Paul Stanley
October 21, 2006
The Tabernacle
Atlanta , GA
Paul Stanley of KISS proved that sometimes the hair-metal gods can get it right. He's touring behind a new solo album called Live To Win and since I always find opening nights of tours intriguing, I was interested in checking it out. It didn't really matter that the new album is a bust and Stanley is being backed by the Rock Star: Supernova house band. I was interested and besides, I wasn't expecting much.
Then the lights went down.
There was no pyro, no "Awwwwwlllllrrrrriiiiight Atlantas", no theatrics whatsoever. Paul walked out with a smile to greet his crowd. His hands looked to be slightly shaking. He was definitely nervous. When the whole audience started singing along at the first chorus of “Live To Win”, you could see him visibly relax. Then it got good.
The first big surprise came with a smoking version of the obscure KISS song “A Million To One.” It rocked. Hard. From there, it just got better. In addition to a sprinkling of new songs, Stanley and crew alternated between his first solo album (which I'll admit a soft spot for) and KISS tunes. While you could see "Lick It Up" coming from a mile away, it was the songs like "Magic Touch", “Wouldn't You Like To Know Me” and "I Still Love You" that got me going.
I was surprised at how well the band kept the spirit of the old songs without having to duplicate them note for note. I guess that's a skill that they honed as the house band for the Rock Star shows. Paul joked that at his first few rehearsals with them, he felt as if he was going to get voted out of the band.
As the show wound down, Stanley pulled out the big guns including “Do You Love Me?”, “I Want You”, “ Detroit Rock City ” and perhaps the biggest gun, “Love Gun.” Paul's KISS co-founder Gene Simmons watched from the balcony and wielded an air-guitar.
Photos and review by Chris McKay / concertshots.com
Paul Stanley set list ( Atlanta , GA – October 21, 2006)
Click the highlighted links to see YouTube footage of this show!
1. Live To Win
2. Hide Your Heart
3. A Million To One
4. Got To Choose
5. Move On
6. Bulletproof
7. Tonight You Belong To Me
8. Lick It Up
9. Wouldn't You Like To Know Me
10. Magic Touch
11. I Still Love You
12. Strutter
13. Every Time I See You Around
14. Do You Love Me?
15. I Want You
16. Love Gun
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17. Lift
18. Detroit Rock City
19. Goodbye
This is just for fun! (Sorry Paul, I couldn't resist.)