By Monty Siekerman
A video presentation of the remembrances of the Kiss concert at ONU will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, exactly 40 years after the performance. The program, free and open to the public, will be held in Dicke Building.
A class taught by Jimmy Wilson has worked this semester in researching the event and interviewing those who attended.
People are coming from all over the local area and from far away, such as San Francisco, to see the concert documentary.
Forty years ago, the newly christened King-Horn Gymnasium hosted a triple-bill rock and roll concert featuring Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Kiss, The James Gang and The Flock.
It was by far the most notable lineup to ever play at ONU.
But for being one of the loudest and rowdiest events to ever take place on campus, this concert is surprisingly shrouded in mystery.
Varying accounts indicate some level of damage occurred to King-Horn as a result of Kiss’ performance.
Some say the curtains caught fire, others say the brand-new gym floor was damaged.
Another mystery involves whether the members of the band spent the night on campus in one of the residence halls and ate at the McIntosh Center dining hall. Kiss drummer Peter Criss mentions as much in his autobiography.
But by far, the greatest mystery is whether Kiss played the song “Rock and Roll all Nite” at the concert.
If that claim can be proven, ONU can claim one of the truly significant moments in rock and roll history.
Did the students solve these mysteries? Attend the Saturday night showing and find out.
