“Ames, Iowa, you wanted the best and you got the best. The hottest band in the world, Kiss!” As those words echoed through Hilton Coliseum Wednesday night, the giant black and silver Kiss banner fell and Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons descended upon the stage on a giant metal platform as Peter Criss pounded his drum set on a perch. Kiss took the stage for one last unforgettable good-bye. Hilton wasn’t near capacity, but the boisterous crowd that filled the floor and arena circle made up for it. Kiss tore into “Detroit Rock City,” opening the show to a thunderous ovation. From the moment the banner fell to the final encore, the crowd was on its feet, showing appreciation for the band’s 27-year career. Kiss busted out all the tricks in their arsenal, putting on a rarely matched stage show. The stage was a visual wonder with two large projection screens hung high above each side and a giant one in the center behind Criss’ drums. Two flashing Kiss signs illuminated Hilton and a huge Kiss Army banner hung behind the right side of the stage. The stage was often lit up with fireworks, explosions or flames that shot out from the back of the stage. Kiss covered the classics early in the show including “Deuce,” “Shout It Out Loud,” “I Love It Loud,” “Calling Dr. Love” and “Heaven’s On Fire.” The band showed an energy and enthusiasm for music that made the songs sound timeless. Stanley thanked the crowd periodically for years of support. As sirens wailed and red lights flashed during “Firehouse,” Simmons brought out a flaming sword and breathed a giant fireball before slamming the sword into the stage. During “Do You Love Me,” thousands of hands were in the air, clapping simultaneously. Frehley later went into a guitar solo in which his guitar began to smoke as the crowd chanted “Ace.” Once given a new guitar, Frehley proceeded to shoot bags of confetti on each side of the stage with his guitar to the delight of the crowd. The rest of Kiss joined Frehley for “Psycho Circus,” the title track of their last studio album, which drew little heat from the crowd. Stanley quickly recaptured the crowd by singing “Don’t want to wait till you know me better,” the intro to “Lick It Up.” The stage filled with smoke as Simmons played his bass guitar. He spat blood and flung his freakishly long tongue as the crowd chanted his name, showing their approval. Simmons was then lifted above the stage to a platform for “God of Thunder.” Later in the show, Stanley obliged the crowd by being airlifted across the arena for a hard rocking performance of “Love Gun.” He returned to the stage for a heart-wrenching solo version of “I Still Love You.” The rest of the group came back for the heavy “Black Diamond.” Criss’ drums were lifted above the stage as sparks swirled and smoke poured from the stage. The face painted rockers then left the stage for their first break. Criss, however, remained on stage, enticed by the crowd and he returned to serenade them with “Beth.” As he sang the last sweet note, the lights went down and the crowd chanted, “We Want Kiss!” All four eventually returned for a final bow and one final song, “Rock and Roll All Nite.” As the group played their anthem, confetti rained upon the crowd and fireworks repeatedly launched. Frehley’s guitar shot a swirl of sparks, and as he and Simmons stood on opposite sides of the stage, they were lifted above the crowd on platforms. Criss’ drum set rose once more and Stanley smashed his guitar on the stage, sending the crowd home happy. Stanley thanked the Ames crowd for their love on this night, and told them to never forget Kiss and said the group would see them again in their dreams. The band left to a roaring ovation for a 27-year career that was well appreciated by the crowd. Skid Row, sans Sebastian Bach, opened the show with a half-hour set adequately warming up the crowd. The group used every trick to grab the audience’s attention, but weren’t fully accepted until the band played crowd pleasers “18 And Life” and “Monkey Business.” Solinger and Skid Row closed their set on a high note with “Youth Gone Wild,” setting the stage for legendary guitarist Ted Nugent. Nugent dressed in a cut-off zebra T-shirt, zebra boots and worn-out black jeans. He had the crowd singing along as he shredded into “Free For All.” Nugent, a hunting enthusiast, periodically saluted the hunters in the crowd and dedicated “Fred Bear” to them as he played before a small campfire engulfed in flames. Nugent then ended the set with classics “Cat Scratch Fever” and “Stranglehold,” which sounded like he was still in his hey day. After a break, Nugent returned for an encore in full Native American headdress to play “Great White Buffalo.” Nugent hung his guitar in front of the speakers, lit an arrow on fire and shot it with his bow. Sparks shot out of the guitar as Nugent bowed beneath the power of his bow. He then saluted the crowd before leaving the stage holding his head to a large ovation.