This is the first time I get to review a DVD of a show that I actually attended.  Back in 2006, Paul Stanley went out on a solo tour to promote the Live To Win record.  The tour made a stop at the House of Blues in Chicago, and I was there to see the magic.  It was great to see a legend in a small intimate setting, but I have to admit, the place looks bigger on the DVD than in real life.  This is a no-frills release as you basically get the show as it was presented to the audience that night and nothing more.  Quite honestly, that is all you need as the show is worth every penny.  I always thought Stanley was the musical brains in Kiss, and it shows throughout the DVD.  Obviously the focus is on the songs he contributed to Kiss but he also sneaks in four songs from the record he is promoting.  “Lift," "Everytime I See You Around," "Bulletproof" and the title track all get performed with as much enthusiasm as the older Kiss classics.  And speaking of Kiss songs, the band pull out a few tunes that were never performed by Kiss like “Magic Touch” and “Tonight You Belong To Me” (not a Kiss song per se but they did do solo material on the Dynasty tour).  Of course they had to play “Love Gun," “Detroit Rock City” and “Lick It Up,” but they also pulled out less played material like “I Want You," “Hide Your Heart” and “A Million To One”.   All in all, Stanley and the band played the tunes like their lives depended on it.  As far as the visuals, this DVD was shot in the way you would view a concert without the constant angle changes and cut-aways every two seconds.  If you didn’t purchase this DVD previously because it didn’t have the other Kiss members,  then you are really missing out.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2022  Volume 5. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2022.