Channel 7 Misses Iconic Kiss AFL Grand Final Guitar Smash

Were KISS one of the best pre-game entertainers the AFL has ever seen?

Performing three hits – I Was Born For Loving You, Shout It Out Loud and Rock And Roll All Night (And Party Every Day) – the band’s 12-and-a-half minute set involved a band nearing their final Australian show playing like there was no tomorrow, pyrotechnics, and kids who clearly poured lots of time rehearsing into their final performance on the big day.

But there was one problem. Channel 7’s coverage of the band’s pre-game performance notably omitted Paul Stanley’s guitar smash, which was teased repeatedly for fans watching live. It’s worth noting that the AFL YouTube account has posted KISS’s entire performance, including the guitar smash, which you can watch below.

In Channel 7’s footage, Stanley swung his guitar over his head multiple times, working up the crowd before the cameras panned to an aerial shot of the MCG just when over 100,000 punters watched him smash the guitar. On television, the camera returned to Stanley holding the guitar neck and the remainder of the guitar on the purpose-built stage.

I thought it might be cheesy and it was but pretty damn awesome at the same time 🎉 Director needs firing for missing the guitar smash 😭

— IronNigel (@brettley65) September 30, 2023

While one Twitter user described KISS’s show on Saturday (30 September) as “pretty damn awesome”, they also wrote that “Director needs firing for missing the guitar smash”. Another user added, “Embarrassing channel 7. Miss the iconic smashing of the guitar. No bloody clue.”

The criticism continued, with another user writing, “Epic performance. Not so much the camera footage. Missed the icon[ic] guitar smash. We all knew it was coming, the build up there, and then pan out. What the???” and another noting, “Seven you missed the guitar smash how could you”.

KISS were announced as the AFL pre-game entertainment headliners a month after Crowded House pulled out of the headlining slot.

In August, it was reported that the AFL had worked diligently for months to try and book Crowded House for the coveted pre-game entertainment slot. However, the Herard Sun also reported on rumours that KISS could potentially step up and rock the halftime show.

That rumour always made sense, with the American rock legends set to perform their final ever Aussie show in Sydney on Saturday, 7 October, just one week after the AFL Grand Final. For their concert at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, KISS will be joined by special guests Weezer and Aussie legends Regurgitator and The Delta Riggs.