Gene Simmons brought a heavy dose of rock & roll to Fanboy Expo Knoxville in July 2025, appearing at the Knoxville Convention Center as part of a weekend celebrating music, movies, television and pop culture.

Best known as the legendary Demon of KISS, Simmons has spent more than five decades as one of rock’s most recognizable figures. His career extends well beyond the stage, encompassing music, television, business and a larger-than-life persona that has become nearly as famous as the KISS makeup itself.

At Fanboy Expo, fans had the opportunity to meet Simmons away from the concert stage through autograph sessions and photo opportunities — and his personality was very much part of the experience.

During Barrelassin’s meet-and-greet, Simmons immediately turned what could have been a standard group photo into one of the weekend’s more memorable moments, wrapping his arms around Momma and playing to the camera. He was warm, playful and engaged, giving the brief encounter considerably more personality than the typical pose-and-go photo op.

That kind of interaction is part of the appeal of events like Fanboy Expo. Beyond the panels, merchandise and celebrity lineup, they offer fans a rare opportunity to meet performers whose music and careers have been part of their lives for decades.

For a few minutes in Knoxville, one of rock & roll’s most famous Demons was simply Gene Simmons — and he clearly still knows how to work a room.