KISS cancels!!!!!!!!! (updated 4:18 p.m.)

There has so far been no official announcement, but SooToday.com has learned that KISS has cancelled Tuesday's Sault Ste. Marie concert at the Essar Centre.

Local contractors and suppliers hired by the KISS tour are being advised today that their services will not be needed.

Seventy-five reservations made by the band at one local hotel have been cancelled.

Trevor Zachary, marketing and events manager at the Essar Centre, says that an official announcement will be made by AEG Live, which is handling tour arrangements. We are receiving conflicting information about why the Sault was dropped from the band's current tour.

It is known that ongoing discussions were being held with Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services about the ability of the Essar Centre to handle the sellout crowd.

But Assistant Fire Chief Paul Milosevich, who oversees the Sault's fire inspectors, tells SooToday.com this morning that the cancellation is news to him.

Milosevich said that the fire department was involved in discussions with the band, but said that such talks are held with all major visiting acts.

Shortly after 4:15 p.m. today, Zachary contacted us again to indicate that "although unconfirmed (until I receive the release) - the reason has absolutely nothing to do with Fire Services."

One local supplier says he was advised that the cancellation is related to an unspecified problem with "ice," but Zachary says that wasn't the reason either.

The legendary band cancelled a concert planned for July 21, 2006 at Kewadin Casinos in Sault Ste. Marie to pursue a tour in Japan.

The band kept its promise to play the Sault, returning to Kewadin for a massive outdoor concert one year later.

More SooToday.com coverage of this story

Official statement from KISS