View Larger Image

Kiss - Symphony: The DVD Actor: Kiss Number of Items: 2 Format: Color Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Running Time: 180 minutes Studio: Bmg Distribution (VI Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2003-09-09 Buy from Amazon

Customer Reviews: Total numer of reviews: 88 Average rating: 3.5 "Mott Symphony" "You Wanted The Best? You Got The Best. The Hottest Band In The Land, KISS." This is the taped introduction to every KISS concert since the year dot. Who would be brave enough to dispute this claim? Their stage shows are folklore now, and after 30 years, 32 albums, and over 90 million record sales, the band is still going strong. The lineup has fluctuated dramatically over the years with only main stays Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley remaining constant. Some musicians leave and return, as does original drummer Peter Criss, for these shows, but already less than a year down the road he has been replaced by the returning Eric Singer. The make-up of each replacement musician stays the same so the crowd hardly ever notices. The idea is that once you are in the band, make sure you don't upset Gene or Paul or you will find yourself on the outside again. So, on this recording you have Tommy Thayer, playing the role of Silver Spaceman and Ace Frehley on lead guitar, never missing a note or smudging his make up. Alive Four Symphony is the first Full length concert available from the masters of Theatre Rock and what a concert it was, too. Over 40 thousand rabid KISS fans attended, and it is spread over two DVD's. The first documents the arrival of the band in Australia and their meeting up with the conductor and musical director of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with its classically trained musicians. Although it starts out in distrust and coldness, but by the time of concert, band, Orchestra members, and choir are as one and have the time of their lives. On Disc two is the full concert broken up into three acts. The first act is the 4-piece rock band playing six of their classic songs stripped to the bone. Act two consists of five songs given the acoustic treatment with a 12-piece string section. Songs like 'Beth' and 'Forever', two ballads, gave KISS surprise ballad single hits, and have been screaming out for in the live context. Act three is where all the action really kicks off. The four members of the band look great despite the fact that all of them are in their sixth decade. They rock 'round the stage shaking their booties like never before; all in their adopted make up and specially made stage space suits. The Cat behind the drums only comes to the front to play up to the crowd during his solo singing spot in 'Beth'. The Spaceman on lead guitar takes every opportunity to blaze out as many notes per second solos as possible, and, being new to the band, obviously loves every second of it. The Beast on bass, forever sticking out the longest and most suggestive tongue in rock, spits blood and eats fire during his bass solo before flying bat-like sixty feet into the gantry above the stage, and then is flown down again to join his crewmen. Center stage is the Starman in his 8-inch stack heeled boots, flouncing and pouting at the audience, playing his guitar over each shoulder before bringing it crashing to the ground, and being flown round the audience on a flying trapeze. Add to this a 60-piece Orchestra and Conductor all in full KISS make up (each member of the Orchestra was allowed to choose which member of KISS' make up they wanted to wear) enjoying their new found freedom in being able to play rock music instead of the strict rigors of the classics. When they are then joined by a 40-piece Australian Children's Choir (naturally also in full make up), the audience (half of them are also in full KISS dress) go completely wild. Add to this KISS playing all their classic songs (ranging from selections from their first album to their latest studio effort); a great stage set; a hilarious Paul Stanley in-between song raps; some of the biggest and loudest pyrotechnics ever set off on a rock stage, and you have one of the greatest rock shows ever recorded on this DVD. Over the course of the two DVD's the playing time (including bonus features) clocks in at over three and a half hours. So with KISS, as usual, everything to excess. Drawn by Mott the Dog Colored in by Ella Crew "KISSworthy Video" This is the best KISS full lenght video that I have seen to date that is available to be purchased. The lightning fast editing is the only downfall. However, I will still watch it over and over. There is one KISS concert that I have seen in the past that is 5 stars. I am speaking of their HBO Concert of 1979. Oh, how I have been waiting to see that pop up on a DVD. If anyone knows where I can find it please send me an email at Styx37050@yahoo.com. Otherwise, buy this one....crank it up and enjoy. It is definately worth the money. "Where are the Low end frequencies on this recording?????" I can live with the visual editing, but where on earth is the bass? When I first started watching this DVD, I thought something was wrong with my subwoofer. I would not recommend this DVD set for that reason alone. If I could have taken it back, I would have. "KISS is dead" And this is the best proof of it. Gene & Paul voices are blown, Tommy Thayer is boring as a lead guitarrist and Peter...mmm...he lost his drumming' skills decades ago. He's more than worn. Editing's so fast that it makes you dizzy. The concert? well...same old song and dance. Nothing new, same stage' raps, same explosions, same everything. Don't waste your money on this. You probably work too hard to get your paycheck, don't throw it. "Another double platinum performance from Kiss" Well it seems that through all the moaning and crying about the editing and all the negative BS handed out about this dvd it just shows once again the greatness of Kiss. Thats right,the Kiss Symphony dvd has reached double platinum status which proves just how good this dvd is. Now you can either follow the bad reviews like blind mice or you can go with the facts that show that this is a very good dvd worthy of more than the 5 stars provided to vote with. I also want to give a little advice to the reviewer that complained about the dvd not having enough bass and wanted to carry his copy back because of this..... Get a decent surround sound system and quit playing your dvd's on your playstation 2.