99.1 PLR celebrates 50 years! This week we are celebrating another great year in our history: 1997!
That year PLR welcomed KISS to New Haven Coliseum. KISS hit the road in 1996-97 for their big reunion tour entitled “Alive/Worldwide Tour” featuring the original lineup of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley for the first time since 1980. Joining them at the Coliseum was special guest Powerman 5000.
Dating back to 1976, Kiss played the New Haven Coliseum at total of 9 times. This includes the early years with the original lineup (1976, 1978 and 1979), the years without makeup (1984, 1985, 1987 and 1990) and the big reunion tour with all four original members back with the band (1997). This show in ’97 would end up being the final KISS concert in New Haven.
KISS
Tour: Alive/Worldwide Tour
Special Guest: Powerman 5000
Friday March 21, 1997
New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Ticket Price: $40.00
Band Lineup: Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, Ace Frehley
Setlist*
- Deuce
- King of the Night Time World
- Let Me Go, Rock N’ Roll
- Do You Love Me
- Firehouse
- Watchin’ You
- Shock Me
- Calling Dr. Love
- Shout It Out Loud
- I Was Made For Lovin’ You
- Cold Gin
- C’mon and Love Me
- Love Gun
- God of Thunder
- 2000 Man (The Rolling Stones cover)
- 100,000 Years
- Black Diamond
- Detroit Rock City (encore #1)
- Beth (encore #2)
- Rock and Roll All Nite (encore #2)
*source: setlist.fm
About The Tour:
On August 9, 1995, KISS performed on MTV Unplugged with its mid ’90s lineup of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Eric Singer and Bruce Kulick. What fans didn’t know prior to the taping was original and co-founding members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley were invited to perform together with Gene and Paul for the first time in 16 years. The fans reaction to all four original members on stage together was so huge that rumors of a reunion began to circulate.
After a shocking appearance at the 1996 Grammys, KISS officially announced its Alive/Worldwide Tour on April 16, 1996 at a press conference on USS Intrepid aircraft carrier. I mean, where else? This is KISS!
The Alive/Worldwide Tour made its debut on June 28, 1996 at Detroit’s Tiger Stadium where 40,000 fans rocked out to the first full KISS concert with the four original members in full makeup since the Dynasty Tour. The year long tour would play nearly 200 shows worldwide and gross over $143 million, making it the most successful KISS tour ever.
After playing a bunch of shows in Japan, Australia and Latin America, KISS returned to the United States in March 1997 and kicked off its next leg of the North American Tour at the New Haven Coliseum. The sold out Coliseum crowd witnessed a classic KISS show that featured 20 songs all from their 1970s heyday.
Listen to the full KISS concert in New Haven 1997:
Check out these live clips of KISS from 1997
Ticket Stub:
