KISS Unmasks First Leg Of Farewell Tour

The four original members of KISS have announced plans to apply their make-up, strap on their enormous platform shoes, and hit the road one last time. The band will embark on the first leg of its "Farewell Tour" on March 11 in Phoenix.

In a statement issued today (2/14) on KISS' official website, the band announced that the upcoming tour would mark the final opportunity for fans to see Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Chris together on stage.

Tickets for all shows are scheduled to go on sale at traditional ticketing outlets on Feb. 19. In most markets, tickets will be available beginning on Feb. 16 through a pre-sale promotion at VH1.com.

Ted Nugent will support on all dates of the tour's first leg, and Skid Row will be on the bill for all but the Phoenix show.

The tour's first leg focuses mostly on California and the southern U.S., and generally includes stops in large arenas. A few of the initial dates will take place in amphitheaters, and the tour is expected to mix in more outdoor shows as the tour progresses and the weather warms.

The original members of KISS reunited after a long layoff for a 1996-97 reunion tour, and have toured sporadically ever since. The initial reunion tour was the group's biggest box office success, however, grossing $46.6 million in 1996 to earn honors as that year's highest-grossing tour, according to Pollstar.

KISS will release "Alive IV" (Mercury/Island Def Jam) on March 28th. The album was recorded on New Year's Eve 2000 at Vancouver's BC Place Concert Bowl. The band has sold more than 75 million albums in its 27-year career.