Even if KISS doesn't reschedule Knoxville show, fans could see the band one last time

Knoxville fans probably missed their chance at a goodbye KISS.

The band was set to play in Knoxville Nov. 24 at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center, but the show was canceled at the last minute due to band member Paul Stanley contracting the flu. KISS had canceled shows in Ottawa and Toronto, Canada, days before.

The "End of the Road" tour, touted as the band's final one, will conclude Dec. 2 in New York City at Madison Square Garden, in a show definitively billed as "The Final Concert."

The tour has experienced delays since it started Jan. 31, 2019, notably due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Having missed out on the local show barely a week before that last performance, can Knoxville fans of the rock 'n' roll band still see KISS live one last time?

Will the Knoxville KISS concert get rescheduled?

Unfortunately for disappointed fans, no new date was announced for the band's Knoxville stop. Thompson-Boling Arena's webpage for the concert included a statement about the last-minute cancellation from KISS, and said that refunds would be made available to ticket holders from wherever their tickets were purchased.

Knox News called Thompson-Boling Arena's management staff Nov. 27 about a possible rescheduling, but no update has been given to the venue.

To rub salt in the wound, after canceling the Nov. 24 show in Knoxville, KISS performed in Indianapolis the very next night, on Nov. 25.

No updates on Paul Stanley's health were posted on social media by either KISS or Stanley himself. No mention was made at the Indianapolis show by Stanley, who did perform.

As the Dec. 2 performance in New York City is billed as "The Final Concert," KISS likely won't be looping back around to play Knoxville after the Madison Square Garden show.

How to watch final KISS concert

There is one solution for Knoxville fans that doesn't involve traveling to New York.

KISS' final concert Dec. 2 will be available on pay-per-view for $39.99 before taxes and fees. Knoxville fans could even use that refunded concert ticket money for this event.

Otherwise, eager fans can get tickets for either Dec. 1 or 2 at Madison Square Garden, book a hotel (or find a friend to house you) and travel to New York City for those last concerts.

Has KISS done a farewell tour before?

KISS already did a "Farewell Tour" in 2000, which included a Knoxville stop.

Before the cancellation, Nov. 24 would have been the first time KISS had played here in over 20 years. If the band is serious about this being its "final" show, then that performance in 2000 was the final time Knoxville became a true "Rock City."

KISS became the third cancellation or postponement this year of a major band's show at Thompson-Boling Arena due to illness. The Chicks postponed a July 29 concert to Sept. 21. More recently, Aerosmith postponed a Knoxville concert that had been set for Jan. 13, 2024, for the band's "Peace Out" tour, because of Steven Tyler's larynx injury. A new date for the Aerosmith show has not been announced yet, but previously purchased tickets will be honored.

KISS started in 1973 in New York City. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. Original members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, as well as Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer, are current band members.

Keenan Thomas reports for the Knox News business growth and development team. You can reach him by email at keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: How to watch final KISS concert after 2023 Knoxville, TN, cancelation