The most telling moment at Target Center last night came right before the encore, as the band prepared to kick into "Rock and Roll All Nite." Paul Stanley made a speech about "how screwed up the world is." He mentioned the economy, politics and global warming. He predictably brushed them all off. "We're here to forget all that for one night," he said, practically admitting that the point of a Kiss concert is to not have to think.

Point taken. Let's not think too hard about the show last night, as perhaps I did in my full review (click here to read it). The encore certainly had enough distracting pyro and pizzazz to forget about everything else, although the band started to sound a little winded -- even including the ageless Mr. Stanley after he flew over the crowd to a small rotating stage at the back of the arena for "Love Gun."

I'm sure those of you who wore your Kiss costumes and makeup weren't thinking too much about it, either, and good for you. Next time, though, maybe do think about tailoring your outfits a little bit... a lot of you have put on pounds since the last Kiss show. Sure, we all have, but we all don't go out at night wearing tight-fitting spandex outfits.

I have to ask what you other fans thought of "the new guys" standing in for Ace and Peter to the point of even singing their songs -- Tommy Thayer leading us through "Shock Me," and Eric Singer delivering half of "Black Diamond." To their credit, both guys sang their parts surprisingly well. And those are two of the best all-time Kiss anthems, so no argument about including them. In fact, maybe we're lucky to have Eric instead of Peter, since it meant we didn't have to endure "Beth" with the pre-recorded strings and the ceremonial rose giveaway. Still... pretty hoky and maybe even criminal to try to replicate Ace and Peter like that, don't you think?

Oh wait, there I go thinking again. Here's the full set list (with perhaps a missing song or two...?):

Deuce / Strutter / Let Me Go, Rock 'N' Roll / Hotter Than Hell / Shock Me / Calling Dr. Love / Modern Day Delilah / Cold Gin (guitar solo) / Parasite / 100,000 Years (drum solo) / I Love It Loud / Black Diamond / Rock And Roll All Nite

Encore: Shout It Out Loud / Lick It Up / Love Gun / Detroit Rock City