Reunion Tour

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Lore & Background

The reunion brought back the specific character dynamics established in the early years: Paul Stanley as the Starchild, Gene Simmons as the Demon, Ace Frehley as the Spaceman (or Space Ace), and Peter Criss as the Catman. This lineup had been solidified after Ace Frehley joined in January 1973, completing the classic formation. The decision to reunite was driven by fan demand for the original four members who defined the band's shock rock style, featuring fire-breathing, blood-spitting, smoking guitars, shooting rockets, and levitating drum kits. Unlike the 'unmasked' era that lasted from 1983 to 1996, where they performed without makeup after a resurgence in commercial success following Lick It Up, this period restored the full theatrical presentation that had made them pop culture phenomena in the mid-1970s.

In Their Own Story

The resulting 1996–1997 reunion tour became the band's most successful, grossing $143.7 million. This financial milestone underscored the immense demand for the original members performing together again. The tour capitalized on the nostalgia that had built up during the 'unmasked' years, proving that the visual elements of makeup and costumes were integral to their identity as much as the music itself. While the band had experienced a decline in commercial success during the early 1980s before finding new life with 1983's platinum-certified Lick It Up, the 1996 reunion solidified their status as enduring rock icons. The tour featured the original lineup of Stanley, Simmons, Frehley, and Criss, who had formed the group in New York City in 1973 after leaving Wicked Lester and auditioning various musicians.

Reader's Guide

Fans attending this era could expect a setlist rooted in the band's mid-1970s breakthrough hits, performed with the full pyrotechnic spectacle that defined their live shows. The tour demonstrated the commercial power of returning to the original formula, contrasting sharply with the unmasked period that began after 1983. While the band had previously toured as opening acts in 1974 at venues like the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, this reunion headlined massive arenas worldwide. The success of this tour paved the way for future events, including the final worldwide tour announced in January 2019, which concluded with a final show in New York City in December 2023.

Did You Know?

• The original lineup reunited in 1996, resuming the use of makeup and stage costumes after a period where they performed unmasked from 1983 to 1996.
• The 1996–1997 reunion tour grossed $143.7 million, making it the band's most successful tour at that time.
• The name 'Kiss' was suggested by Paul Stanley, though the story about him coming up with it while driving around New York City with Gene Simmons and Peter Criss is apocryphal; the generally accepted origin is that Paul t
• Ace Frehley created the iconic logo, making the double 'S' look like lightning bolts, but he did not draw it over a poster for their former band Wicked Lester.