When you think Kix, you immediately generate the image of a hard-hitting Rock n Roll band with great, catchy tunes and an energy-packed live show.  Whether you’ve seen the band live in the ’80s, in the last few years or anywhere in between, this still rings true.  I was able to catch the show a few nights ago on the MidAmerican Energy Stage at the Iowa State Fair and by far…  Kix did not disappoint.  This was a last-minute decision to drive the few hours to the show but since the band hasn’t been through the area in a few years, it was decided this was “a need to go” trip.  On the way, as is now customary to do, a quick social media update was posted to let all our friends know our group of five were on the way.  I was absolutely amazed to see the response.   So many people that I would never suspect as a fan let alone heard of this band and their songs, that I played religiously through the late 80s/90s (and today), posted comments about “being a killer show” and “absolutely love that band” and it was one response after another.  Proving there are many fans out there still regularly listening to the songs Kix has released over the last 40 years.

Once in and through the extremely packed fair, we made it to the amphitheater where Brian “Damage” Forsythe, Ronnie “10/10” Younkins, Steve Whiteman, Jimmy “Chocolate” Chalfant, and Mark Schenker soon hit the stage with full rigor, the crowd quickly shuffling in as close to the stage as possible.  It was evident we were surrounded by many long-time fans as they sang every word, while the band played songs from a variety of albums.  The setlist covered tunes from several of the early albums including the self-titled Kix, Cool Kids, Midnight Dynamite and the album which provided the band with the most commercial success, the platinum Blow My Fuse.  We heard crowd favorites such as The Itch, Midnight Dynamite and Get It While It’s Hot and of course, the ever-popular ballad, Don’t Close Your Eyes, which had peaked at number eleven on the charts after being released as a single.  A highlight of the night was seeing the crowd go crazy with the first few notes as the band laid into Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, along with Steve’s adlib session during the middle of the song, definitely proving a die-hard, fan-filled crowd.

Over the span of their career with a 7 year break in between, the band has released 7 studio albums, 2 live albums and a 2-disc special edition anniversary set Fuse 30 Reblown, a remix of the Blow My Fuse album released exactly to the day on the 30th anniversary of the album’s initial release.  This includes a documentary, music videos and live tracks.

From the opening song until the encore, which Steve explained they were going to play right through as there was no reason to break and make the crowd chant when you know the band is coming out any way to finish, it was truly a fantastic rock show with an entirely recognizable setlist and a fully engaged crowd.  For a band that has toured together for so long, the comradery on stage shown through and the fun, rock show vibe laid out for all to absorb.  This is a band that you should catch live every chance you get.  Hats off to you Brian, Ronnie, Steve, Jimmy, and Mark for a killer show!

Check out these dates for shows coming up:

Here are more shots from the show in IA: