Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
The musician passed away at 74 on October 16, just weeks after experiencing a fall at his residence.
KISS made its first return to the stage since the passing of Ace Frehley.
The iconic rock group took the stage this past weekend for their three-day KISS Kruise: Landlocked event in Las Vegas, just days after Frehley passed away at 74 on October 16, following a fall at his home.
“Before we get started — and we’re going to have an amazing time — we want to take a moment to remember someone who was foundational to this band: Ace,” Paul Stanley said to the audience on Friday, November 14. “Sure, we had our disagreements, but that’s part of being family.”
The next evening, Stanley, 73, along with Gene Simmons, Eric Singer, and Tommy Thayer, briefly referenced Frehley while recalling a recording session from the 1970s. Thayer, 65, even gestured to the sky during a guitar solo.
Throughout the weekend, fans frequently chanted “Ace, Ace, Ace,” including one moment led by Sebastian Bach, who opened for the band on Saturday, November 15.
Frehley, famously known for his “Spaceman” character and makeup, co-founded KISS in 1973 and departed from the band in 1982.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE, his family expressed their grief: “We are utterly devastated and heartbroken. In his final moments, we were able to surround him with love, care, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers, and intentions as he left this world. We treasure all the memories, his laughter, and the kindness he shared with others. The loss is immense and incomprehensible. Reflecting on his remarkable achievements, Ace’s legacy will endure forever.”
The Morris County Medical Examiner later confirmed that Frehley, born Paul Frehley, died from blunt head trauma sustained in a fall, with the death ruled accidental.
KISS Kruise: Landlocked spanned three days and included concerts, karaoke, tribute bands, memorabilia, and a pick-throwing contest.
On November 14, the band played a short acoustic set without their signature face paint outside the Virgin Hotel. They performed again unmasked on November 15, this time as part of a full concert inside the hotel’s theater.
