KISS Story: Featuring “Rock and Roll all Nite” on SAIT Radio Station

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Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

1301 16th Avenue NW

Calgary, Alberta T2M 0L4

Toll-free: 1-877-284-7248

sait.ca

Image: It was taken by Frank Shufletoski. A SAIT student in the journalism program at the time in 1974 and later went on to become a SAIT instructor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You wanted the best, you got the best…the hottest college radio station in the world…KISS 103! 

On Feb 6th, 1974, KISStory (history) was made when Gene, Paul, Peter and Ace went on tour, and played the SAIT gymnasium for their second concert…ever!! 

Now, 50 years later, the SAIT Radio station, Power 103 becomes KISS 103 for one day only, to celebrate. 

We’re gonna “Rock and Roll all Nite”…and ALL day! From 7am to 7pm on Feb 6th, our student run station will be playing all your favorite KISS hits, deep cuts and LIVE Klassics. All KISS, ALL day!   

Hear stories and interviews from the fans that were at SAIT  5 decades ago, plus facts, memories and content celebrating the hottest band in the world…KISS! 

Image: It was taken by Frank Shufletoski. A SAIT student in the journalism program at the time in 1974 and later went on to become a SAIT instructor.

Our talented student team of KISS Army soldiers crack the mic, turn the fader up to 11, and find out just why KISS continues to rock 50 years later!

Listen Feb 6th from 7AM to 7PM at RTBN.ca 

Questions and Inquiries can be directed to the RTBN Instructor Team: Richard Stroobant: Ri***************@sa**.ca 

Alan Beesley: al**********@sa**.ca 

Cathy Haika: ca*********@sa**.ca 

Marilyn Kirkby: Ma************@sa**.ca

We asked a couple of members of the “SAIT Student Association” at the time how did KISS end up playing at SAIT.

SAITSA had a band that was supposed to play SAIT that day. It was Suzi Quatro’s brother, Michael Quatro. She was much more popular with hits like “Stumblin’ In”, but Michael was also an artist. After the agreement was signed, the record company, Columbia, contacted SAITSA that they had to pull the band for some reason, and they offered KISS as a replacement band, but no one had heard anything about them at the time. The SAITSA reps were told that KISS didn’t want any advertising or marketing done about the show either. They were brand new, it was very early in their career, completely unknown outside of New York. Nothing was known about them at the time, and the story goes that they were just trying to “perfect” their show. They did not want a lot of people there, and treat it more like a rehearsal. There were only about 100-200 people there. In fact, no one was even allowed to be at the sound check, and the manager said “No photography” at the show, and no interviews either. So, a truck pulled up with all their equipment and members of  SAITSA, and even the janitor, helped unload their equipment. The gymnasium was not a professional venue for a concert, and the band had to put their make-up on in the Men’s locker room. So when the 4 of them came out, with all the make-up on and the 8 inch boots…everyone’s jaw dropped. No one had seen them before and it was a big surprise. No one had heard any of their songs before, so it was all totally unfamiliar music and the concert was incredibly LOUD! And when the pyrotechnics started going off, it was a huge shock to everyone. There was a bank located in that building, fairly close to the gymnasium. And the music and explosions went off that it was so loud, that it set off the bank alarm. The bank manager showed up, along with about a dozen police officers. They finally shut it off after they realized no one was breaking into the safe.

We will be playing other interviews, and more on the back story, during the day on February 6th, 2024. We will change our station name from “Power 103” (logo attached) to KISS 103 for the day and play only KISS music all day, culminating with a one hour KISS Concert from 6-7pm, playing live versions of all their hits. It should be a great event.

Richard

 

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