KISS is making a triumphant return—minus the face paint and pyrotechnics. The band recently revealed that they will be headlining a unique three-day celebration in Las Vegas dubbed “KISS Army Storms Vegas.” Running from November 14 to 16 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, this event marks the 50th anniversary of the KISS Army, the band’s iconic fan club.
During a recent appearance on The 500 With Josh Adam Meyers podcast, Stanley described the event as a “KISS Kruise without a boat or without a ship.” KISS’s much-loved KISS Kruise has been a staple for fans worldwide, offering concerts, Q&As, and meet-and-greets aboard luxury ships. Now, the band is bringing that same energy to dry land.
“We’ll take over the Virgin Hotel, and all the things that people have come to expect on a KISS Kruise will happen,” Stanley said. “It’s a chance for international fans and friends to convene, as they always have. There’ll be Q&As, time spent with each person in the band. We will play, although looking more like this [without any makeup or special stage outfits] than in classic gear. It’s gonna be really, really cool, and a lot of things are being added to it.”
Stanley admitted that while he’d hoped to have all the details finalized earlier, the event is still evolving. “I would’ve liked to have perhaps had the menu to give to everybody a long time ago, but it’s still evolving,” he explained. “So, there’ll be great people playing, great bands, all kinds of competitions, all the things that we’ve done in the past on the cruise. Just like a tribal gathering with music and entertainment. Like I said, it’s a landlocked KISS Kruise.”
The KISS Army itself has an origin story as legendary as the band’s career. Stanley recounted that it began in Terre Haute, Indiana, when a fan named Bill Starkey and his friends couldn’t get their local radio station to play KISS music. “They called the radio station as the KISS Army and said, ‘If you don’t start playing KISS music by a certain time, we’ll surround the building,’” Stanley recalled. “And, of course, everybody chuckled, until they surrounded the building. So that was the start of the KISS Army. It wasn’t a calculated fan club, but an uprising of the army.”
Scheduled to take place November 14–16 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, “KISS Army Storms Vegas” marks the first public appearance by KISS since the band’s official retirement from touring following their explosive “End Of The Road” farewell concert at Madison Square Garden in December 2023. The event also commemorates the 50th anniversary of the KISS Army fan club — a testament to the band’s enduring legacy and the loyalty of its global following.
Gene Simmons previously confirmed that he, along with frontman Paul Stanley and longtime guitarist Tommy Thayer, will be in attendance, with drummer Eric Singer’s participation still unconfirmed. Adding to the excitement, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick is also expected to join the festivities.
While fans may be hoping for one more surprise concert, Simmons emphasized that this event will be something entirely different. “It ain’t a concert — we’re gonna do none of that stuff,” he said bluntly. “I may even bring my solo band up there just for s**ts and giggles.”
Instead of a full-blown rock show, attendees can expect a more intimate and interactive experience. The event promises jam sessions, Q&A segments, and up-close interactions with KISS members past and present — a unique celebration more akin to a fan convention than a farewell gig.
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