KISS was the soundtrack to my high school years, along with AC/DC, The Angels, Queen and a plethora of others. Other bands like Midnight Oil and INXS filtered into my consciousness late in the 70s, but they were really bands for a different, more sophisticated and grown up era (!) KISS, however, remained a constant, having tapped into a vein of disaffected teenage boy craving for something hard driving, sexually risqué and rebellious.
With a healthy dash of scepticism and an equally strong hope for the best, we booked our premium tickets for KISS's final tour some years ago. Postponed by the pandemic twice, the time dragged on, dimming our hopes that the aging rockers would still be able to put on a decent show: how utterly wrong we were!
"Batter my eardrums four-person'd KISS" was the paraphrased catchphrase of high school's final year in 1979 as we butchered John Donne's holy sonnet, but this final show of biblical proportions banished our doubts and lifted us up to rapturous heights, as the septuagenarians (Simmons and Stanley) swashbuckled across a high tech stage of mesmerising sound, light and fire!
The consummate professionals and performers allowed the "younger" guys (mid sixties!) to flay the guitar and drums in solos and long riffs to give themselves some mini breaks, but it was pretty much wall to wall action for over two hours. The 8K video backdrop cleverly interspersed live footage and vintage video of the group singing the same song, splicing between them seamlessly. The pyrotechnics were incredible and the performance built to a crescendo after Stanley flew above the audience to strut on the micro-stage right behind us in a rocking rendition of Love Gun. The obligatory encore ended with Rock and Roll All Night complete with crowd-bunted beach balls and cannon-shot ticker tape raining down on the crowd...the end of an era brought a tear to the eye...best performance EVER!
We've managed to squeeze in some more activities this month as our baby-sitting duties for various builders and tradesmen have dwindled, mercifully. In fact, apart from a carpet cleaner next week, some kitchen cupboard adjustments on Monday and some blind modifications at an indeterminate time in the future, we only have the engineered wood floor to be laid at the end of the month. After that, dare we dream that our modified unit will be our own again? It's starting to feel that way!
Cass and I have discovered Wordle and are hooked, as the statistics ramp up the pressure each day. I quickly discovered Quordle as well and now both puzzles are a daily habit. Cassy's mum has also joined the "fun" and she and Cass send each other their results. I'm sure subscribing to this habit is a first sign of old age, but I'm trying valiantly to convince myself otherwise by engaging in more "youthful" pursuits (!)
Partly to entice me back into the water and partly to ward off the cold, I invested in a slick new steamer for the colder waters. My reasoning was that I'd be guilted into the surf if I invested in the new suit and didn't use it! This tactic was partly successful and I've had some relatively successful forays in the surf when it's a mild to moderate size and intensity and an easy paddle-out. This success is judged by falling off only 80% of the time rather than 95%, but despite my aching shoulders I'll persevere!
I'm typing this in my semi-renovated room at the back of the unit, replete with new desk and art arrangements. It's lovely to be able to use it again, and when we re-hang the paintings leaning in stacks against the back wall, it will be truly reclaimed. We're also getting excited to hang our "burning rope" Point to Point painting by Tim Storrier. Mum has enjoyed it for many years since we originally purchased it and she kindly allowed us to securely hang it in her alarmed unit. We've earmarked the spot years ago, so not long to go now. The next trick will be transporting it over here: it's two metres long and in a very heavy frame. We're yet to confirm the hanging spots for all our other paintings, but that's a fun task coming up!
Cass was excited to read David Mitchell's latest book, Utopia Avenue, but she's found it slightly underwhelming compared to others in his oeuvre. Recently, she rated highly Red At The Bone by Jacqueline Woodson giving it a rare "A" grade in the Cassy grading system! I've been enjoying the maturation of Chris Hammer as an Australian crime writer and his fourth book, Treasure and Dirt, is enjoyably tight, crisp and noticeably less waffly than earlier attempts (...think the opposite to this blog's usual entries!)
See ya!