Twisted Sister's in da house
One of the perks of attending NAMM is scoring entrance
into the numerous after-parties. This year I was really
tossed, as there were so many shows from which to choose.
I made an appearance at as many as possible, catching what
I could. DaBelly publisher, Dave Schwartz, staff writer
Sally Schwartz and staff photographer Keith Durflinger had
decided to camp out at the Coffin fashion show and
concert, so you'll have to get that story from them, as
for me, I was off to spend some time with Dee Snider and
Twisted Sister.
The vibe at the Coffin show was akin to a high school
dance-- a big darkened room with a stage at one end for
the bands. People stood around in little groups chatting,
moved up to watch the acts and then returned to their
groups in between. I will mention that I enjoyed what
bands I saw and was a little hesitant to go to my
assignment, but duty called.
The Epiphone show was being held in the hotel's lounge, so
the temperament was an instant change. I stepped from loud
and brassy to lush and intimate. There were chairs to sit
in close to the stage, so I made myself comfortable. A
blues/rock conglomeration, which included Mick Fleetwood
on drums, was going full tilt and gave a nice show.
Matchbook Romance was up next-- I have a soft spot in my
heart for this youthful band that is a little too Warped
Tour for my usual taste. They were professional, enjoyable
and as cute as always. In fact, the only thing lacking
from their performance, thankfully, was the endless
screams of female fans. For me, this was one of their
better shows.
Twisted Sister was who everyone came to see. The band
contained all of its original members, except for the
guitarist, and has not performed on the West Coast for 21
years. Dee Snider came out sans makeup and costume,
settling for his normal self and voice to carry him
through. The group had the entire club on their feet
singing along to "We're Not Gonna Take It" and a great set
of other selections. At one point CeCe Deville (Poison)
came on stage to take over the guitar for a number and he
was grinning more than the Cheshire Cat. The boys were
having fun and their enjoyment resonated throughout the
venue. The set was unfortunately short for all of us-- but
then, we could have sung all night. If Twisted Sister
decides to come back through this way I know I'll make
every effort to see them.
A toast to NAMM, Coffin, Epiphone and all the other
companies who helped make this year memorable!!
Return to NAMM 2006