Outrageous stagecraft and oafish anthems made KISS one of the biggest rock bands of the ’70s, but the turn of the decade saw them in decline. Vol. 2 of the Kissology triple DVD sets (VH1 Classic), covering 1978–1990, charts the downhill slide, with the 1983 MTV “unmasking” officially marking the moment the shark was jumped. The first disc, though, offsets the suck with the long-unavailable, made-for-TV masterpiece KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park and the classic Tomorrow With Tom Snyder clip from ’79.

Another band known for grandiose spectacle is the Flaming Lips. U.F.O.s at the Zoo (Warner) lovingly captures their Oklahoma City homecoming almost exactly a year ago. It’s a particularly “on” gig, mirroring the enthusiasm of their hometown crowd, and an eyeful to match the earful. All the cuddly chaos, gobsmacking gimmickry and over-the-top-itude a fan would expect is there, plus a spaceship lighting rig lifted from the ELO playbook.

by Rupert Bottenberg