Kiss Rock-n-Roll Expo coming to Plainview

Gene Simmons of the heavy metal band Kiss. Credit: Getty Images / Jim Dyson

By David J. Criblezdavid.criblez@newsday.com DavidJCriblezApril 1, 2018

Long Island has hosted comic book, baseball card and science fiction conventions, and now it will host a Kiss convention.

The makeup-faced hard rock foursome will be the focus of a new Long Island Kiss Rock-n-Roll Expo May 5 at the Holiday Inn in Plainview from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“This is a day to come out and celebrate the world of Kiss,” says co-creator Steve Kloos, 53, of Merrick. “It’s going to be a rock and roll circus.”

The event will feature three rooms with vendors selling Kiss merchandise and other rock and roll paraphernalia. Meet-and-greets are planned with Jay Jay French and Mark Mendoza of Long Island’s own Twisted Sister, Kiss cover artist Ken Kelly of Hauppauge and a slew of others linked to the band. Patrons can partake in a costume contest, play trivia and hear the Kiss tribute band Alive ’75 during the event.

“My partners and I all grew up die-hard Kiss fans attending the New Jersey Kiss expos in ’90s and we want to bring back that old school vibe to Long Island,” Kloos says. “The goal is to make this an annual event.”

Kiss has a hard-core fan base known as the Kiss Army that’s been dedicated to the band since it began in 1973.

“Fans love them because there were so many different factors to this band — the music, the big stage show and, of course, their mystique. Nobody knew what the original four members looked like without their makeup. Growing up as a kid, that was the biggest thing in the world,” Kloos says. “Today Kiss is still up, running and selling out arenas plus pushing their merchandise. I don’t think they are ever going to go away.”

Tickets for the Kiss Rock-n-Roll Expo are $15 in advance, $20 at the door and $25 for entry one hour early. Kids 12 and younger go free. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit longislandkissexpo.com.