Gene Simmons becomes ill on stage in Brazil

On April 12, 2023, the rock band Kiss performed at the Amadeu Teixeira Arena in Manaus, Brazil as part of their farewell tour, End of the Road. Unfortunately, during the show, bassist and co-lead vocalist Gene Simmons, 73, became ill and had to stop performing.

Videos posted by fans show that singer and guitarist Paul Stanley, 71, interrupted the concert to explain the situation to the audience and ask for their support for Simmons. He said, “Hold on, Hold on. We’re gonna have to stop. We know how much you love Gene, and he’s obviously sick. We’re gonna have to stop to take care of him, because we love him, right? Let’s give Gene a really loud, ‘Gene!’ One, two, three – Gene!”

The performance was paused for about five minutes, according to a clip posted by the publication ACritica, before Simmons returned to the stage with a chair. He stayed seated for the remainder of the show, continuing to play and sing the band’s song “Say Yeah.”

After the concert, Simmons tweeted a message of thanks to his fans: “Thank you to everyone who came out to see us tonight in Manaus. I’m sorry for not being able to finish the show, but your love and support means the world to me. We’ll be back soon!”

There has been no official statement from Simmons’ representative about his condition or whether he will be able to perform at future concerts on the tour.

Kiss announced their farewell tour, End of the Road, in 2018, and have been performing around the world since then. Last month, the band announced that they would return to the United States from October to December for a series of concerts. They plan to call it quits after two back-to-back shows at Madison Square Garden in New York at the end of 2023.

Simmons and Stanley, along with drummer Peter Criss and lead guitarist Ace Frehley, formed Kiss in New York City in 1973. The band is known for their distinctive makeup and costumes, as well as their high-energy performances and hit songs like “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Detroit Rock City,” and “Beth.” Despite lineup changes over the years, Kiss has remained a beloved and influential band, with a devoted fan base known as the Kiss Army.