KISS Holds Candlelit Tribute for Late Guitarist Ace Frehley at Las Vegas Show

KISS paused for a candlelit moment of silence before its first performance since Ace Frehley's death. The tribute took place at the KISS Kruise: Landlocked in Vegas event outside Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

Paul Stanley spoke to the crowd before the band began their concert, according to Rolling Stone. "We just wanted to take a moment to think about ... somebody who was at the foundation of this band," Stanley said.

Ace Frehley died on Oct. 16 at 74 from injuries he received in a fall. He co-founded the band in 1973 with Stanley, Simmons, and drummer Peter Criss. The guitarist left in the early 1980s to pursue a solo career, and he returned for a reunion from 1996 to 2002.

Fans received electric candles before the show. They lifted them, and then the crowd started chanting "Ace! Ace! Ace!." This was the first time that the band played together since their farewell tour ended in December 2023 at Madison Square Garden. Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer, and Eric Singer performed without makeup for the acoustic set. The opening night ended with KISS Karaoke in the Skybox. 

The band opened the show with "Comin' Home," co-written by Stanley and Ace Frehley. They played 10 more songs, including "Comin' Home," "See You Tonite," and "A World Without Heroes."

The three-day KISS Kruise: Landlocked in Vegas event ended on Nov. 16. The band performed an electric show Saturday night at the same venue with Quiet Riot, Stephen Pearcy, and Warren DeMartini.