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$18 million in counterfeit Gibson Guitars seized at L.A. Port.

Good news, L.A. rockers: If you’re hoping to find a Gibson under the tree this year, there’s a better chance it’ll be the real deal. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) just intercepted more than 3,000 fake Gibson guitars at the Los Angeles-Long Beach Seaport, stopping a wave of counterfeit Les Pauls, SGs, and Flying Vs from shredding their way into the market.

Had these knockoffs been legit, they’d have been worth a jaw-dropping $18 million—enough to make even the most diehard gearheads choke on their coffee. Instead, they’re about as real as Milli Vanilli’s vocals. Gibson, the Nashville-based guitar titan, confirmed the instruments were frauds, and CBP wasn’t about to let them slip through their hands.

GUITAR HERO: Slash crafted classics like “Welcome to the Jungle” on his Gibson guitar.

For over a century, Gibson guitars have been the six-string Excalibur for rock legends. Think Jimmy Page conjuring the “Stairway to Heaven” solo, Angus Young duck-walking his way through “Back in Black,” and B.B. King sweet-talking “Lucille” into blues immortality. These aren’t just instruments—they’re sacred relics of rock’s pantheon. So, yeah, seeing a fake Gibson is like finding out that your cherished first-pressing of Appetite for Destruction that you bought on eBay is really just a laser-printed knock-off.

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LIVE SHOWS, ROCKIN’ EVENTS

ROCK AND ROLL ALL NITE

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Legendary guitarist Ace Frehley’s debut headlining show at Whisky A Go-Go brings out the KISS Army’s rock soldiers to the Sunset Strip.

Legendary KISS guitarist Ace Frehley headline The Whisky A Go-Go for the first time ever on February 27 and he did not leave without tearing the roof off of the joint. The 71-year-old rock icon looked great and was in High spirits as he continually tossed guitar picks to the fans and shared stories about his life in music.

“The Spaceman” may have been unmasked but he definitely brought back the same raw energy and ferocious hard-rockin’ energy that helped make KISS one of the biggest bands in the world. Frehley started the show at around 9:45 p.m. and immediately had the crowd fist-pumping when he opened the show with “Rip it Out,” the killer opening track to his 1978 KISS-related solo album. The second the opening chords of “Rip It Out” started to echo throughout the room, the suddenly ubiquitous devil’s horns salutes let you know the crowd of diehard rock soldiers from the KISS Army were pleased.

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ROCKIN’ EVENTS

ROCKET MAN

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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend Ace Frehley is bringing his KISS and solo hits to the Whisky, Feb. 27.

Get set to rock and roll all night when iconic former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley gets back in the West Hollywood groove with a headlining gig at the Whisky A Go-Go on February 27.

As we said back in 2017 when he headlined the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, the founding KISS member is really in his element when he’s commanding the stage as a frontman. He puts on an exciting two-hour set of non-stop rockers that include his own classic KISS, Frehley’s Comet, and solo hits.

During his set, Frehley covers many KISS classics, like “Rocket Ride,” “Cold Gin” and “Shock Me” as well as solo hits like “Rock Soldiers” and his cover of “New York Groove” from his 1978 KISS solo album.

Frehley’s equally famous smokin’ Gibson guitar will also make a guest appearance along with a few guest artists to be announced soon.

The Whisky A Go-Go is located 8901 Sunset Boulevard at Clark Street. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $65.

LIVE SHOWS

Concert Review: ACE FREHLEY

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EX-KISS SHREDDER PUTS L.A. IN THE N.Y. GROOVE WITH SMOKIN’ HITS-PACKED SET

KISS‘ legendary original guitarist Ace Frehley rolled into Los Angeles’ Saban Theatre on Feb. 3 for a stellar show of new tunes from his latest album, Space Invader, and, of course, unforgettable KISS classics.

Appropriately enough, this particular Friday evening in L.A. was unusually chilly, moody and rainy, making it feel more like autumn in New York. So, when this famous native New Yorker cranked up his most loved jam, “New York Groove,” the crowd was definitely feeling every beat of Ace’s groove.

The best moment during a night that included many was when Frehley pulled out his famous Gibson and played a smokin’ solo while his axe literally smoked, just like back in KISS’ early days.

After opening the show with the KISS classic “Parasite,” the influential guitarist shared lead vocals with his various band members on a number of KISS’ best songs, including, of course, “Cold Gin,” “Rocket Ride” and “Shock Me.”

The Spaceman was in fine form and seemed to be having as much fun as his audience, sharing stories and his famous chuckle between songs. He mentioned that he is celebrating 10-plus years of sobriety, a revelation that justifiably got as much applause as his set did. 

Opening acts Smash Fashion and late-Eighties/early-Nineties stalwarts Enuff Z’Nuff were also fantastic and a lot of fun. L.A. newbies Smash Fashion offered a dose of solid, catchy Stone Temple Pilots-like original rock songs.

Likewise, Enuff Z’Nuff’s original jams, particularly the 1989 smash “Fly High Michelle,” were well-received and had the crowd on its feet and singing along at full volume. The timeless rock ballad was almost overshadowed by the band’s excellent cover of David Bowie‘s “Gene Genie.” 

All in all, this was a three-homerun heavy metal bill that knocked it out of the ballpark. 

Ace Frehley

Ace Frehley

Ace Frehley