KISS plays acoustic show at San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino Thursday in Highland, CA.

(press enterprise) For a band too often dismissed as a novelty act, the KISS: An Acoustic Evening concert at San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino in Highland on Thursday night was a rarity appreciated by die-hard fans.

Even from the stage, singer and guitarist Paul Stanley mused repeatedly that he didn’t know if the band would ever do a show like it again.

The first time the band went acoustic was for MTV Unplugged nearly 20 years ago. In the time since, the band has brought out the acoustic instruments for the rare special events such as the annual KISS Kruise.

Making the night even more of a novelty were the cameras following the band around for a reality show about the LA KISS arena football team, which is owned in part by Stanley and bassist Gene Simmons. The band’s first home game at the Honda Center in Anaheim is Saturday, April 5.

KISS, a band known for marketing everything from condoms to coffins, gave the football team a few promotional plugs in the set, and attendees received a free hat with the logo upon entrance. The KISS Army proudly wore the hats, as well as T-shirts (KISS and Iron Maiden are two of the only artists where it’s totally acceptable to wear their shirts to the show) and even button-down shirts with some of the band’s album covers on them.

The sold-out crowd, which skewed middle-age and older, had KISS fanatics who displayed their love not only with patches and T-shirts, but also ink on their bodies.

The show, which included a number of deep cuts, was for them.

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