Gene Simmons & Jackyl in Colorado Springs

Gene Simmons is an Israeli-born American rock musician, bassist and co-founder of KISS. He formed the band with Paul Stanley in New York City in 1973 and performs in its makeup as the Demon. His voice and bass are central to songs including “God of Thunder” and “Deuce,” while “Rock and Roll All Nite” became one of the group’s signature songs. Gene Simmons spent decades touring arenas and stadiums with KISS, including the Alive/Worldwide Tour, which reunited the original lineup in the 1990s. He later took the Gene Simmons Band into clubs, theatres and festivals for a solo tour in 2017. He returned to large venues for the End of the Road World Tour, which concluded with KISS at Madison Square Garden in 2023.

Jackyl is an American hard-rock band formed in Kennesaw, Georgia, in 1991. Led by singer Jesse James Dupree, the group plays hard rock rooted in Southern rock and heavy metal. Its self-titled debut album introduced its best-known songs, including “The Lumberjack,” “Down on Me,” “When Will It Rain” and “I Stand Alone.” Jackyl performed at Woodstock ’94 and later built a long association with the Full Throttle Saloon during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Recurring concerts there connected the band’s live work closely to the annual gathering in South Dakota. The band performs as a full rock lineup, and “The Lumberjack” features its signature stage ritual: Dupree plays a chainsaw as an instrument and uses it to cut a wooden stool.