Get your final Kix- Western Maryland's own Rock legends play their last show

#Kix #RockNRoll

Kix formed in the early 80s and found success through 90s with the most notable hit "Don't Close Your Eyes." Even after finding worldwide success lead singer, Steve Whiteman, always made it a point to come back to his roots. He came from a small town of Piedmont, West Virginia, as of 2021 had a population of just 707 people. Kix always came home to play shows. Linda Stephen, graduated with Steve from the 1974 Class of the Piedmont Lions. "Steve was kind and friendly, We went all the way back to first grade at Saint Peters. We walked home from church together. He deserved all the success doing what he loved for so many years. I hope my friend enjoys the rest of his life as much as he has." The fans are a big part of what made Kix special, especially in their roots of Western, Maryland. Kix left such a huge impression on generations of rock and roll fans. Their music was something that so many in Western, Maryland, West Virginia enjoyed as a family that generations enjoyed together. It was tradition.

I don't know many people from the area that are not fans of Kix. This is not just because their music was good, but with Steve coming from such a small town and making a point to come home, to show extra love to the fans from the area. He remained close to friends and family. It spoke volumes of how humbled and grateful he was.

Kim Jessie recalled, in 1989 my grandmother called Steve's mom so I could go to meet him. She said" at age 11, it was the coolest experience ever. It still ranks up there with my cool moments, definitely one of my youngest cool moments. I just remember how cool he was. It left an impression on me that to dream big, follow your heart. Do what you want to do. Do something that leaves an everlasting impression of joy on so many other people. I don't know if I realized that at that time but looking back I definitely do now. He was this rockstar and it was so cool that my grandmother and his mother took the time to plan that in for him to do that for 11 year old me." Kix came out around the time I was born and it was something that so many people in the area look forward to. Steve came from very humble beginnings in small-town America. He got to live the American dream. He also brought something magical to that area for over for decades with his music and Kix.

When they were coming to play, me and my best friend Shane, would get so excited. we loved Kix. Our parents were the cool parents that would take us to places like that, so we started going to Kix concerts right around the time 'Blow My Fuse' came out.", Shane's mom, JoAnn Jackson, Westernport, Maryland native, looks back at a time when " I took a bunch of kids to see Kix at the Allegany County Fairgrounds I felt it was good to get my kids to listen to my music and Kix was the closest thing to doing that. We missed Shane when Kix played this past June." Shane was my best friend since Kindergarten who passed away unexpectedly in . Kix was just one of the many strong bonds we had but it was one we literally grew up with.

Steve Whiteman was a hometown hero. This is small rural West Virginia, some may consider Appalachia. He gave people a sense of pride, and also hope. That if you followed your your heart and work hard you could do anything. It didn't matter that we came from an area that is exactly what small town America is. I think it's safe to say that growing up and having somebody like Steve Whiteman from your hometown reminded you it was okay to dream big because there's a good chance that you might obtain that dream. Kix has been performing my whole entire life. Kix giving up live music's an to a huge chapter in many peoples lives. I saw them at once in every decade of life other than the 2000's, Their concerts span 4 decades of my life, That is pure nostalgia, Kix fans are unlike any fans I've ever met. Kix gave their all to us for over four decades. There .are so many stories of others like those fans highlighted here and in the video.

To our hometown KIx and Steve Whiteman meant more than just music to Piedmont, West Virginia. They were memories, family, fun, rock and roll, gatherings, love and nostalgia.

I've done my fair share of traveling the USA and I will meet Kix fans in the most random places but one thing I notice and they are always just cool. A random dude in a Daytona Beach, Florida with an airbrushed state fair Blow My Fuse album cover was by far my favorite. The Frontier flight attendant that had a Cool Kids T-shirt on under his work shirt. I had my Midnight Dynamite shirt on and it sparked that conversation.

The final show on September 17, 2023 was just one moment in time as far as Kix touring comes to an end. I don't think I have ever left a Kix concert disappointed, I had at Homefest, Westernport, Maryland, then Allegany County Fairgrounds, Frostburg State University, and then twice at Merriweather. Frostburg was my favorite, it was indoors, at the peak of Kix success and with my best friend. It's for amazing to meet those random people that love kit and you can tell them the whole town story who they're just amazed by it. Ivett, her over two dozen concerts at Merriweather, and I've never seen it so packed in my life. People I knew from everywhere, South Dakota, Arkansas, Nevada, locals from Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

I spoke with Charlie Snyder, he is not only a KIx fan but sponge of rock and roll knowledge, somewhat of a rock historian most specifically from the 1970's thru the 1990's. He has various podcasts as he has extensive knowledge on everything from music to the paranormal. He presented us with history on early Kix and the Hammerjacks days. Hammerjacks was Baltimore's premier Rock and Roll venue for decades and KIx was a staple of. Farley came away from Las Vegas, Nevada to be a part of the last Kix concert.

The final show was aptly titled "Walking Away", which was the track of the Midnight Dynamite Album. I had the writing worn off that white cassette tape. It was great as a fab to be able to witness their farewell. They wherever that stay together here, through the year, the lineup of remain for the majority of Kix span as a band. Even in the shoes, a whole bed laying together for some of it. It was a band that remained loyal to gemstones to their hometown their fans, and they were able to bow out, gracefully go there and terms. There's not advancing day, stay together with original line up like Kix. "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" was played at every show I ever attended. Steve was able to tell this story over and over in the middle of the song and the fans loved every time. Kix shows were so much fun. Some bands just are a totally different experience live, Kix is one of them, huge part of it is the fans.

This is an end of an era, a tradition for many that bonded family and friends with hometown pride. Kix to their final show played at home, They were never above coming back home and playing shows and bringing other bands with them. "I can remember them bringing Skid Row with them to Rocky Gap not that long ago. That was a treat for Western Maryland. We loved Kix and everything and everyone that came along with them" said Nicole Mills, Piedmont WV native, KIx has the misery with his rock 'n' roll everywhere but especially in western Maryland. Their music will be passed down through generations to come. Thank you for all the years Kix!