KISS has canceled their upcoming Las Vegas residency amid questions raised about the band's COVID-19 safety protocols following the death of their guitar tech.
Francis Stueber, 53, died on Oct. 17, two days after he was quarantined in a Detroit hotel with COVID-19, according to Rolling Stone. He contracted the virus shortly after Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons both tested positive for the coronavirus.
The band meanwhile was scheduled to perform at the Zappos Theater in Vegas from Dec. 29 to Feb. 5, but options to buy tickets suddenly disappeared from the Caesars Palace/Ticketmaster site in recent days, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
A rep said that ticket providers would be contacting purchasers with information on how to obtain a refund. The venue also confirmed that KISS had canceled their residency on Twitter on Sunday.
The announcement follows a report by Rolling Stone in which crew members suggested that Stueber's death could be related to a lack of strict COVID-19 safety measures in place on the band’s tour.
"Every day during the shows, we weren't tested. And there are so many unknowns," one unnamed crew member told the magazine. "Did we super spread this, did we spread this thing from city to city? It's horrible that Fran passed, and it's horrible if this is our protocol just for us to tour.
"Is this going to be the normal, to stick someone in a hotel and if somebody dies, 'Oh, well, off to the next guy?'"
A production executive dismissed the claims, stating that the band required crew members to have vaccination cards and wear masks backstage. Anyone testing positive was sent to quarantine in a hotel, the production executive noted, adding that, in the event that any crew member tested positive, all bus mates were required to take the test again.
The roadies refuted this, stating that masks were not always worn properly and tests were not given regularly enough.
In a statement, KISS insisted that it had COVID safety protocols in place "that met, but most often exceeded federal, state, and local guidelines."
"But ultimately this is still a global pandemic and there is simply no foolproof way to tour without some element of risk," the statement read.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.