No makeup. No ship. No hiding behind the pyro.
KISS opened the second KISS Kruise: Land-Locked in Vegas on Friday, November 13, with a full acoustic set at the Virgin Theater inside Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, 4455 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89169.
Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer played 11 songs unmasked. The weekend runs November 13 to 15, and it is the only place fans can see KISS perform live anywhere this year.
The Setlist Went Deep, Not Obvious
Forget the stadium script. This was a fan set, built for people who know the catalog past the hits.
- Comin' Home
- Plaster Caster
- Hide Your Heart
- Christine Sixteen
- Goin' Blind
- Hard Luck Woman
- Calling Dr. Love
- See You Tonite
- Love Her All I Can
- Beth
- Nothin' To Lose
That is the fresh part. Songs like Goin' Blind, See You Tonite and Love Her All I Can are not casual fan bait.
The room helps too. The Virgin Theater holds 4,600 people, which is tiny by KISS standards and exactly why this set lands different.
Why Vegas, Why Land-Locked
Stanley put the whole concept in four words: "No ship?!? No problem!"
The Kruise spent more than a decade at sea. This is the second straight year it has taken over a Las Vegas resort instead, co-produced by Pophouse, Vibee and Topeka.
Last year's fan experience drew fans from all 50 states and 32 countries. A resort takeover means the party does not stop when the show ends, and nobody has to find a port in the morning.
The weekend also packs in two unmasked KISS sets, one acoustic and one electric. Add performances from Night Ranger, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick, Slaughter, Faster Pussycat, Keel, Enuff Z'Nuff and Kuarantine, and the schedule is stacked.
What Is Still Ahead This Weekend
The emotional center is the Ace Frehley all-star tribute, a one-night-only set built to honor the founding guitarist. Each current member has personally selected and will individually perform a song, backed by the Ace Frehley band, with songs spanning every era of his career.
Fans got an early start on November 12. The opening pre-party featured Enuff Z'Nuff and the Ace Frehley band performing the Rock And Roll Over album, plus Beasto Blanco.
Here is the usable plan if you are going this weekend:
- Build your day around the tribute and the electric set. Those are the one-weekend-only moments.
- Get to Paradise Road early. A 4,600-capacity theater fills fast, and resort-wide events run from morning through late night.
- Hit the exhibits and archival displays between sets. The rare museum pieces are part of the ticket value, not filler.
KISS retired from touring, then turned Vegas into the one place they still play live. That is not a comeback tour. That is a destination, and this weekend is the only shot at it in 2026.
