KISS Commemorates Foundational 1976 Stadium Gig With Massive Live Album
One of the most heavily bootlegged and revered live performances in rock history is finally receiving an official release. KISS has announced KISS Destroys Anaheim '76, a comprehensive two-disc live collection documenting the band's landmark performance at Anaheim Stadium in California.
The archival release captures the original lineup of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss performing before a capacity crowd of more than 42,000 on Aug. 20, 1976. At the time, it marked the largest headlining audience of KISS' career, underscoring the band's rapid ascent from theaters to stadiums. The collection arrives Aug. 21, 2026, through UMe.
Eddie Kramer Returns to the Console
The Anaheim concert found KISS at the height of its mid-1970s breakthrough, supported by an opening bill featuring MONTROSE, Bob Seger and Ted Nugent. Although audience-recorded bootlegs have circulated among the KISS Army for decades, KISS Destroys Anaheim '76 draws from the original professionally recorded multi-track master tapes captured on-site by a mobile recording unit.
Legendary producer Eddie Kramer, who engineered and produced the band's breakthrough live album Alive!, returned to the original recordings to create a new mix from the ground up. The result preserves the performance's raw, unembellished energy while benefiting from modern restoration techniques. According to previous interviews, Criss has often described the Anaheim show as his favorite performance with KISS, viewing it as the moment the band completed its transformation into a stadium attraction.
A Snapshot of the Destroyer Era
The 17-song set leans heavily on material from Destroyer, Dressed to Kill, Hotter Than Hell and the band's self-titled debut, capturing KISS during one of the defining periods of its career. Highlights include:
"Detroit Rock City"
"King of the Night Time World"
"Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll"
"Strutter"
Ace Frehley Guitar Solo
"Shout It Out Loud"
Gene Simmons Bass Solo
"God of Thunder"
Peter Criss Drum Solo
"Rock and Roll All Nite"
KISS Destroys Anaheim '76 will be available on standard black 2LP vinyl, multiple color vinyl editions, standard CD and a Japanese SHM-CD edition featuring a 60-page hardcover book. A deluxe 2LP picture disc version will also include a commemorative coin and a 40-page book of previously unreleased photographs and vintage memorabilia curated by author and band historian Ken Sharp.
The release arrives as KISS prepares for its second annual KISS Kruise: Land-Locked in Vegas at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in November, demonstrating that the band's archival program remains active even after retiring from full-scale touring.
Fans can check out the official preview for the record HERE.