Rock and Roll

Not that any of us need any more evidence of the severity of this country's economic woes, but a quick scan of this year's musical New Year's Eve celebrations is ample testament to how much all of us are cutting back: I cannot recall a quieter New Year's in Chicago in terms of high-profile rock celebrations ever.

Nevertheless, as on any other night of the year, there is plenty of great music happening--if you know where to look for it. And there are even a few welcome bargains, too.

Here is a rundown of the best musical option as 2008 becomes 2009 (and let's hope the next year is a better one for everyone!).


The Abbey Pub, 3420 W. Grace

The Abbey is presenting an evening of what it's calling "Future Rock"--electronica and progressive house music--with Daedelus, Dark Party (featuring Eliot Lipp and Leo123) and Ben Silver of Orchard Lounge. The show starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are $25 in advance, $30 on the day of the show or $75 for a V.I.P. package that includes open bar and hors d'oeuvres. For more information, call (773) 478-4408 or visit www.abbeypub.com.

Andy's Jazz Club, 11 E. Hubbard

Renowned jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco is playing throughout the night with his trio (drummer Byron Landham and guitarist Patrick Bianchi) as part of a $175 package deal that includes open bar and dinner. Tickets are available at www.andysjazzclub.com, or call 312-642-6805.

Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Parkway

Local jam-band heroes Umphrey's McGee concludes a three-night stand at this regale venue starting at 8:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve, with three sets of music and special appearances by Chicago blues legend Koko Taylor and another surprise guest. Tickets are $65 or $75 plus service fees via Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com; 312-559-1212) or without the fees at the theater's box office.

The Bottom Lounge, 1375 W Lake St.

The Bottom caps off its first year at its new location with a strong triple bill of local artists: Local H, who deserved much more attention than they received for their stellar 2008 album "12 Angry Months," up-and-comers Sybris and indie-pop favorites Office, plus the promised but unnamed "special guests." Tickets are $35; for more information, call (312) 929-2022 or visit www.bottomlounge.com.

Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee

Double Door boasts one of this year's best bills with a great night of entrancing guitars starting at 9 p.m. and featuring Hum, the reunited Champaign-based '90s champions of space-rock, the Life ant Times and Dianogah. The catch: It's already sold-out.

The Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western

On a completely different--and much more raucous--tip, the Bottle, which is always indie-rock party central on New Year's Eve, presents garage-rock maniac Jay Reatard, the undeniable and just as insane Miss Alex White, the Yolks and DJ Robert Q starting at 10 p.m. The cover is $25; call (773) 276-3600 or visit www.emptybottle.com.

Fitzgerald's, 6615 Roosevelt Rd., Berwyn

The venerable roots-rock club is holding a New Year's Eve Dance Party starting at 8 p.m. and featuring the Becca Kaufman Band for a $20 cover. (A separate show in the side bar starts at 9:30 and features Cole DeGenova & the People's Replublic for a $10 cover.) For more info, call (708) 7882118 or visit www.fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.

The Green Mill, 4802 N. Broadway

The famous jazz bar is hosting a "Battle of the Saxes" with Von Freeman and Edward Petersen from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., followed by one of its legendary jazz jams sessions until 4. The cover is $25 until midnight, $5 from midnight to 2 a.m. and free thereafter. Call (773) 878-5552 or visit www.greenmilljazz.com.

The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia

Starting at 9 p.m., this beloved watering hole is sponsoring a cutting-edge dance party with Walk This Way vs. Gutterbutter and DJs Frier Tuck and Logan Bay. Call (773) 227-4433 or visit www.hideoutchicago.com.

Martyr's, 3855 N. Lincoln

In keeping with a tradition that's been running strong for the last few years, the premier local tribute band Tributosaurus morphs into Led Zeppelin starting at 9 p.m. and no doubt featuring this combo's usual array of surprising guests sitting in. The cover is $30; call (773) 404-9494 or visit www.martyrslive.com.

Metro, 3730 N. Clark

Metro ends the year in fine, droning, druggy style with Dandy Warhols and a special guest DJ in the main room starting at 9 p.m. Tickets are $55 in advance or $65 on the day of the show, with--in a very Live Nation touch--special four-person V.I.P. tables available for $500 and "formal attire encouraged." (For the Dandy Warhols? Really?) Meanwhile, down below in the nether region of Smart Bar, Green Velvet, Justin Long, Santiago and Ori Kawa will be working their magic starting at 9 for $30 in advance, $35 on the day of the show, $80 for a V.I.P. ticket or $500 for a "V.I.P. Platinum Package" that includes admission for four, reserved table and seating next to the DJ booth and a bottle of Moet White Star. Call (773) 549-4140 or visit www.metrochicago.com.

The New Year's Eve Rock 'n' Roll Ball

In its 12th year, this annual institution takes place at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare, 9300 Bryn Mawr Ave. in Rosemont, and features music by Chicago's Marty Casey and the Lovehammers, Dot Dot Dot (local power-popsters best known for a stint on "The Next Great American Band") and funk/soul champs Bumpus. General admission tickets are $49, V.I.P. tickets are $119 with an open bar and several packages are available with hotel accommodations. Tickets are available through www.ticketmaster.com, (312) 559-1212.

Reggie's Rock Club, 2109 S. State

Hands down, Reggie's has the most punk-rock evening in town, ringing in the new year with ringing eardrums. The high-energy bill starts at 8 p.m. and features Lawrence Arms, the Methadones, the Arrivals, the Copyrights and Off with Their Heads. Tickets are $20; call (312) 949-0121 or visit www.reggieslive.com.

Schubas, 3159 N. Southport

For a much more sensitive and musically soothing night, Schubas is presenting local pop maestros the Sea and Cake on the second of a two-night stand starting at 10 p.m. Tickets are $40 via www.schubas.com, or call (773) 525-2508.

Christmas is a time for love and fun,
A time to reshape souls and roots and skies,
A time to give your heart to everyone
Freely, like a rich and lavish sun,
Like a burning star to those whose lonely sighs
Show need of such a time for love and fun.

For children first, whose pain is never done,
Whose bright white fire of anguish never dies,
It's time to give your heart to every one,

That not one angel fall, to hatred won
For lack of ears to listen to her cries,
Or arms to carry him towards love and fun,

Or friends to care what happens on the run
To adult life, where joy or sadness lies.
It's time to give your heart to everyone,

For God loves all, and turns His back on none,
Good or twisted, ignorant or wise.
Christmas is a time for love and fun,
A time to give your heart to everyone
Merry Chrixst

Following the demise of Wicked Lester, Kiss were formed in 1972 by Paul Stanley (b. Paul Eisen, 20 January 1950, Queens, New York, USA; rhythm guitar, vocals) and Gene Simmons (b. Chaim Witz, 25 August 1949, Haifa, Israel; bass, vocals), who went on to recruit Peter Criss (b. Peter Crisscoula, 27 December 1947, Brooklyn, New York, USA; drums, vocals) and Ace Frehley (b. Paul Frehley, 22 April 1951, Bronx, New York, USA; lead guitar, vocals). At their second show at the Hotel Diplomat, Manhattan, in 1973, Flipside producer Bill Aucoin offered the band a management contract, and within two weeks they were signed to Neil Bogart's recently established Casablanca Records. In just over a year, Kiss had released their first three albums with a modicum of success.

In the summer of 1975 their fortunes changed with the release of Alive! , which spawned their first US hit single, with the reissued live version of 'Rock And Roll All Nite' climbing to number 12 in November. The appeal of Kiss has always been based on their live shows: the garish greasepaint make-up, outrageous costumes and pyrotechnic stage effects, along with their hard-rocking anthems, combined to create what was billed as 'The Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Show On Earth'. Their live reputation engendered a dramatic upsurge in record sales, and Alive became their first certified platinum album in the USA. Destroyer proved just as successful, and also gave them their first US Top 10 single, earning Peter Criss a major songwriting award for the uncharacteristic ballad, 'Beth'.

Subsequent releases, Rock And Roll Over , Love Gun and Alive II , each certified platinum, confirmed the arrival of Kiss as major recording artists. By 1977 Kiss had topped the prestigious Gallup poll as the most popular act in the USA. They had become a marketing dream: Kiss merchandise included make-up kits, masks, board games, and pinball machines. Marvel Comics produced two super-hero cartoon books, and a full-length science-fiction film, Kiss Meet The Phantom Of The Park, was even produced. The ranks of their fan club, the Kiss Army, had swollen to a six-figure number.

In September 1978 all four group members released solo albums on the same day, a feat never before envisaged, let alone matched. At the time, this represented the biggest shipment of albums from one 'unit' to record stores in the history of recorded music. The albums enjoyed varying degrees of success; Ace Frehley's record came out on top and included the US Top 20 hit single, 'New York Groove'. Gene Simmons, whose album featured an impressive line-up of guests including Cher , Donna Summer , Bob Seger and Janis Ian , had a hit single in the UK with 'Radioactive', which reached number 41 in 1978. After the release of Dynasty in 1979, which featured the worldwide hit single, 'I Was Made For Lovin' You', cracks appeared in the ranks.

Peter Criss left to be replaced by session player Anton Fig, who had previously appeared on Frehley's solo album. Fig played drums on the 1980 release Unmasked until a permanent replacement was found in the form of New Yorker Eric Carr (b. 12 July 1950, d. 24 November 1991), who made his first appearance during the world tour of 1980. A fuller introduction came on Music From The Elder , an album that represented a radical departure from traditional Kiss music and included several ballads, an orchestra and a choir. It was a brave attempt to break new ground but failed to capture the imagination of the record-buying public. Frehley, increasingly disenchanted with the musical direction of the band, finally left in December 1982. The two albums prior to his departure had featured outside musicians.

Bruce Kulick, who had contributed to the studio side of Alive II and played on Stanley's solo album, supplied the lead work to the four previously unreleased tracks on the Killers compilation of 1982, and Vincent Cusano (later to become Vinnie Vincent ) was responsible for lead guitar on the 1982 release, Creatures Of The Night . By 1983 the popularity of the band was waning and drastic measures were called for. The legendary make-up that had concealed their true identities for almost 10 years was removed on MTV in the USA. Vinnie Vincent made his first official appearance on Lick It Up , an album that provided Kiss with their first Top 10 hit in the UK. The resurgence of the band continued with Animalize .

Vincent had been replaced by Mark St. John (b. Mark Norton), a seasoned session player and guitar tutor. His association with the band was short-lived, however, as he was struck down by Reiters Syndrome. Bruce Kulick was enlisted as a temporary replacement on the 1984 European Tour, and subsequently became a permanent member when it became apparent that St. John would not be able to continue as a band member. Further commercial success was achieved with Asylum and Crazy Nights , the latter featuring their biggestUK hit single, 'Crazy Crazy Nights', which peaked at number 4 in October 1987 and was soon followed by another Top 40 hit single, 'Reason To Live'.

Hot In The Shade succeeded their third compilation album, Smashes, Thrashes And Hits , and included another US hit single, 'Forever', which reached number 8 in February 1990. Work on a new Kiss album with producer Bob Ezrin was delayed following Eric Carr's illness due to complications from cancer. He died on 24 November 1991, in New York, at the age of 41. Despite this setback, Kiss contributed a hit cover version of Argent 's classic 'God Gave Rock 'N' Roll To You II' (UK number 4, January 1992) to the soundtrack of the film Bill And Ted's Bogus Journey, and brought in replacement drummer Eric Singer (ex- Black Sabbath ; Badlands ). The album Revenge also provided them with their highest charting US album (number 4), and their first Top 10 release since Dynasty reached number 9 in 1979.

The Kiss My Ass tribute album was released in 1994, with contributions from Lenny Kravitz , Stevie Wonder , Garth Brooks , Lemonheads , Faith No More , Dinosaur Jr, Rage Against The Machine and others. The interest in Kiss My Ass led to a historic reunion for MTV Unplugged . A stable unit with Bruce Kulick (guitar) and Eric Singer (drums), together with Simmons and Stanley, appeared to be on the cards, but Frehley and Criss returned for a reunion tour. So successful was the tour that Kulick and Singer were naturally somewhat annoyed and both quit. Their irritation was further exacerbated by the fact that a new studio album, Carnival Of Souls , featured both of them. In 1997 Vincent sued the band, alleging that they owed him royalties.

A year later Psycho Circus marked the return of the original line-up to the studio, and became the group's highest charting US album when it debuted at number 3 in October. With a history spanning three decades, Kiss' impact on the consciousness of a generation of music fans, particularly in the USA, remains enormous.