NEWCASTLE band The Screaming Jets will rock one of their biggest ever crowds after they landed the support slot at this year's Supercars concert headlined by the legendary KISS.
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KISS' Newcastle Supercars show at No.1 Sportsground on Saturday, November 23, is part of the band's End of the Road World Tour, which began in January in Vancouver.
In the first two years of the Newcastle 500 Supercars race the concerts have established themselves as a hot ticket on the Hunter's entertainment calendar.
In 2017 pop starlet Delta Goodrem and pub-rockers Cold Chisel drew 5000 and 20,000 punters to Newcastle Foreshore on consecutive nights, while last year Scottish band Simple Minds attracted an estimated 7000 to the concert's new home at No.1 Sportsground.
KISS, renown for their theatrical costumes and epic production, are expected to eclipse previous crowds, particularly as it is their only non-capital city show of their Australian farewell tour.
The band's only other concert in Newcastle was at the Entertainment Centre in 2015.
Screaming Jets frontman Dave Gleeson said the show would be the band's biggest since their impromptu gig at Civic Park in 1997 when they performed for 50,000 people during the Knights' grand final celebrations.
"Any time you get on a big stage like that, that's when you get up and show people what you've got," Gleeson said. "I maintain if you put the Jets on a big stage anywhere in the world we'll blow it out of the park.
"When you're in a small venue it's like you're caged tiger, but when you're out there on the big stage you pull out all the tricks."
Ironically the first time KISS decided to "farewell" their Australian fans back in 2001 The Screaming Jets were the support.
"That was 18 years ago, but I think this is the real farewell tour," Gleeson laughed. "That one was just a precursor."
The 2001 tour was problematic for KISS with original drummer Peter Criss leaving halfway through. However Gleeson, a life-long KISS fan, remembers it fondly.
"They've toured with a thousand bands over the years, but [frontman] Paul Stanley was really nice," he said. "The first night of the tour he strutted in with all his gear two hours before he was supposed to go on and he's already made up.
"He said, 'It's great to have you guys here, I've heard great things about you guys'. For me it was all time."
Gleeson will return to his former school, St Francis Xavier College in Hamilton, on Wednesday with Screaming Jets bassist Paul Woseen and Holden Supercars driver Tim Slade to formally launch the KISS concert.
KISS Rock'n'Race tickets are on sale and include entry to the Newcastle 500.