Gene Simmons Band Announces 2025 Tour

[velorush]

Gene Simmons Announces 2025 Solo Tour - Bass Magazine

As much grief as he gets, the video accounts look like he's having a ton of fun with this. There are multiple videos of him bringing fans on stage to sing or play instruments.

I don't know the band, guitarists Brent Woods (WILDSIDE, SEBASTIAN BACH, VINCE NEIL) and Zach Throne (COREY TAYLOR), drummer Brian Tichy (LYNCH MOB, THE DEAD DAISIES, WHITESNAKE, BILLY IDOL, FOREIGNER, PRIDE & GLORY, SLASH’S SNAKEPIT), but they sound great to me.

[velorush]

Am I being overly gracious to think the logo is Gene engaging in a little self-deprecating humor?

 

 

[Steve Haynie]

I have tickets to two shows.

[DaveH]

13 hours ago, Steve Haynie said:

I have tickets to two shows.

Of course you do, Steve. 😂

[ZR]

You've no doubt seen the little silver plaques on YouTubers videos marking various levels of achievement. Steve has one from Ticketmaster! 

Steve definitely is honed in on who's playing when and where! And, he's been so gracious and generous by helping me with tix in the past !!

[Steve Haynie]

Maybe not. 

In 2022 I looked at how much was spent on concert tickets and said, "no more!"  Then in 2023 KISS announced those final dates.  Iron Maiden tickets went on sale a year in advance for the show my friends and I saw in November.  Uh, oh!  Ticket spending was once again wrecked. 

In the later part of this year a limit was put on ticket spending, and it has cost me a few shows.  One contributing factor is the cost of tickets constantly rising.  Styx/Kevin Cronin/Don Felder tickets were more than I would have paid for KISS with an opening act like a reconstituted Rush using a Neil Peart avatar!  The Gene Simmons Band tickets became the majority of my spending in the months those tickets were purchased.  A little money was left over to see Drivin' N Cryin' and a couple of other club shows. 

Club shows are getting out of hand.  As much as I love seeing Henry Paul and the Outlaws, $89 plus fees is a bit much for a standing room club show.  Small theaters are the same.  Front row for Tommy Emmanuel was a lot, but I loved every second of his show.  Why I overpaid for a Stephen Pearcy show coming up next year still has me wondering.  Maybe I got caught in the vacuum of all my friends jumping on tickets.  Live Nation offers Fast Lane passes, but then there is another pass on top of that.  Those tickets go up in cost faster than the Fast Lane pass can ever get you in the venue.  Part of the trap is that the club shows that cost less than $50 add up.  There are few shows that cost more than $200 with fees, but if Alice Cooper or Judas Priest announces a show that ticket gets bought.  Judas Priest is not going to get $400 from me, though. 

Let's see...  don't drink... don't smoke...  I don't have a rock and roll problem.  I can do both at the same time-- while driving! 

Laugh all you want, but an Anvil show is worth the money.  They do not charge much compared to other bands, maybe $25 - $35.  Their T-shirts cost more, though.  Lips plays every show like it is his last chance to put on the greatest show of his life. 

I have a schedule conflict for a show.  If anyone wants a free single ticket to see Atlanta Rhythm Section and Pure Prairie League in Hiawassee, Georgia on Saturday, April 26, 2025 all you have to do is send me a private message. 

[specialk]

3 hours ago, Steve Haynie said:

I have a schedule conflict for a show.  If anyone wants a free single ticket to see Atlanta Rhythm Section and Pure Prairie League in Hiawassee, Georgia on Saturday, April 26, 2025 all you have to do is send me a private message. 

Wish I was closer! But thank you for posting this. 

[alantig]

3 hours ago, Steve Haynie said:

Maybe not. 

In 2022 I looked at how much was spent on concert tickets and said, "no more!"  Then in 2023 KISS announced those final dates.  Iron Maiden tickets went on sale a year in advance for the show my friends and I saw in November.  Uh, oh!  Ticket spending was once again wrecked. 

In the later part of this year a limit was put on ticket spending, and it has cost me a few shows.  One contributing factor is the cost of tickets constantly rising.  Styx/Kevin Cronin/Don Felder tickets were more than I would have paid for KISS with an opening act like a reconstituted Rush using a Neil Peart avatar!  The Gene Simmons Band tickets became the majority of my spending in the months those tickets were purchased.  A little money was left over to see Drivin' N Cryin' and a couple of other club shows. 

Club shows are getting out of hand.  As much as I love seeing Henry Paul and the Outlaws, $89 plus fees is a bit much for a standing room club show.  Small theaters are the same.  Front row for Tommy Emmanuel was a lot, but I loved every second of his show.  Why I overpaid for a Stephen Pearcy show coming up next year still has me wondering.  Maybe I got caught in the vacuum of all my friends jumping on tickets.  Live Nation offers Fast Lane passes, but then there is another pass on top of that.  Those tickets go up in cost faster than the Fast Lane pass can ever get you in the venue.  Part of the trap is that the club shows that cost less than $50 add up.  There are few shows that cost more than $200 with fees, but if Alice Cooper or Judas Priest announces a show that ticket gets bought.  Judas Priest is not going to get $400 from me, though. 

Let's see...  don't drink... don't smoke...  I don't have a rock and roll problem.  I can do both at the same time-- while driving! 

Laugh all you want, but an Anvil show is worth the money.  They do not charge much compared to other bands, maybe $25 - $35.  Their T-shirts cost more, though.  Lips plays every show like it is his last chance to put on the greatest show of his life. 

I have a schedule conflict for a show.  If anyone wants a free single ticket to see Atlanta Rhythm Section and Pure Prairie League in Hiawassee, Georgia on Saturday, April 26, 2025 all you have to do is send me a private message. 

That's kind of funny - I also have a conflict, but it's for April 25 (Whose Line vs. The Aristocrats).

We've gradually slid to more club/theater shows.  I only did a few big arena shows last year - ELO, Iron Maiden, Kacey Musgraves, maybe one or two others.  Far cry from the old days.  There's a couple smaller arenas within about two hours, and I think we saw more shows at those places than the big arena.  One of our last two shows was Reb Beach at a small theater near where he grew up (and apparently he still lives near there).  $25 plus $2.50 in fees.  When we got home, my buddy asked how much it was, and when I told him, he said, "That's it?  That's a bargain."

But I must be getting old, or at least cranky.  I've bitched about Ticketmaster fees a lot, but I've started holding back on shows because of them.  I passed (so far) on Ghost because the fees were 33-42% depending on the seat (funny how a "facility fee" is different based on the ticket price - and the cheaper ticket, which requires me going through more of the facility, has the lower fee).  I swallowed them for AC/DC, though, which probably sealed my fate for Ghost, but AC/DC is one of the few bands I've never seen.  I get to a lot of shows (music is my biggest vice), but I can already see the day coming when it's going to slow a lot because of age and the prices.

[hamerhead]

Debby Downer time - paying that kind of money to see an 'artist' likely lip syncing to a backing track just baffles the shit outta me. It's surprising how many are doing it now, and to what extent. There should be a disclaimer or proof-of-performance with every ticket sold, like the old Queen albums 'no synthesizers used' bit.

This pretend theater crap annoys me to no end.

[cmatthes]

I still see way too many shows every year, but am fortunate to live in a market where I can see the bands I want to see in smaller/mid-sized venues - 300 seaters to 6,000 seaters get a lot of awesome bands!  I’m also not opposed to driving a few hours to NC or Philly/NYC to see a band if it’s a smaller venue and they’re not hitting the DC area.  I’ve flown to CA to see family three times in the last year and timed it so we could see some great shows/venues out there as well.  Usually if we’re going on vacation, we check the concert/NHL/NFL schedules in town too.

[Cboss]

3 hours ago, hamerhead said:

Debby Downer time - paying that kind of money to see an 'artist' likely lip syncing to a backing track just baffles the shit outta me. It's surprising how many are doing it now, and to what extent. There should be a disclaimer or proof-of-performance with every ticket sold, like the old Queen albums 'no synthesizers used' bit.

This pretend theater crap annoys me to no end.

Why are they doing that? Can they no longer sing and or play?

[BTMN]

On 12/16/2024 at 11:53 AM, velorush said:

Am I being overly gracious to think the logo is Gene engaging in a little self-deprecating humor?

 

 

I got my mind on my money and my money on my mind. 😜🫣😎

[hamerhead]

2 hours ago, Cboss said:

Why are they doing that? Can they no longer sing and or play?

For whatever reason (whether they've lost the ability, or never had it), it's happening more and more. Check out this guy's YouTube channel. It's hilarious in a sad way:

https://www.youtube.com/@wingsofpegasus 

Phil's credibility comes from being an exceptionally talented vocalist. Watch some his videos. He's just stating facts.

Imagine Taylor Swift raking in $4 BILLION on a tour where she may never sing live, in front of a band that may never play live. It's obscene. Same with The Eagles. Or Metallica. Or ....fill in the blank....So many 'augment' their performances it's just.....dishonest.

Yeah, there are still great bands out there actually playing their stuff. THOSE are the ones I'd buy tickets for. But stadium and larger venue acts? No thanks. Too much fuckery going on.

Good rant though, right?

[mudshark]

small  venues only for me

[currypowder]

On 12/16/2024 at 11:47 AM, velorush said:

Gene Simmons Announces 2025 Solo Tour - Bass Magazine

As much grief as he gets, the video accounts look like he's having a ton of fun with this. There are multiple videos of him bringing fans on stage to sing or play instruments.

I don't know the band, guitarists Brent Woods (WILDSIDE, SEBASTIAN BACH, VINCE NEIL) and Zach Throne (COREY TAYLOR), drummer Brian Tichy (LYNCH MOB, THE DEAD DAISIES, WHITESNAKE, BILLY IDOL, FOREIGNER, PRIDE & GLORY, SLASH’S SNAKEPIT), but they sound great to me.

@velorush, are you going to the Beaver Dam show? LMK if so and I'll see about joining you. It works be good to meet after so many years of conversing. 

[velorush]

12 hours ago, currypowder said:

@velorush, are you going to the Beaver Dam show? LMK if so and I'll see about joining you. It works be good to meet after so many years of conversing. 

Other than my frequent trips to the gulf coast for "SiO₂ therapy," (becoming more frequent as I age) I haven't ventured out of the swamp in years.

Would be great to meet up as the only HFCer I've ever met in person was @cynic (who also gave me a fantastic deal on some drum kit items as he was passing through).

I didn't notice the Beaver Dam date and didn't realize Beaver Dam even had a venue. 

[Brooks]

Brian Tichy is a badass drummer. I would go see Gene if it was in town and reasonably priced. 

I don't go to many shows nowadays. I saw Iron Maiden last month, mostly because my pal really wanted me to go with him. I was underwhelmed, they were good but I'm not a fan of that sound anymore. The opposite reaction for me was BEAT w/ Belew & Vai a few months back, one of the best shows I've ever seen, crazy expensive and worth it. Saw my college pals band TRAGEDY in club recently, they do a heavy metal disco tribute show, that was fun and they were amazing from a musical and entertainment standpoint. Also just saw stoner rock legends The Obsessed in a club recently, which was cool.  EDIT - actually, I guess I've been to more shows in the last year than I have in awhile!

 

Edited December 19, 2024 by Brooks
editing purposes

[currypowder]

7 hours ago, velorush said:

Other than my frequent trips to the gulf coast for "SiO₂ therapy," (becoming more frequent as I age) I haven't ventured out of the swamp in years.

Would be great to meet up as the only HFCer I've ever met in person was @cynic (who also gave me a fantastic deal on some drum kit items as he was passing through).

I didn't notice the Beaver Dam date and didn't realize Beaver Dam even had a venue. 

I can't think of a better reason for you to get out of your swamp. Give it some consideration and let me know. 

[cynic]

On 12/19/2024 at 8:52 AM, velorush said:

...the only HFCer I've ever met in person was @cynic (who also gave me a fantastic deal on some drum kit items as he was passing through).

Ha, I felt like one of the guys that used to ride around Southern California selling cheap speakers out the back of the white mini vans.  Anyone watching would have probably been thinking even worse.