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KISS Returns Unmasked in Las Vegas, Opens First Show Back With Candlelit Ace Frehley Tribute

The unplugged kickoff to the KISS Kruise weekend follows the medical examiner’s finding that Frehley’s October death was an accidental fall causing fatal head injuries.

Overview

  • The outdoor acoustic set on Friday at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas launched KISS Kruise: Land-Locked in Vegas, the band’s first performance since their December 2023 farewell and the first since Frehley’s death.
  • Paul Stanley asked fans to raise electric candles for a moment of silence before the group opened with Comin’ Home as the crowd chanted “Ace.”
  • The performing lineup featured Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer playing unmasked, with a full electric set scheduled later in the weekend.
  • A November 10 report by the Morris County Medical Examiner ruled Frehley’s October 16 death an accident due to blunt head trauma from a fall, noting skull fractures, a subdural hematoma and a stroke.
  • Private memorial and burial services were held October 21–22 in New York with Stanley, Simmons and Peter Criss attending, and the Vegas residency now serves as a public tribute to Frehley’s legacy.