KISS have returned to the stage after canceling three shows on the final leg of their “End of the Road” farewell tour as Paul Stanley battled a serious case of the flu.
The band was back in action Saturday night (November 25th) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. During the pre-show soundcheck and Q&A session, Stanley put the severity of his recent bout with the virus in perspective.
“I’ve done shows with cracked ribs, I’ve done shows with a 102 [degree] fever,” said Stanley. As for his recent flu, he added, “I was wondering if it was my time.”
Thankfully, Stanley appears to be on the mend (“I’m here and it’s awesome”) and well enough for KISS to continue with the dates leading up to their final shows ever on Friday and Saturday (December 1st and 2nd) at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The weekend will entail a KISS “takeover” of NYC, including a pop-up store, a Rangers game, free tattoos, pizza, Metro Cards, and more.
Because of the close proximity in time to the final shows, the three canceled dates — Ottawa, Ontario (November 21st), Toronto (November 22nd), and Knoxville, Tennessee (November 24th) — are not expected to be rescheduled.
Posted Stanley last Wednesday on X: “Toronto and Ottawa… I’ve done everything possible to get onstage and be a part of the incredible 2 1/2-hour celebration we planned but this flu has made it impossible. I along with Gene, Tommy and Eric couldn’t be more disappointed and send our deepest apologies.”
KISS only have four shows left on their farewell tour, including the two final shows at Madison Square Garden. You can still get tickets here.
Watch fan footage of the Indianapolis soundcheck/Q&A below.
Toronto And Ottawa… I’ve done everything possible to get onstage and be a part of the incredible 2 1/2 hour celebration we planned but this flu has made it impossible. I along with Gene, Tommy and Eric couldn’t be more disappointed and send our deepest apologies. pic.twitter.com/6RmgbeiqoV
— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) November 22, 2023