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KISS will rock Oshawa after all.
"I knew Gene (Simmons) would come through," Oshawa city Councillor Robert Lutczyk told the Sun last night after receiving confirmation the group will appear in concert at General Motors Centre, tentatively set for Oct. 7.
Fans were livid when the city was left off the list of stops for the group's fall tour -- even after it won an online competition for KISS to play in the city.
"We are working out the details for the concert now," Lutczyk said.
"The problem is there is a significant divide between the band members and managers," he said. "The left hand doesn't know what the right hand was doing, but I knew Gene would come through on his word.
"There was a disconnect, but everything is back on the rails. It doesn't matter what happened, they are being true to their word."
Some Oshawa KISS fans even turned on the group.
"If their set is too big, then they shouldn't have had this contest in the first place," said Kim Walker, who posted on the Bring KISS to Oshawa Facebook group.
"Maybe they were expecting a big city with a big venue to win? It is not right. They promised to play the city that won."
The band previously said it would even play a cornfield if it had to, but show organizers said Monday tour stops in neighbouring concert venues are "to make sure that all regional fans get a chance to see KISS with the band's full stage production."
That meant Oshawa fans would have to travel to Air Canada Centre Oct. 2 for a chance to see their heroes.
Many others, including Oshawa Mayor John Gray and Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, Whitby-Durham's MP, also expressed their disappointment.
But all has been forgiven.
"A lot of people are going to be happy and there will be a lot of excitement," Lutczyk said.
Fans carry flag for KISS, Canada
Fans in the GTA who salute the KISS Army are also very patriotic, it turns out. Some Sun readers were outraged by a photo showing a Canadian flag that had "Rock and Roll All Nite" written on it, along with several other notations.
"It is disrespectful, offensive and, in my opinion, borders on treason," Mississauga resident Laura Henderson said in an e-mail. "I am both sickened and saddened that Oshawa, its city council, its council members would allow the flag desecration but also that the Toronto Sun would print such an offensive image."
Oshawa Councillor Robert Lutczyk, who appeared in the photo, said the flag was given to his son, Mark, 8, as a gift from Shannon Tweed, girlfriend of KISS bassist/singer Gene Simmons in Ottawa last month.
"Someone gave it to Shannon at the concert," he said. "She's pictured with it and she ended up giving it to Mark and we ended up bringing it home. It was a gift. We didn't make the flag."
Said Henderson: "I am a proud Canadian ... An image like the one in your newspaper is neither welcome nor appreciated."