Alright buttโฆ stop whatever youโre doing, put the kettle down, and listen up โ because London has just been hijacked by one of the most outrageous collections of rock memorabilia ever unleashed on UK soil ๐คฏ๐ค
Weโre talking legendary guitars, stage-worn madness, and enough history to make your Spotify cry.
๐๏ธ PICCADILLY CIRCUS JUST GOT LOUDER
From March 24 to April 13, the iconic Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus has transformed into a full-blown temple of riffs, hosting Julienโs Auctionsโ โMUSIC ICONSโ exhibition.
And yesโฆ
๐ Itโs completely FREE
๐ Itโs open daily
๐ And itโs basically Disneyland for rock fans
Youโre not just looking at instruments hereโฆ
Youโre staring into the soul of rock โnโ roll itself.
๐ฅ 50 YEARS OF KISS โ AND THE SPACEMAN HAS LANDED
This whole thing is celebrating 50 years of KISS tearing up London, and leading the charge is none other than Ace Frehley โ the Spaceman, the riff wizard, the man who made Les Pauls scream.
โก THE MAIN EVENT โก
- ๐ธ Ace Frehleyโs 1974 Gibson Les Paul โAce #1โ
This isnโt just a guitarโฆ
This is THE guitar โ the one that followed him through the rise of KISS, from smoky clubs to world domination.
Itโs battered, itโs legendary, and itโs probably responsible for about 90% of air guitar injuries worldwide.
๐งฅ ALSO IN THE KISS CHAOS COLLECTION:
- 1977 Rock & Roll Over tour jacket
- A full-length dragon-embroidered kimono (because rock stars donโt do subtle, mun)
- A purple velour jumpsuit with a wild history involving New York Dolls legend Arthur Kane
Honestlyโฆ itโs like someone opened a wardrobe and rock history fell out in slow motion.
๐ค RIFF ROYALTY โ THIS LINE-UP IS ABSOLUTELY STACKED
This isnโt just about KISS though โ oh no. This is a whoโs who of absolute riff monsters:
- ๐ธ Kirk Hammett (Metallica) โ His FIRST EVER Ouija ESP guitar ๐ฑ
- ๐ธ Billy Duffy (The Cult) โ 1976 Les Paul from Sonic Temple
- ๐ธ Izzy Stradlin (Guns Nโ Roses) โ Used during Appetite For Destruction era
- ๐ธ Mick Mars (Mรถtley Crรผe) โ A savage Gibson Explorer
- ๐ธ Stevie Ray Vaughan โ 12-string used on MTV Unplugged
PLUS:
- ๐ A thunderous gong from Black Sabbath
- ๐ Platinum records shining like medals from the gods
This is the kind of display that makes you go quiet for a secondโฆ
Then immediately want to start a band.
๐ FROM LONDON TO THE WORLD
Once Londonโs had its moment in the spotlight, the exhibition is heading out on tour:
- ๐ฏ๐ต Japan (April 28โ29)
- ๐บ๐ธ New York City (May 13 onwards)
Before everything goes under the hammer at the โMusic Iconsโ auction this May โ where these beauties will sell for absolutely ridiculous money ๐ธ
๐ BONUS: FULL HARD ROCK EXPERIENCE
Because itโs Hard Rock, theyโve gone full rockstar mode:
- ๐ Brand-new KISS x Hard Rock merch
- ๐ Big, bold, messy food (napkins required, trust us)
- ๐ถ Wall-to-wall rock anthems while you soak it all in
Itโs basically a gig without the crowd crush and warm beerโฆ although letโs be honest, weโd still take both.
๐ค FINAL RIFF โ DONโT MISS THIS, BUTT
This isnโt just an exhibitionโฆ
Itโs a time capsule of riffs, sweat, chaos, and absolute legends.
If youโre anywhere near London:
๐ Get yourself down there
๐ Take it all in
๐ Have a moment with the guitars that built the soundtrack of our lives
Because one day, youโll be telling someone:
โI saw that guitar before it went for millionsโฆโ
And theyโll look at you like youโre chatting nonsense.
But youโll just grin and say:
โNah mateโฆ I was there. Proper job.โ ๐ค๐ฅ
