Rock band Kiss halted their Wednesday night performance after bassist Gene Simmons fell ill onstage.
During Kiss’ Wednesday show at the Arena da Amazônia in Manaus, Brazil, bassist Simmons, 73, fell ill during the band’s performance of “Say Yeah” from their 2009 album Sonic Boom.
Simmons, who was dressed in full costume and makeup for the band’s legendary branded performance, took a seat towards the back of the stage and continued playing.
Following a brief pause in the show the band, including Simmons, finished their seventeen-song concert.
“Ok, kids. Not a big deal. Thanks for your kind wishes,” Simmons wrote Thursday afternoon in Twitter. “Last night we played Amazon jungle Stadium/Brazil. Humidity and temperature were sky high. I was dehydrated and was forced to sit for a song.”
“We got back on stage in 5 minutes & finished the show.”
Ok, kids. Not a big deal. Thanks for your kind wishes. Last night we played Amazon jungle Stadium/Brazil. Humidity and temperature were sky high. I was dehydrated and was forced to sit for a song. We got back on stage in 5 minutes & finished the show. 🤟😎 https://t.co/yMJXOEn8uB
— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) April 13, 2023
“I drank some water, and then all was well. Nothing serious,” the bassist wrote earlier in the day.
After the band finished their song, Kiss guitarist and lead singer Paul Stanley stopped the show to address Simmons’ ailment.
“We’re gonna have to stop to take care of him,” Stanley informed the crowd, “because we love him, right?”
The crowd cheered in agreement as the lead singer said, “Let’s give Gene a really loud ‘Gene!'” to which Stanley counted down the chant of support for the bassist.
“We’ll try to see you a little bit later,” Stanley told the crowd before exiting back stage. “We love you.”
Kiss is currently on their “End of the Road” farewell tour which kicked off in 2019. The tour was scheduled to conclude in 2021 but was postponed and extended following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The band originally embarked on their original farewell tour from 2000 to 2001 with original lead guitarist and drummer Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. Following the end of their “Farewell Tour,” the band took a brief hiatus before returning to the road.
Current drummer Eric Singer, who previously played with the band between 1991 and 1996, permanently assumed drummer Criss’ position in the band following the original member’s 2004 departure.
Frehley, who previously left Kiss in 1982 and reunited along with Criss during the band’s 1996 reunion tour, left the band a second time in 2002. Current lead guitarist Tommy Thayer assumed Frehley’s role following his 2002 departure and has been the longest-serving lead guitarist in the band’s 50 year history.
Kiss’ final performance is scheduled for December 2023 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
