Freedom to Rock Tour

{{Infobox concert

| concert_tour_name = Freedom to Rock Tour

| image =

| image_caption =

| image_size =

| alt =

| artist = Kiss

| location = North America

| type =

| album =

| start_date = {{Start date|2016|07|04}}

| end_date = {{End date|2016|10|30}}

| number_of_legs = 1

| number_of_shows = 42

| gross =

| last_tour = Kiss 40th Anniversary World Tour
(2014–2015)

| this_tour = Freedom to Rock Tour
(2016)

| next_tour = Kissworld Tour
(2017–2018)

}}

The Freedom to Rock Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Kiss. The tour hit secondary markets and smaller cities in 2016. The tour started on July 4 in Tucson, Arizona, marking a return to the city for the first time since 2000. The tour was also the first full scale North American tour for the band since 2014.

In the tour program for the band's final tour, Stanley reflected on the tour:

{{quote|The Freedom to Rock tour is a big, awesome show, and the band is big and awesome. Anybody can pattern their show on what we've done in the past, but you'll never be us. That's why we're Kiss, and that's why we've been around 40 years. Kiss has multi-generational appeal because Kiss has an appeal that's timeless. Kiss isn't only about music. It's about an attitude, it's about a way of life and it's about a philosophy of approaching life. The idea of going for what you believe in and not stopping until you achieve or attain it. It's one of the great thrills and sources of satisfaction to see somebody who's brought their mother or father to a show and see these people really enjoying it and getting it.(2019). End of the Road World Tour Program, pg. 45.}}

History

At the Rockford, Illinois show, Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen joined the band onstage to play "Rock and Roll All Nite".{{Cite web|url=https://www.antiheromagazine.com/concert-review-kiss-at-the-bmo-harris-bank-center-in-rockford-il/|title=KISS at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford, IL|date=April 9, 2021}}

Reception

Emerson Malone of the Daily Emerald described the Eugene, Oregon show as "Musically, the band still sounds incredible and the set came with numerous things to love: Thayer's inky, sludgy guitar in "Calling Dr. Love" and "Strutter," Singer's drum fills in "Cold Gin," and Singer taking the reins on vocals during the lighter-sparking ballad "Beth."{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailyemerald.com/arts-culture/review-kiss-aptly-excessive-brings-freedom-to-rock-tour-to-mka/article_22c615c3-ac39-57a6-8d78-9451918dcfa5.html|title=Review: KISS, aptly excessive, brings Freedom to Rock tour to MKA|date=July 9, 2016}}

Lacey Paige, of Exclaim, praised the nostalgic aspect of a Kiss concert, as "For younger audiences, experiencing a live Kiss concert for the first time is like stepping into a time machine and going back to the late 1970s, when the New York-based glam-shock-rockers' career soared to the pinnacle of rock'n'roll prestige. A Kiss show perfectly encapsulates the zeitgeist of that era, giving older generations of fans a chance to relive and relish the essence of their youth."{{Cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/kiss-rexall_place_edmonton_ab_july_12|title=Rexall Place, Edmonton AB, July 12|date=April 9, 2021}}

Mike Baltierra, of Seattle Music Insider, did a positive review of the Kennewick, Washington concert: "Stanley had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. While Simmons lurked over the crowd, Thayer ripped out riff after riff, and Singer pounded on the drums".{{Cite web|url=http://www.seattlemusicinsider.com/2016/07/12/kiss-brings-freedom-rock-tour-kennewick/|title=KISS Brings Their Freedom to Rock Tour to Kennewick|date=April 9, 2021}}

Setlist

This is the setlist from the first show of the tour, and may not represent the majority of the tour:{{Cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/kiss-freedom-to-rock-set-list/|title=Kiss Kick Off 'Freedom to Rock' Tour: Set List and Videos|date=July 5, 2016 }}

"Detroit Rock City"
"Deuce"
"Shout It Out Loud"
"Do You Love Me?"
"I Love It Loud"
"Flaming Youth"
"God of Thunder" (Gene Solo, Spits Blood and Flies)
"Psycho Circus"
"Shock Me" (Tommy Guitar Solo)
"Cold Gin"
"Lick It Up"
"War Machine"
"Love Gun"
"Black Diamond"

Encore

"Beth"
"The Star-Spangled Banner" (John Stafford Smith cover)
"Rock and Roll All Nite"

Notes

"Flaming Youth" not played in Tucson
"Strutter" only played in Boise, Eugene and Kennewick
"100,000 Years" only played in Tucson, Boise, Eugene and Kennewick
"I Was Made for Lovin' You" only played in Edmonton
"O Canada" only played in Edmonton and Calgary
"God of Thunder" not played in Tucson, Boise, Eugene and Kennewick
"Creatures of the Night" was played in Grand Rapids but otherwise replaced by "Do You Love Me?"

Tour dates

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
width="150"\|Date !width="125"\|City !width="125"\|Country !width="200"\|Venue !width="150"\|Support Act
July 4, 2016 \|Tucson \|rowspan="4"\|United States \|AVA Amphitheater \|Magnetico{{cite web \|last1=Dellamarggio \|first1=Melina \|title=KISS Celebrate Fourth of July With Explosive Show in Arizona \|url=https://loudwire.com/kiss-fourth-of-july-2016-arizona-concert-review-photos/ \|website=Loudwire \|access-date=August 30, 2021 \|language=en \|date=July 7, 2016}}
July 7, 2016 \|Boise \|Taco Bell Arena \|rowspan="21"\|Caleb Johnson
July 9, 2016 \|Eugene \|Matthew Knight Arena
July 10, 2016 \|Kennewick \|Toyota Center
July 12, 2016 \|Edmonton \|rowspan="2"\|Canada \|Rexall Place
July 13, 2016 \|Calgary \|Stampede Roundup Festival
July 15, 2016 \|Spokane \|rowspan="36"\|United States \|Spokane Arena
July 16, 2016 \|Bozeman \|Brick Breeden Fieldhouse
July 18, 2016 \|Colorado Springs \|Broadmoor World Arena
July 20, 2016 \|Independence \|Silverstein Eye Centers Arena
July 22, 2016 \|Lincoln \|Pinnacle Bank Arena
July 23, 2016 \|Springfield \|JQH Arena
July 25, 2016 \|Wichita \|Intrust Bank Arena
July 27, 2016 \|Sioux City \|Tyson Events Center
July 29, 2016 \|Cheyenne \|Cheyenne Frontier Days
July 30, 2016 \|Minot \|North Dakota State Fair
August 1, 2016 \|Mankato \|Verizon Wireless Center
August 3, 2016 \|Duluth \|Amsoil Arena
August 5, 2016 \|Moline \|iWireless Center
August 6, 2016 \|La Crosse \|La Crosse Center
August 8, 2016 \|Milwaukee \|BMO Harris Bradley Center
August 10, 2016 \|Green Bay \|Resch Center
August 12, 2016 \|Fort Wayne \|Allen County War Memorial Coliseum \|rowspan="18"\|The Dead Daisies
August 13, 2016 \|Grand Rapids \|Van Andel Arena
August 15, 2016 \|Saginaw \|Dow Event Center
August 17, 2016 \|Springfield \|Illinois State Fair
August 19, 2016 \|Des Moines \|Iowa State Fair
August 20, 2016 \|Rockford \|BMO Harris Bank Center
August 22, 2016 \|Dayton \|Nutter Center
August 24, 2016 \|Toledo \|Huntington Center
August 26, 2016 \|Youngstown \|Covelli Centre
August 27, 2016 \|Erie \|Erie Insurance Arena
August 29, 2016 \|Rochester \|Blue Cross Arena
August 30, 2016 \|University Park \|Bryce Jordan Center
September 1, 2016 \|Allentown \|Great Allentown Fair
September 3, 2016 \|Worcester \|DCU Center
September 4, 2016 \|Portland \|Cross Insurance Arena
September 7, 2016 \|Bridgeport \|Webster Bank Arena
September 9, 2016 \|Richmond \|Richmond Coliseum
September 10, 2016 \|Huntington \|Big Sandy Superstore Arena
October 29, 2016 \|Uncasville \|Mohegan Sun Arena \|rowspan="2" {{n/a}}
October 30, 2016 \|Cabazon \|Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

width="150"|Date

!width="125"|City

!width="125"|Country

!width="200"|Venue

!width="150"|Support Act

July 4, 2016

|Tucson

|rowspan="4"|United States

|AVA Amphitheater

|Magnetico{{cite web |last1=Dellamarggio |first1=Melina |title=KISS Celebrate Fourth of July With Explosive Show in Arizona |url=https://loudwire.com/kiss-fourth-of-july-2016-arizona-concert-review-photos/ |website=Loudwire |access-date=August 30, 2021 |language=en |date=July 7, 2016}}

July 7, 2016

|Boise

|Taco Bell Arena

|rowspan="21"|Caleb Johnson

July 9, 2016

|Eugene

|Matthew Knight Arena

July 10, 2016

July 12, 2016

|rowspan="2"|Canada

July 13, 2016

|Stampede Roundup Festival

July 15, 2016

|Spokane

|rowspan="36"|United States

|Spokane Arena

July 16, 2016

|Bozeman

|Brick Breeden Fieldhouse

July 18, 2016

|Colorado Springs

|Broadmoor World Arena

July 20, 2016

|Independence

|Silverstein Eye Centers Arena

July 22, 2016

July 23, 2016

July 25, 2016

July 27, 2016

July 29, 2016

|Cheyenne Frontier Days

July 30, 2016

|Minot

|North Dakota State Fair

August 1, 2016

|Mankato

|Verizon Wireless Center

August 3, 2016

August 5, 2016

August 6, 2016

August 8, 2016

|BMO Harris Bradley Center

August 10, 2016

|Green Bay

|Resch Center

August 12, 2016

|Fort Wayne

|Allen County War Memorial Coliseum

|rowspan="18"|The Dead Daisies

August 13, 2016

August 15, 2016

August 17, 2016

August 19, 2016

August 20, 2016

|BMO Harris Bank Center

August 22, 2016

August 24, 2016

August 26, 2016

August 27, 2016

|Erie Insurance Arena

August 29, 2016

August 30, 2016

September 1, 2016

|Great Allentown Fair

September 3, 2016

|Worcester

|DCU Center

September 4, 2016

|Portland

|Cross Insurance Arena

September 7, 2016

September 9, 2016

September 10, 2016

|Big Sandy Superstore Arena

October 29, 2016

|Uncasville

|Mohegan Sun Arena

|rowspan="2" {{n/a}}

October 30, 2016

|Cabazon

|Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa

=Box office score data=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" !style="width:250px;"\|Venue !style="width:150px;"\|City !style="width:200px;"\|Tickets sold / available !style="width:150px;"\|Gross revenue (USD)
Taco Bell Arena \|Boise \|5,631 / 7,274 \|$261,604
Matthew Knight Arena \|Eugene \|4,926 / 5,794 \|$294,844
Toyota Center \|Kennewick \|4,687 / 5,528 \|$383,214
Brick Breeden Fieldhouse \|Bozeman \|5,032 / 5,032 \|$420,130
Broadmoor World Arena \|Colorado Springs \|4,885 / 6,225 \|$276,276
Silverstein Eye Centers Arena \|Independence \|4,996 / 6,385 \|$284,771
Pinnacle Bank Arena \|Lincoln \|7,535 / 10,027 \|$524,921
JQH Arena \|Springfield \|6,870 / 8,017 \|$505,754
INTRUST Bank Arena \|Wichita \|7,841 / 10,153 \|$495,153
Tyson Events Center \|Sioux City \|4,511 / 5,984 \|$281,261
Verizon Wireless Center \|Mankato \|4,328 / 5,176 \|$279,445
AMSOIL Arena \|Duluth \|5,157 / 5,883 \|$406,092
i wireless Center \|Moline \|7,214 / 9,885 \|$505,480
La Crosse Center \|La Crosse \|5,061 / 7,000 \|$247,782
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum \|Fort Wayne \|6,989 / 8,343 \|$495,864
Van Andel Arena \|Grand Rapids \|7,259 / 9,222 \|$482,773
Dow Event Center \|Saginaw \|4,287 / 5,484 \|$284,780
Resch Center \|Green Bay \|6,265 / 7,420 \|$424,122
BMO Harris Bank Center \|Rockford \|5,693 / 7,208 \|$395,872
Ervin J. Nutter Center \|Dayton \|6,194 / 8,000 \|$453,729
Huntington Center \|Toledo \|5,562 / 6,687 \|$359,271
Covelli Centre \|Youngstown \|5,289 / 5,598 \|$472,700
Bryce Jordan Center \|University Park \|4,530 / 6,005 \|$301,423
Erie Insurance Arena \|Erie \|5,431 / 7,054 \|$279,264
Blue Cross Arena \|Rochester \|5,677 / 7,172 \|$268,616
DCU Center \|Worcester \|5,656 / 7,541 \|$445,487
Cross Insurance Arena \|Portland \|4,888 / 6,436 \|$334,071
Webster Bank Arena \|Bridgeport \|5,261 / 6,916 \|$366,856
Richmond Coliseum \|Richmond \|6,407 / 8,368 \|$385,873
Big Sandy Superstore Arena \|Huntington \|6,109 / 6,109 \|$607,645
Parque Fundidora \|Monterrey \|17,511 / 36,015 \|$793,407
colspan="2" \|TOTAL !187,718 / 236,926 (80.1%) !$12,424,982

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

!style="width:250px;"|Venue

!style="width:150px;"|City

!style="width:200px;"|Tickets sold / available

!style="width:150px;"|Gross revenue (USD)

Taco Bell Arena

|Boise

|5,631 / 7,274

|$261,604

Matthew Knight Arena

|Eugene

|4,926 / 5,794

|$294,844

Toyota Center

|Kennewick

|4,687 / 5,528

|$383,214

Brick Breeden Fieldhouse

|Bozeman

|5,032 / 5,032

|$420,130

Broadmoor World Arena

|Colorado Springs

|4,885 / 6,225

|$276,276

Silverstein Eye Centers Arena

|Independence

|4,996 / 6,385

|$284,771

Pinnacle Bank Arena

|Lincoln

|7,535 / 10,027

|$524,921

JQH Arena

|Springfield

|6,870 / 8,017

|$505,754

INTRUST Bank Arena

|Wichita

|7,841 / 10,153

|$495,153

Tyson Events Center

|Sioux City

|4,511 / 5,984

|$281,261

Verizon Wireless Center

|Mankato

|4,328 / 5,176

|$279,445

AMSOIL Arena

|Duluth

|5,157 / 5,883

|$406,092

i wireless Center

|Moline

|7,214 / 9,885

|$505,480

La Crosse Center

|La Crosse

|5,061 / 7,000

|$247,782

Allen County War Memorial Coliseum

|Fort Wayne

|6,989 / 8,343

|$495,864

Van Andel Arena

|Grand Rapids

|7,259 / 9,222

|$482,773

Dow Event Center

|Saginaw

|4,287 / 5,484

|$284,780

Resch Center

|Green Bay

|6,265 / 7,420

|$424,122

BMO Harris Bank Center

|Rockford

|5,693 / 7,208

|$395,872

Ervin J. Nutter Center

|Dayton

|6,194 / 8,000

|$453,729

Huntington Center

|Toledo

|5,562 / 6,687

|$359,271

Covelli Centre

|Youngstown

|5,289 / 5,598

|$472,700

Bryce Jordan Center

|University Park

|4,530 / 6,005

|$301,423

Erie Insurance Arena

|Erie

|5,431 / 7,054

|$279,264

Blue Cross Arena

|Rochester

|5,677 / 7,172

|$268,616

DCU Center

|Worcester

|5,656 / 7,541

|$445,487

Cross Insurance Arena

|Portland

|4,888 / 6,436

|$334,071

Webster Bank Arena

|Bridgeport

|5,261 / 6,916

|$366,856

Richmond Coliseum

|Richmond

|6,407 / 8,368

|$385,873

Big Sandy Superstore Arena

|Huntington

|6,109 / 6,109

|$607,645

Parque Fundidora

|Monterrey

|17,511 / 36,015

|$793,407

colspan="2" |TOTAL

!187,718 / 236,926 (80.1%)

!$12,424,982

Gross

The tour grossed $15.4 million, with 233,262 tickets sold in 40 shows.

{{cite web|url=http://www.pollstar.com/news_article.aspx?ID=828819|title=Pollstar – Login|website=www.pollstar.com|access-date=November 27, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/Charts2016/2016YearEndTop200NorthAmericanTours.pdf|title=Pollstar – Welcome to the New Pollstar!|website=www.pollstarpro.com|access-date=November 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923143552/https://www.pollstarpro.com/files/Charts2016/2016YearEndTop200NorthAmericanTours.pdf|archive-date=September 23, 2017|url-status=dead}}

Personnel

=Kiss=

Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar
Gene Simmons – vocals, bass
Tommy Thayer – lead guitar, vocals
Eric Singer – drums, vocals

=Guest appearances=

Rick Nielsen – guest guitarist (August 20, 2016)

References

Category:2016 concert tours

Category:Kiss (band) concert tours