Kiss cancels his residence in Las Vegas - Rolling Stone<

A few weeks after the death of guitar technician Fran Stueber, Kiss is canceling its 12-date tour at the Zappos Theater.

Kiss has just canceled its upcoming Las Vegas residency, which was to start in December. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Ticketmaster notified ticket holders of the cancellation via email. The page to purchase tickets for Zappos Theater shows at Planet Hollywood has also been taken down, and Zappos Theater confirmed on Twitter, “Unfortunately KISS has canceled their residency. »

The band, currently at sea on their Kiss Kruise tour, has yet to comment on the cancellation. The Review-Journal cites “poor ticket sales” and not Covid-related issues as the reason for the cancellation.

In August, Gene Simmons spoke at length with Rolling Stone and discussed the band's upcoming residency as well as what it meant to tour during a pandemic. “There are affairs of the heart and affairs of the pocket, and it is nice when the two converge. So it's a really good payday, Simmons said of the Vegas residency. They pay well and that's reason enough. But it's also easier for the group, because there's no travel wear and tear. »

Regarding the protocols in place, Simmons added, “I highly recommend everyone get two shots from Pfizer or Moderna, please. For us. Even if you believe the Earth is flat, it isn't... The whole tour crew must have had their two shots. No one goes backstage or onstage without wearing a mask, and everyone is social distancing, washing your hands, doing whatever the CDC [Center for Disease Control] says. Don't listen to politicians. They are not qualified. Listen to the scientists. »

How To Prepare Homemade Tater Tots – E Blog Line https://t.co/oXfCoFPN29

— EBlogLine Thu Nov 26 08:05:59 +0000 2015

Despite these precautions, the members of Kiss and their touring crew (including Simmons and Paul Stanley) still tested positive on their subsequent tour, leading to the death of guitar tech Fran Stueber longtime member of the group, who died two days after testing positive for Covid-19. Stueber was quarantined in a Detroit hotel room at the time of his death. Roadies and crew members blamed the tour's production team for being lax in their safety protocols.

“Every day during the concerts, we were not tested. And there are so many unknowns, a team member told Rolling Stone. Did we spread it from city to city? It's horrible that Fran died, and it's horrible if it's [the fault of] our protocol just for this tour. Is it going to be the norm, to stick someone in a hotel and if they die, to say “Okay, well, next time”? ".

For his part, Kiss said, “Our End of the Road World Tour had Covid safety protocols in place that met, but more often than not exceeded, federal, state and local guidelines. Ultimately, this is a global pandemic, and there's simply no surefire way to tour without some risk. »

Daniel Kreps

Translated by the editorial staff