Gene Simmons appears to fall ill at Kiss show in Brazil, sits out part of song before set is paused

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By ( Classic Rock ) published

"We're gonna have to stop to take care of him," Paul Stanley told the worried Brazilian crowd

Gene Simmons on stage
(Image credit: Left hand: Medios y Media/Getty Images ; Right hand: Twitter)

Kiss fans have voiced concern for Gene Simmons today after the band's bassist and co-founder appeared to be taken ill at a show in Brazil last night (Wednesday April 12). The gig, which took place at the Arena da Amazônia in Manaus, was the opening night of the Brazilian leg of the band's End Of The Road, final world tour. During a performance of the song Say Yeah, taken from Kiss's 2009 album Sonic Boom, the legendary rock musician was seen having to take a seat near the back of the stage, as seen in footage since posted on social media. 

"We're gonna have to stop to take care of him," Kiss frontman Paul Stanley tells the Brazilian crowd later in the clip, "'cause we love him, right?" After prompting a hearty cry of "Gene!" from the audience, Stanley promises that the band will try to see everyone later.

Luckily, the band did indeed return to the stage following the show stoppage, finishing up a mammoth seventeen-song set with no further issues.

Local music journalist Igor Miranda has suggested that the high temperatures being experienced in the region may have been the cause of Gene's issues, noting that the dials peaked at 31°C yesterday. Donning a shit-ton of make-up and heavy stage armour and being surrounded by pillars of fire and smoke probably doesn't lend itself to a very comfortable performance, so we can't blame Gene for feeling the heat a little.

Watch the footage below. Kiss's final world tour continues around the world through the year, culminating in two shows at New York's legendary Madison Square Garden in December.

 

Merlin Alderslade
Merlin Alderslade
Executive Editor, Louder

Merlin was promoted to Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has written for Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.