KISS CONVENTION OSLO 1995 Rockefeller Music Hall the 13th of June

Off-stage report part I
Here's the story about what happend before the convention.

It was the 13th of June, it was the clay when we were organizing the Norwegian part of the Kiss Convention Euro-tour 95. It was also the day when we should meet Ace Frehley and be his guides and security for the Oslo visit. This time we couldn't act like the fans we were, this time we had to be professional and do the things that we were told to do. It was of course an honour and a pleasure to be Ace Frehley and George Sewitts (Aces manager) contact persons for over 24 hours. But it was also a challenge cause we had to do everything by their rules 100%,. We were dealing with professionals. Here's a report from the organizers of the Kiss Convention in Oslo about some of the stuff that happend off-stage.

We the organizers were Cato Kristiansen, Lars G. Gustavsen. Stig Karlsen and Leif was the chauffeur. Stig tells the first part of the off-stage report.

The airplane from Amsterdam with George Sewitt and Ace Frehley arrived at Fornebu Airport 11 .25 am. We were giving permission to meet them at the hallway before the entrance hall. After 25 minutes of waiting George Sewitt was coming out. He said that Ace was coming after shortly so we just started to talk about the convention that was held in Rotterdam and about how we were going to do the convention in Oslo. About the security. Ace on stage etc. After 20 minutes of nice talk with George. Ace was finally coming. He wear black from bottom to top. He was very tired and looked spaced out. People looked at him cause he sure looked different. We were not allowed to take any pictures yet. The Kiss legend had his feet in Norway for the first time since 1980. The last time he were here was on Kisses Unmasked tour.

We carried his luggage to the Mercedes Van that we had rented. Ace was not saying much. The arrival of Ace Frehley was konfidential so it was just 4-5 fans at the entrance hall. We drove to Plaza Hotel were Ace and George was going to stay. We carried their luggage into the hotel. Cato and George was checking in. While Lars and I was talking with Ace. He told us that he fell asleep on the plain and that he was a bit tired. cause when he woke up he were at the airport. He was making sure that he remembered our names light. Then he was starting to make jokes. ACE: Is it possible to bring girls to the hotel room. LARS: Sure! STIG: There's a lot of great looking girls in Norway. ACE: Yes!! I noticed that at the airport. STIG: We could make a list at the convention. ACE: Yeah! That would be great. You know I were recently at a Batman convention. I actually got to sit in the original Batmancar that they use in the movie. That was great!! LARS: Do you know that Kiss are having their own convention-tour this summer? ACE: Yes!! And do you know what they charge for the ticket at the conventions? 100 dollars! It's crazy. What's the ticket price for your convention? LARS: Around 20 dollars. ACE: That's okey! STIG: We just wanted to make the best possible party for the Kiss fans! We don't do this for the economic profit. LARS: Do you have a new band? ACE: Yeah!! (Ace is starting to search his bag for a photo. He picked up the photo and start to tell about the members). He s suddenly sounded quite enthusiastic. We told him that we were the guys that were going to do the interview session at the convention. so we said that we were going to ask him some more then.

It's was now time for Ace to go to his room to relax before the convention. We said, see you later and went to Rockefeller Music Hall to continue the preparations for the night. Cato stayed at the hotel having a meeting with George. Cato and George came back to Rockefeller 4.30 cause George wanted to see the place and making sure that the people where coming smoothly in. We stopped Parasites (The Kiss Coverband) soundcheck at 5.25 and let the people in. After George had checked the place it was time for us to drive back to the hotel to pick up Ace.

George, Leif and I went to the hotel and George went inside. We waited outside the hotel for about an hour before he and Ace was coining out. We were on our way to Rockefeller and in the car I asked Ace about the tape with the new songs that he said in some interviews that he wanted to play for the fans at the conventions. Ace then told me that he never had said that he were going to play them but that he said in those interviews that he might play em. Then we started to talk about how the press always wrote what they wanted to write.

George took a look at the convention-interview and said that the questions was okey. When we arrived Rockefeller went we in the backstage-entrance and Ace and George got they re own private VIP backstage room. While all this was happening to us, people in the crowd was having a good time buying Kiss merchandise and watching rare Kiss videos on a movie screen.

The interview on stage was set to happened around 7.30 p.m. But before Ace was allowed to enter the stage the security and all of the people that were involved with Ace had to come for an meeting in the backstage area. George was feeding us with the rules and Ace was telling us about his convention experience. Then it was time for Lars, me and Ace to hit the stage for the interview. The place was packed with over 1000 true Kiss fans and when we got on stage they made a lot of noise. We sat down and the interview was about to start....

Ace Frehley interview >>