The Hollywood Bowl became a cathedral of rock and remembrance on Saturday night as Adam Lambert paid an electrifying and deeply emotional tribute to the late KISS guitarist Ace Frehley. The Queen + Adam Lambert frontman, known for his soaring vocals and theatrical flair, took a moment mid-concert to honor the man whose larger-than-life spirit inspired generations of musicians to embrace their inner rebel.
As the lights dimmed and a massive image of Frehley in his iconic “Spaceman” makeup filled the screen, Lambert addressed the crowd in a quiet, reverent tone. “When I was a kid discovering rock, Ace Frehley was the first one who made me think, ‘You can be weird, loud, and brilliant all at once,’” he said. “His guitar wasn’t just sound — it was freedom.”
@weisstatiana Adam Lambert & Kiss – Medley – American Idol – 2009. @Adam Lambert #adamlambert #glambert #glamily #adamlambertserbia #live #americanidol #kiss #medley
Moments later, Lambert launched into a blistering rendition of “Shock Me,” Frehley’s legendary 1977 hit from Love Gun. The performance began intimate — just Lambert’s voice and a single electric guitar under a spotlight — before erupting into a full-scale glam-rock spectacle. Strobe lights pulsed, pyrotechnics exploded, and the crowd roared as Lambert channeled Frehley’s signature swagger, even mimicking his iconic head tilt mid-solo.
Midway through the song, Lambert paused, looked up toward the night sky, and whispered, “This one’s for you, Space Ace.” Thousands of fans lifted their phone lights in unison, bathing the Bowl in a sea of white and blue. The atmosphere was electric yet tender — a fusion of spectacle and soul that perfectly mirrored Frehley’s spirit.
“Adam Lambert channeling Ace Frehley was pure magic,” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “It felt like the spirit of 1970s rock was alive again — flamboyant, fearless, and loud.”
After the song, Lambert seamlessly transitioned into Queen’s “I Want It All,” dedicating it to “every dreamer, outsider, and misfit who ever picked up a guitar because of Ace.” He told the crowd, “Artists like him opened the door for performers like me — people who never quite fit the mold, who learned to wear their weirdness like armor.”
Earlier this month, the rock world was shaken by the news of Frehley’s passing at age 74 after a brief illness. Former bandmates Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss each released heartfelt statements calling him “the heartbeat of KISS’s chaos,” while legendary guitarists including Slash and Joe Perry hailed him as a pioneer of tone and attitude.
Following his Hollywood Bowl tribute, Lambert shared a photo on Instagram — a black-and-white image of Frehley in full makeup, guitar raised to the heavens. His caption read:
“I’ve been lucky to tour the world with Queen, but before Freddie or Brian, there was Ace — the guy who made a generation believe rock could come from the stars. Rest easy, legend.”
According to Billboard, Lambert’s moving performance will be included in the upcoming Tribute to the Spaceman concert film, organized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. Proceeds will support music-education programs in New York City — the same city where a young Ace Frehley first dreamed of the stars.
