Alive/Worldwide Tour
The first reunion tour with original members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley since 1979.
The Alive/Worldwide Tour (also known as the Reunion Tour) was a landmark concert series by American rock band Kiss, launching on June 28, 1996, in Detroit and concluding on July 5, 1997, in London. This marked the first time original members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley performed with the group since the Dynasty Tour in 1979. The reunion was unveiled dramatically at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards on February 28, 1996, introduced by Tupac Shakur as the band appeared in full Love Gun-era makeup. Following a press conference aboard the USS Intrepid on April 16, 1996, nearly 40,000 tickets for the opening show sold out in just 47 minutes.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Kiss
- Start date
- June 28, 1996
- End date
- July 5, 1997
- Number of shows
- 190 played, 8 cancelled
- Last tour
- Kiss My Ass Tour (1994–1995)
- This tour
- Alive/Worldwide Tour (1996–1997)
Lore & Background
They integrated classic elements like bombs, flying rigs, and guitar smashing. Paul Stanley later reflected that their biggest competition was their own history, noting they 'had to be as good as people thought we were.' The tour featured vintage stunts including Gene Simmons' blood-spitting and fire-breathing, and Ace Frehley's smoking and shooting guitar.
Reader's Guide
Fans attending the warmup show in Irvine heard a Los Angeles Times reporter describe Paul Stanley's voice as 'weak' and 'stringy,' yet noted the band still sounded like Kiss. A Rolling Stone writer covering the Detroit opener remarked that while Kiss might not be technically perfect, they were pioneers of rock as a show, ahead of the curve for theatricality. The final London show drew comments from The Independent about the set sagging in daylight but moving 'up several gears' at dusk. Paul Stanley spoke extensively to the crowd about the importance of the Kiss Army. The set list for the Irvine warmup included staples like 'Deuce,' 'Love Gun,' 'Cold Gin,' and an encore of 'Rock and Roll All Nite.'
Did You Know?
- Ace Frehley underwent plastic surgery before the tour because Paul Stanley did not want fans to see 'fat guys in tights'.
- On April 5, 1997, drum technician Ed Kanon filled in for Peter Criss at the Columbus Civic Center when Criss could not perform.
- The tour earned $43.6 million and made Kiss the top-drawing concert act of 1996.
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