KISS’s Gene Simmons & Ace Frehley to reunite on stage at Hurricane Harvey benefit show
KISS founding members Gene Simmons and Ace Frehley are set to perform live together for the first time in over 16 years.
The former bandmates will play The Children Matter Benefit Concert at the 10,000 capacity CHS Field Stadium in St. Paul, Minnesota on Wednesday 20th September. All proceeds will go directly to support the victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Ace will play guitar alongside headliners Gene Simmons Band with former Eagles guitarist Don Felder and Cheap Trick also joining them for ‘once-in-a-lifetime collaborative performances.’
Gene and Ace last shared the stage together at the Carrara Stadium in Queensland, Australia in April 2001 on the final night of the Kiss Farewell Tour.
Explaining the premise behind The Children Matter Benefit Concert, the event’s official website reads: “The Children Matter is a collaborative initiative created by Gene Simmons & the nonprofit MATTER on the simple belief that the lives of children matter. Regardless of race, income, gender, religion, or location every child deserves the same access to a full and healthy life.
“Right now, there are over 10,000 children & families in Houston still living in shelters! Displaced from their homes, in need of food & basic daily necessities immediately. MATTER in partnership with their on-ground Houston partners is sending and distributing MATTERbox Meals Kits, Sanitation Supplies, Contamination Prevention Supplies, and more.”
Tickets to the show are on sale now and range from $60 for a standard ticket to $250 for a VIP meet-and-greet package. For more information head to www.thechildrenmatter.ngo.
> The Children Matter Benefit @MATTER_ngo now with @cheaptrick @donfelder @ace_frehley pic.twitter.com/R6ZiVYtWba > > — Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) September 12, 2017
Back in June, Gene revealed that he has co-written two songs for Ace’s next solo album.
“Literally two days ago I was with Ace and we wrote two songs,” Gene told Minnesota radio station 92 KQRS. “He asked me to write for his next solo record. So I went over to his place, way out in the desert some place, and we wrote two things.”
Paul Stanley guested on Ace’s 2016 covers album ‘Origins, Vol.1’ on a version of Free’s ‘Fire and Water’.
Despite the former band mates being on good terms, earlier this year Paul categorically ruled out the idea of a KISS reunion with original members.
Asked if it could happen by Billboard, Paul said: “No. And that’s not coming from any place of animosity. I sang on Ace’s most recent album and did a video with him.
“I have the connection and the reconnection and to celebrate the good things we’ve done together is terrific. The band as it is—I’ve played with Eric Singer for I think 25 years and Tommy’s (Thayer) been in the band probably 15 years at this point.
“I have no thoughts of re-visiting the past. With that said I am happy to enhance or do whatever I can for anyone who has helped put me where I am, but that doesn’t include getting hitched again to somebody I unhitched from.”