•      I wasn’t sure if I was going to see Ace Frehley at Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino. But I put in a media request at the last minute and my hero Director of Entertainment for Boyd Gaming Marty Giovi approved my request and I was off to rock the night!Ace came on stage with a flurry of excitement from the fans that looked like a full house. The KISS fans were out in full force and rocked out to all of the KISS classics.  I took my photos from the front row for the beginning of the show and Ace threw a guitar pick that bounced right off my boot. The girl who was dancing behind me grabbed it and I had my camera in my hand and didn’t feel like fighting for a guitar pick.Paul Daniel “Ace” Frehley AKA “Spaceman” talked about the early days of KISS in New York City when he was riding the subway and wrote “Cold Gin”, one of early KISS gems. During the early KISS hysteria, if I remember correctly that all the members released a solo album and Ace’s was the only one that made its way up to the top of the charts. And this was due to his killer tune “Back in the New York Groove.” I always loved that song and Ace played it with precision and it was received with heightened excitement from the fans. That song along with the smoke coming out of his Les Paul guitar which is always cool and a crowd pleaser were the highlights of the show for me.

And Kudos to Ace for wearing a Dolly Parton T-Shirt!

And the band was incredible! With Ryan Spencer on Bass, Jeremy Asbrock on guitar and Scot Coogan on drums, the energy and musicianship was air tight and rockin! Scot used to live here in Vegas and he waived to me in the crowd. I am really proud of Scot. He has had quite a career and I never really saw him up close from the crowd until that night. He was sensational!  He is a world class drummer and anyone is lucky to have him in their band!     Watching the smoke coming out of his Ace’s guitar took me back to the mid-70’s when I first saw KISS. I was way underage and would go early to every rock concert at the Indianapolis Convention Center. I always read Rock Scene magazine out of New York so I was ready for these characters in their cool make-up to come to my town. No one really knew them back then but I was always backstage, onstage and out front taking photos. My friend Dave who was with Sunshine Promotions would always give me a pass understanding I was a crazy rock kid and an outcast at school with all my silver streaks in my hair and glitter outfits.     The first time they came to town I showed a copy of Creem Magazine to Gene Simmons where there was a small photo of him sticking out his tongue. Gene and the road crew all gathered around all excited to look as I think this was the first time they ever got national media exposure. Gene and Paul Stanley would always sit on each side of me to see the photos I took at the last show. There was never anyone or any photographers backstage – just me. I would always hang around their dressing rooms and make them pose for me which they were always happy to do. Sometimes they didn’t come out until they were running onstage and I would snap my little Kodak flashcube camera as fast as I could! (  I have SO many stories!)     In 2014 John 5 came up to me during our rehearsal of my Vegas Rocks! Magazine Awards and said: “You want to see something really cool?” I was stressed out and in a hurry but I said “Sure”. John then proceeded to show me a photo of me and Gene Simmons backstage from 1975 that was on a Kiss Mania website. I have no idea where they got it and how they knew it was me. No one for years knew where the photos were taken until a few years ago. People think it was Gene with some groupie but quite the opposite: A roadie grabbed my camera as Gene was trying to put his hand down my shirt. I was pushing him away saying “No no, my mother will see this.” And he did not succeed! Gene always kept asking me how old I was every time he came to town and I didn’t want to admit I was 14 or I might be thrown out of backstage so I kept lying: “How old are you?” he would ask. “16” I said. “You told me last time we were here you were 17 so which is it?” I never was good with numbers!

     Getting back to the show at Sam’s Town, I stayed in the front row for the entire show. There was an Ace/ KISS fanatic that kept running up to Ace to show him his shirt (like Ace really cared LOL) and anytime Ace threw a pick out he shoved everyone out of the way to get it – including me. At the end of the show,
Ace threw a Spaceman stuffed animal right to me and this bully who wasn’t even supposed to be up front pushed me right out of the way to grab it from me. I was really upset. But Scot went up to Ace’s mic stand and handed out some of his guitar picks and gave me one and luckily I was given a stuffed Spaceman backstage.

There seemed to be a little bit of drama backstage. When Marty took me back before the meet and greet I was out in the hallway waiting. I saw a guy coming out of the room yelling at Ace: “I don’t know what you want Ace!” turns out it was Ace’s bodyguard.  Ace seemed irritated and Marty brought me and my friend Anna in the room to say hello to Ace. Ace got really nervous and said: “Where’s my bodyguard?!? I have 50 Meet and Greets to do!”, as I was sitting down next to him for a photo. But then Marty spoke up and said: “They’re with me” and Ace relaxed and took the photos. I do understand Ace being worried not knowing who was in his room: I have seen KISS fanatics go crazy and pretty much attack him in public. And that includes the bully who stole my stuffed animal! He was racing behind Ace to grab him but I was glad when I saw the doors to the hotel rooms close behind Ace and lock him out. Karma buddy!

To sum up the show I have to admit I liked it way more than I thought I would! The entire show was great! Ace is Rock Royalty and let me be clear about something: WITHOUT ACE THERE WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN A KISS! If Ace hadn’t answered their ad and shown up in his red tennis shoes with his rockin’ guitar licks, the band would have never have been able to move forward!

Thanks for the memories Ace! Keep Rockin!

Sally Steele

Photos: Sally Steele

Special thanks to Marty Giovi for the media credentials!