Unmasked Tour

{{Short description|1980 concert tour by Kiss}}

{{Infobox concert

|concert_tour_name = Unmasked Tour

|image = Unmasked Düsseldorf Tour Poster.jpg

|image_size = 220px

|image_caption = Official tour advertisement for Philipshalle, Düsseldorf, September 12, 1980

|artist = Kiss

|album = Unmasked

|start_date = July 25, 1980

|end_date = December 3, 1980

|number_of_shows = 42

|last_tour = Dynasty Tour
(1979)

|this_tour = Unmasked Tour
(1980)

|next_tour = Creatures of the Night Tour
(1982–1983)

}}

The Unmasked Tour was a concert tour by the American hard rock band Kiss. It was the first tour not to feature original drummer Peter Criss, and the touring debut of his replacement Eric Carr.{{cite news |last1=Lewis |first1=Barbara |title=Amy Holland's connection with Doobies |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XSFWAAAAIBAJ&dq=kiss+palladium&pg=PA36&article_id=5824,4733976 |access-date=November 23, 2021 |publisher=The Free Lance-Star |date=August 30, 1980 |location=Fredericksburg |page=31 |language=en}}

Background

The Unmasked Tour was the first time that Kiss only played in Europe, Australia,{{cite news |last1=Lewis |first1=Barbara |title=Pop scene |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JvtNAAAAIBAJ&dq=kiss+concert+australia&pg=PA22&article_id=3959,4585846 |access-date=July 22, 2021 |publisher=The Free Lance-Star |date=December 27, 1980 |location=Fredericksburg |page=20 |language=en |quote=Kiss has been on tour in Australia playing to crowds of 20,000 and more at giant soccer stadiums.}} and New Zealand, with only one show played in the United States, at the Palladium Theatre in New York.{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Carol |title=Kiss showcase fills the Palladium |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LPogAAAAIBAJ&dq=kiss+palladium&pg=PA58&article_id=1897,521304 |access-date=July 20, 2021 |work=The Day |date=August 1, 1980 |location=New York |page=16 |language=en}} "Cold Gin" returned to the set for the first time since the Rock & Roll Over Tour, and featured Ace Frehley on co-lead vocals, rather than solely Simmons, who had sung the song on all previous tours on which it was performed. "You're All That I Want" was performed briefly, but was quickly dropped. "Strutter", which had not been performed live since the Destroyer Tour, returned to the set as well. Iron Maiden were the opening act for the European leg of the tour.{{cite web|url=http://www.guitarworld.com/iron-maiden-maiden-voyage?page=0,1|title=Iron Maiden: Maiden Voyage|publisher=Guitar World|date=7 March 2011 |access-date=1 June 2011}}{{cite web |last1=Rivadavia |first1=Eduardo |title=When Iron Maiden Opened for Kiss on the 'Unmasked' Tour |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/kiss-iron-maiden-tour/ |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |access-date=July 20, 2021 |language=en |date=August 29, 2015}}

English heavy rock band Girl supported Kiss at Stafford, Bingley Hall. During an autograph session from the band while on tour in West Germany, more than 2,000 fans in Frankfurt ended up causing severe traffic jams. The West Germany concerts would bring in a total of 100,000 fans.{{cite magazine |title=Kiss Creates Traffic Jam |magazine=Billboard |date=October 25, 1980 |volume=92 |issue=43 |page=76 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5CMEAAAAMBAJ&dq=kiss+tour&pg=PT93 |access-date=March 11, 2022 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en |issn=0006-2510}} The stage show and costumes, with the exception of Carr and Stanley, were holdovers from the Dynasty Tour.

This was the last tour that Ace Frehley performed with Kiss until the 1996 reunion tour.{{cite web |last1=Wilkening |first1=Matthew |title=40 Years Ago: Ace Frehley Plays His First 'Last Kiss Concert' |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/kiss-final-ace-frehley-concert/ |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |access-date=July 20, 2021 |language=en |date=December 3, 2020}}

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

{{Quote|Playing Australia in 1980 was amazing. We were big beyond any comprehension. When we were first told that we were huge in Australia I really didn't have any idea what that meant until we went there. When people were saying you're as big as The Beatles were that's kind of hard to comprehend until you get off a plane and there's thousands of people at an airport and there's thousands of people camping outside your hotel and we couldn't leave the hotels. "Shandi" had already been a hit there. We were the front headline of the papers for virtually three or four weeks. It reached the point where I was asking that we not have any more parties because literally every night the promoter threw a party for us.(2019). End of the Road World Tour Program, pg. 16.}}

Reception

Roman Kozak, a reviewer from the magazine Billboard gave the performance a positive review. He opened his review, noting of the lineup changes with the introduction of the new drummer Eric Carr. Regarding the show, he acknowledged the performance as the typical Kiss show, but noted that the band were performing on a smaller stage than usual, with the performance being basically the same, with the inclusion of loud musical energy, special effects and lighting. He cited the change in the band's sound being more "melodic" and "pop-side", but still gave the fans the hard rock and heavy metal they wanted, taking note that the song "Talk to Me" was well-received by the audience.{{cite magazine |last1=Kozak |first1=Roman |title=Talent in Action: Kiss |magazine=Billboard |date=August 9, 1980 |volume=92 |issue=32 |page=34 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eyQEAAAAMBAJ&dq=kiss+talent+in+action+palladium&pg=PA3 |access-date=March 11, 2022 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en |issn=0006-2510}}

Setlist

  1. "Detroit Rock City"
  2. "Cold Gin"
  3. "Strutter"
  4. "Calling Dr. Love"
  5. "Firehouse"
  6. "Talk to Me"
  7. "Is That You?"
  8. "2,000 Man"
  9. "I Was Made for Lovin' You"
  10. "New York Groove"
  11. "Love Gun"
  12. "God of Thunder"
  13. "Rock and Roll All Nite"

Encore

  1. "Shout It Out Loud"
  2. "King of the Night Time World"
  3. "Black Diamond"
  • "You're All That I Want" was played until Nuremberg show.
  • "Shandi" was added as the fourth song in Oceania.

Tour dates

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

|+ List of 1980 concerts{{Cite book|last1 = Gooch|first1 = Curt|last2 = Suhs|first2 = Jeff|title = Kiss Alive Forever: The Complete Touring History|publisher = Billboard Books|year = 2002|location = New York|isbn= 0-8230-8322-5}}

! scope="col" style="width:12em;" |Date (1980)

! scope="col" style="width:10em;" |City

! scope="col" style="width:10em;" |Country

! scope="col" style="width:17em;" |Venue

! scope="col" style="width:10em;" |Opening acts

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |July 25

|New York City

|United States

|The Palladium

|The Rockats

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |August 29

|Rome||rowspan="3"|Italy||Castel Sant'Angelo || rowspan="3"|Iron Maiden

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |August 31

|Genova||Palasport di Genova

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 2

|Milan||Velodromo Vigorelli

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 5

|Stafford||England||Bingley Hall || rowspan="3"|Girl

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 6

|Queensferry||Wales||Deeside Leisure Centre

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 8

|rowspan="2"|London||rowspan="2"|England||rowspan="2"|Wembley Arena

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 9

| {{n/a}}

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 11

|Neunkirchen am Brand||rowspan="7"|West Germany||Hemmerleinhalle || rowspan="22"|Iron Maiden

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 12

|Düsseldorf||Philips Halle

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 13

|Frankfurt||Rebstock-Gelände

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 15

|Dortmund||Westfalenhalle

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 17

|Sindelfingen||Messehalle

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 18

|Munich||Olympiahalle

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 20

|Kassel||Eissporthalle

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 21

|Brussels||Belgium||Forest National

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 23

|Avignon||rowspan="3"|France||Parc des Expositions de Châteaublanc

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 24

|Lyon||Palais des Sports de Gerland

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 27

|Paris||Hippodrome de Pantin

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 28

|Basel||Switzerland||St. Jakobshalle

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |September 30

|Cologne||rowspan="4"|West Germany||Sporthalle

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |October 1

|Bremen||Stadthalle Bremen

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |October 2

|Hannover||Niedersachsenhalle

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |October 4

|Hamburg||Ernst-Merck-Halle

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |October 5

|Leiden||Netherlands||Groenoordhallen

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |October 6

|Karlsruhe||West Germany||Schwarzwaldhalle

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |October 9

|Stockholm||rowspan="2"|Sweden||Eriksdalshallen

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |October 10

|Gothenburg||Scandinavium

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |October 11

|Copenhagen||Denmark||Brøndbyhallen

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |October 13

|Drammen||Norway||Drammenshallen

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |November 8

|rowspan="4"|Perth||rowspan="9"|Australia||rowspan="4"|Perth Entertainment Centre || rowspan="9"|The Eyes

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |November 9
scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |November 10
scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |November 11
scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |November 15

|Melbourne||VFL Park

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |November 18

|Adelaide||Adelaide Oval

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |November 21

|rowspan="2"|Sydney||rowspan="2"|Sydney Showground

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |November 22
scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |November 25

|Brisbane||Lang Park

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |November 30

|Wellington||rowspan="2"|New Zealand||Athletic Park || rowspan="2"|Techtones

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |December 3

|Auckland||Western Springs Stadium

= Cancelled dates =

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

! width="200"| Date

! width="150"| City

! width="150"| Country

! width="300"| Venue

! width="300"| Reason

May 19, 1980OsloNorwayEkeberghallenrowspan="28"|Extended time needed to find replacement for Peter Criss
May 21, 1980CopenhagenDenmarkBrøndbyhallen
May 23, 1980Stockholmrowspan="2"|SwedenEriksdalshallen
May 24, 1980GothenburgScandinavium
May 27, 1980MunichWest GermanyOlympiahalle
May 28, 1980Zwollerowspan="2"|NetherlandsIJsselhallen
May 30, 1980RotterdamAhoy Rotterdam
May 31, 1980BrusselsBelgiumForest National
June 3, 1980SaarbrückenWest GermanySaarlandhalle
June 4, 1980Parisrowspan="4"|FrancePavillon de Paris
June 5, 1980LyonPalais des Sports de Gerland
June 7, 1980AvignonParc des Expositions de Châteaublanc
June 8, 1980FréjusArènes de Fréjus
June 10, 1980Barcelonarowspan="2"|SpainPalau dels Esports de Barcelona
June 11, 1980MadridPabellón de la Ciudad Deportiva del Real Madrid
June 14, 1980ZürichSwitzerlandHallenstadion
June 15, 1980Sindelfingenrowspan="7"|West GermanyMessehalle
June 16, 1980FrankfurtFesthalle Frankfurt
June 18, 1980EppelheimRhein-Neckar-Halle
June 20, 1980KölnKöln Sporthalle
June 21, 1980DortmundWestfalenhalle
June 22, 1980BremenStadthalle Bremen
June 23, 1980HamburgErnst-Merck-Halle
June 25, 1980Brightonrowspan="5"|United KingdomBrighton Centre
June 27, 1980rowspan="2"|Londonrowspan="2"|Wembley Arena
June 28, 1980
July 1, 1980StaffordBingley Hall
July 3, 1980EdinburghRoyal Highland Showground
August 9, 1980rowspan="3"|Mexico Cityrowspan="5"|Mexicorowspan="5"|Unknown Venuerowspan="5"|Promoter couldn't obtain the necessary permits
August 10, 1980
August 11, 1980
August 12, 1980Guadalajara
August 14, 1980Monterrey
August 24, 1980rowspan="2"|Cascaisrowspan="2"|Portugalrowspan="2"|Pavilhão de Cascaisrowspan="4" {{n/a}}
August 25, 1980
August 30, 1980Perugiarowspan="2"|ItalyStadio Renato Curi
August 31, 1980BolognaStadio Renato Dall'Ara
September 26, 1980Lillerowspan="2"|FranceLille Grand PalaisLow ticket sales
October 16, 1980ParisHippodrome de Pantinrowspan="8" {{n/a}}
October 20, 1980rowspan="3"|Tokyorowspan="7"|Japanrowspan="3"|Nippon Budokan
October 21, 1980
October 24, 1980
October 27, 1980Kyotorowspan="4" {{n/a}}
October 28, 1980Nagoya
October 29, 1980rowspan="2"|Osaka
October 30, 1980

Personnel

References

{{Reflist}}

=Sources=

  • {{Cite book

| last1 = Gooch

| first1 = Curt

| last2 = Suhs

| first2 = Jeff

| title = Kiss Alive Forever: The Complete Touring History

| publisher = Billboard Books

| year = 2002

| location = New York

| isbn= 0-8230-8322-5}}

{{Kiss}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Kiss (band) concert tours

Category:1980 concert tours