Shakespeare by day. Simmons by night.
Tom Pressano spends his weekdays teaching English in New York City, but as his students tell him, he’s a freak on the weekends. Pressano, or “The Demon,” on bass and vocals, is one-quarter of the Kiss tribute band KISS ALIVE! He impersonates fellow (former) teacher, Gene Simmons.
The NYC-based KISS ALIVE! will bring the makeup, the costumes and the setlist that made KISS rock n’ roll icons to Nightcaps in Edwardsville this Saturday, April 4. It seems as if Kiss and other legendary bands from that era are still insanely popular today, and Pressano offered that perhaps it’s because they were the first big entertainers in the genre.
“Oh, there’s something lasting about them. Kiss, Led Zeppelin, Sabbath ... they’re the originators, the godfathers of heavy metal,” said Pressano. “KISS was the first to do a fantastic stage show, and really have an explosive rock performance. They are pioneers of this genre and still stand out. They are a lot different than the corporate rock or pop stars (of today). Kiss is still touring arenas.”
Pressano and Pat “Spaceman” Propora (guitar, vocals) co-founded KISS ALIVE! in 1999, and like Kiss itself, the tribute band has continued to evolve. Rounded out by Dan “The Catman” Gamma (drums) and Luke “Starchild” Luv (guitar), the group also played on the track “Shock Me” for the 2008 Kiss tribute album, “Lickin’ it Up.” They earned that nod when the album’s producer was told KISS ALIVE! was “the definitive” tribute band. But that compliment stems from a decade of experience. The group has been studying Kiss over the years, trying to get its execution just perfect.
“It started as basic and crude, and we got it down, and people are impressed,” Pressano said, adding that the band continues to learn every day. “Like the (original) bands did, tribute bands go through that same evolution.”
With lots of practice to perfect the makeup application and finding seamstresses to make the costumes, to learning all the stage antics that go along with their corresponding Kiss band members, KISS ALIVE! is making some serious noise on the club circuit. Once only playing local to New York City and then the tri-state area, the band now plays up and down the East Coast, even venturing to tropical locations like Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
“It’s been fun to travel. We’re really branching out. People are hearing about us and starting to call. It’s flattering, because Kiss fans can be very critical.”
Pressano said KISS ALIVE! shows are a musical mix of all eras of Kiss.
“The old diehards want to hear the classic ’70s Kiss, and the younger crowd wants to hear the ’80s stuff, so we mix it up,” he said, adding that sometimes the band plays off the crowd for what songs to play that particular evening.
But perhaps what Pressano likes best is when he really gets into the Simmons antics. Getting wild onstage certainly makes the hour and a half he needs for getting into costume and makeup pay off.
“Any tune I like, but when I get to do all the crazy stuff, that’s when it gets fun. I get to spit fire and blood. It’s fun doing the fireball,” he said, hinting that the show includes things that would make any pyro happy.
Pressano was fresh from a show in Chambersburg, Pa., when he spoke with the Weekender. The band was thrilled with the turnout and crowd there and is excited to come back to Pennsylvania this weekend.
“We want to come out and do the Kiss music and stage show justice. We want you to feel that Kiss is in the house, and hopefully we can fool ya for a few minutes,” he said. “Come dressed in your Kiss makeup.”
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KISS ALIVE!, Saturday, April 4, 10 p.m., at Nightcap’s, West Side Mall, Edwardsville. Info: www.kissaliverocks.com
