Releasing recordings of old shows as live albums has become a mainstay of the rock and Metal world over the last few years, so it’s surprising that it’s taken the commercial kings of rock ‘n’ roll so long to start officially tapping into it.
Kiss – Off The Soundboard: Tokyo 2001
Release Date: 11 June 2021
Words: Ian Sutherland
Off The Soundboard-Tokyo 2001 is the first in a series of official Kiss archival releases planned under the Off The Soundboard moniker and will be available as a two CD set, a digital download, a stream and of course the obligatory three LP vinyl in traditional black or crystal clear with bone swirl, whatever that looks like.
This show catches them at the end of their reunion tour period, which started in 1996. By the time they were playing to 55,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome on 13 March 2001, they had parted ways once again with Peter Criss and had Eric Singer on drums in the early days of his using the Cat character make-up.
Despite the Off The Soundboard title, this gig is taken from a radio broadcast previously issued unofficially as Remasked In Tokyo.
Kiss setlists have become pretty predictable through the years with a solid base of their best-known songs from the seventies and early to eighties in place. Still, they spread the love a little wider over the back catalogue on this tour and included tunes from Psycho Circus and Unmasked.
The sound is pretty good, maybe a little too much top end, but for Kiss collectors used to dealing with the enormous variations of quality available out there, this one is a sure bet.
Decent packaging, good sound and most importantly, a rare recording of the short-lived Simmons/Stanley/Frehley/Singer lineup, make this one to add to the collection if you just can’t get enough of the hottest band in the world.
Off The Soundboard-Tokyo 2001 can be pre-ordered from kiss.lnk.to/OTSTokyoPR
CD1
1. Detroit Rock City
2. Deuce
3. Shout It Out Loud
4. Talk To Me
5. I Love It Loud
6. Firehouse
7. Do You Love Me
8. Calling Dr. Love
9. Heaven’s On Fire
10. Let Me Go Rock & Roll
11. Shock Me / Guitar Solo
12. Psycho Circus
CD2
1. Lick It Up / Bass Solo
2. God Of Thunder / Drum Solo
3. Cold Gin
4. 100,000 Years
5. Love Gun
6. I Still Love You
7. Black Diamond
8. I Was Made For Lovin’ You
9. Rock And Roll All Nite
3LP
LP1, Side A
1. Detroit Rock City
2. Deuce
3. Shout It Out Loud
4. Talk To Me
LP1, Side B
1. I Love It Loud
2. Firehouse
3. Do You Love Me
4. Calling Dr. Love
5. Heaven’s On Fire
LP2, Side A
1. Let Me Go Rock & Roll
2. Shock Me / Guitar Solo
LP2, Side B
1. Psycho Circus
2. Lick It Up / Bass Solo
3. God Of Thunder / Drum Solo
LP3, Side A
1. Cold Gin
2. 100,000 Years
3. Love Gun
LP3, Side B
1. I Still Love You
2. Black Diamond
3. I Was Made For Lovin’ You
4. Rock And Roll All Nite
Digital Tracklisting
1. Detroit Rock City
2. Deuce
3. Shout It Out Loud
4. Talk To Me
5. I Love It Loud
6. Firehouse
7. Do You Love Me
8. Calling Dr. Love
9. Heaven’s On Fire
10. Let Me Go Rock & Roll
11. Shock Me / Guitar Solo
12. Psycho Circus
13. Lick It Up / Bass Solo
14. God Of Thunder / Drum Solo
15. Cold Gin
16. 100,000 Years
17. Love Gun
18. I Still Love You
19. Black Diamond
20. I Was Made For Lovin’ You
21. Rock And Roll All Nite
