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March 26, 2025

Gene Simmons Defends Charging Fans $12K to Be His Roadie

Did you really think Gene Simmons would back down after being publicly roasted for offering fans a $12,495 “roadie for a day” experience on his upcoming solo tour?Well, think again. The Kiss star doubled down on the idea in a new interview, saying he was inspired by remembering his own questions while attending shows as a child.”I was always curious, ‘What’s it like when they’re in a hotel? What’s it like when the stage is set up? What’s it like being onstage when they’re performing and seeing the audience from the stage?'” Simmons explained to the New York Post.”I decided, ‘you know what, nobody’s ever done it. Why not open the idea to be my personal roadie for the day?'” The five-figure fee does include all of the things Simmons mentioned above – breakfast at the hotel, helping assemble the stage, accompanying Simmons on his various promotional meetings for the day, get introduced to the crowd during the concert and take home an autographed bass.Read More: Why Gene Simmons is Back Performing LiveImportant note: This deal does not include an actual ticket to the show, “as they are sold through the individual venues.”“This is not for everybody and it ain’t cheap,” Simmons said of the offer in a separate interview with Buffalo’s WIVB, placing some of the blame for the high cost on the need for insurance. “It’s also a different world than what I grew up in. Nowadays, if you get a papercut… everybody gets sued.”Although over a dozen of the shows on Simmons’ 2025 solo tour were recently postponed, up to 10 fans still have the chance to fulfill their dreams as the God of Thunder’s roadie at the shows listed below.Gene Simmons Band 2025 Tour DatesMay 2 – Peachtree City, GA – The Fred AmpMay 3 – Beaver Dam, KY @ Beaver Dam AmphitheaterMay 5 – Red Bank, NJ @ BasieMay 6 – Montclair, NJ @ WellmontMay 8 – Bethlehem, PA @ Wind Creek CasinoMay 9 – Huntington, NY @ The ParamountMay 11 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun ArenaMay 14 – Northfield, OH @ MGMMay 15 – Niagara Falls, ON @ Fallsview CasinoAug. 3 – Sturgis, SD – Buffalo ChipTop 15 Hard Rock and Metal Albums of 1980Bold new sounds for a bold new decade.Gallery Credit: Bryan Rolli