with KISS’ Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, which appeared in the American Songwriter 2023 Legends issue HERE.

Photo by Ebet Roberts/Redferns

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