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TWISTED SISTER
SECC Glasgow, 13 November 2005

It's been over 20 years since Twisted Sister and I last partied together, and for a card carrying (literally) SMF like me, that's waaaaay too long. And here they are, in my home country, in Shed 4 of Glasgows premier outhouse, in front of several thousand Saturday night rock fans. Which means, barring natural disasters, they couldn't really go wrong. And they didn't.

With nothing new to promote it was balls to the wall party rock'n'roll with all the hits present and correct. 'We're Not Gonna Take It', 'I Wanna Rock', 'I Am (I'm Me)', 'You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll', 'The Kids Are Back' - every one a winner. With all five of their most successful lineup back together (not the originals, despite what Dee says), Twisted Sister rocked the 80% full auditorium from beginning to end.

And time has not withered Dee Snider, as his raps, exhortations and rants are still a sight to behold. Watch Dee as he berates the man in the TS t-shirt for sitting down in the front row with his arms crossed - Ka-pow! Join in as he gets thousands of fans to chant "Stand Up" relentlessly at said bloke - Ker-boom! Wince and laugh as he tells the row sitting down stage right - '"you'd better be in fucking wheelchairs"! - Ka-boom.

With a band firing on all cylinders and obviously delighted to be back on a stage in front of thousands, this was a joy from beginning to end. Even a wizened old cripple like me had to start shuffling around when "Shoot 'em Down" and "Under The Blade" blasted out. And just like the last time, two decades ago, the show finished with the hardcore anthem - "SMF".

And was it showmanship, gamesmanship or oneupmanship that prompted Dee to go walkabout in the auditorium, seconds before Alice Cooper came on! It's only rock'n'roll but I liked it.

Big Hits and Nasty Cuts (the Best of Twisted Sister) is out now as is the DVD Live at Wacken .

*****

Review: Stuart A Hamilton