The end is finally near. After more than five decades of performing together, KISS has finally revealed the final dates of their End of the Road Farewell Tour, which will include two shows in December 2023 in their hometown of New York City at Madison Square Garden (MSG).
Videos by American Songwriter
In addition to the band continuing their world tour in April with dates in South America before the European leg of the tour in the summer, KISS will kick off their final run of shows in the U.S. on Oct. 29 in Austin, Texas, and conclude with two shows at MSG on Dec. 1 and 2.
The band’s final two shows are taking place nearly 51 years to the day KISS played their very first show together on Jan. 30, 1973, at the Popcorn Club in Queens, New York.
KISS initially launched its End of the Road Tour in January 2019 before it was paused in 2020 due to the pandemic. The tour resumed in 2021, and in 2022 the band revealed that they are adding on 100 more shows to the tour.
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“We don’t know [when the tour will end],” said Gene Simmons. “We’ve never retired before. This is our first time. It’s like painting a painting or writing a book. When somebody says, ‘When is it gonna be finished?’ You’re in the middle of it; you don’t know.”
Now 73, Simmons recently told American Songwriter that “the end” of KISS, meaning their final live performance, is bittersweet, but there’s really no closure to the band with the opening of the Kiss World Museum in Las Vegas, a KISS cartoon and film in the works, the KISS Kruise, licensing, and everything that will expand the legacy long after Stanley and Simmons have stopped playing on stage.
“It’s happy and sad because things come to an end,” said Simmons. “Your life and my life, even the planet we’re on at some point is just going to stop and maybe that’s OK.”
For Paul Stanley, 71, the heavy touring schedules and donning their suits of armor on stage have taken on physical toll. “Being on tour is pretty much three hours of elation, and 21 hours of being away from home, which honestly is not fun,” revealed Stanley to American Songwriter. “There are nights when I’m going to bed and going, ‘What the hell am I doing here? Why am I here when I have a family home?’ So there certainly is a push and pull, but there’s nothing like being on stage, the gratitude that I feel.”
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Still, closing the chapter on KISS performing live is inevitable, shared Stanley. “There are two things that are inevitable: death and taxes,” he said. “And it’s inevitable the demise of us playing as a live band. Do I want to see that day? No. But it’s necessary. Before we have no choice, I’d like to end it.”
Stanley added, “When I think about the end of it, it doesn’t make me happy. I’ll be ecstatic looking at what we’ve accomplished and what we’ve done, but it’s the end of an era. It’s also the end of a huge part of my life.”
Check out our full interview with Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons featured in the 2023 American Songwriter Legends Issue, HERE.
Kiss, Final End of the Road 2023 Tour Dates:
April 12 – Manaus, Brazil @ Arena Da Amazonia
April 15 – Bogota, Columbia @ Estadio Nemesio Camacho El Campin
April 18 – Brasilia, Brazil @ Arena BRB Mane Garrincha
April 20 – Belo Horizonte, Brazil @ Esplanada Do Mineirao
April 22 – Sao Paulo, Brazil @ Allianz Parque
April 25 – Florianopolis, Brazil @ Hard Rock Live
April 28 – Buenos Aires, Argentia @ Parque De La Ciudad
April 30 – Santiago, Chile @ Estadio Santa Laura
May 27 – Columbus, OH @ Sonic Temple Festival
June 3 – Plymouth, UK @ Argyle Stadium
June 5 – Birmingham, UK @ Arena
June 6 – Newcastle, UK @ Arena
June 10 – Praque, Czech Republic @ 02 Arena
June 12 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Ziggo Dome
June 13 – Brussels, Belgium @ Palais 12 Arena
June 15 – Clisson, France @ Hellfest 2023
June 17 – Munchen, Germany @ Konigsplatz
June 19 – Krakow, Poland @ Tauron Arena Krakow
June 21 – Dresden, Germany @ Arena
June 22 – Berlin, Germany @ Max-Schmeling-Halle
June 25 – Cartegena, Spain @ Rock Imperium Festival
June 27 – Lyon, France @ Halle Tony Garnier
June 29 – Tuscany, Italy @ Lucca Festival
July 1 – Mannheim, Germany @ Sap-Arena
July 2 – Cologne, Germany @ Lanxess-Arena
July 5 – London, UK @ 02 Arena
July 7 – Manchester, UK @ AO Arena
July 8 – Glasgow, UK @ Ovo Hydro
July 12 – Rattvik, Sweden @ Dalhalla Amphitheatre
July 13 – Rattvik, Sweden @ Dalhalla Amphitheatre
July 15 – Tonsberg, Norway @ Kaldnes
Oct. 29 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center
Nov. 1 – Palm Springs, CA @ Acrisure Arena
Nov. 2 – Los Angeles, CA @Hollywood Bowl
Nov. 6 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Bowl
Nov. 8 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
Nov. 10 – Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place
Nov. 12 – Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome
Nov. 13 – Saskatoon, SK @ SaskTel Centre
Nov. 15 – Winnipeg, MB @ Canada Life Centre
Nov. 18 – Montreal, QC @ Centre Bell
Nov. 21 – Ottawa, ON @ Canadian Tire Centre
Nov. 22 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Centre
Nov. 24 – Knoxville, TN @ Thompson-Boling Arena
Nov. 25 – Indianapolis, IN @ Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Nov. 27 – Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena
Nov. 29 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena
Dec. 1 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
Dec. 2 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for A&E
