Twisted Sister Blows Lid Off NYC With Christmas Spectacular

By: Rob Cavuoto

Dee Snider

Envision in your mind’s eye a stage that resembles a demented Santa’s workshop straight from Hell, a pants-less Santa Claus, several wicked snow blowing elves, and three sexy girls pulling Dee on a hot rodded sleigh. Sound like a Christmas fairy tale? Not quite, more like the Twisted (Fucking) Sister Christmas Spectacular at the Best Buy Theater in New York City!

The ingredients for this toxic holiday punch is part Christmas songs, part classic metal, and part stand up comedy thrown in for fiendish measure. Dee Snider and the boys have been putting on this show for the last few years, and it always packs the house.

The excitement from the crowd is contagious as each band member hits the stage by emerging from the toy maker’s wicked contraption. To get everyone in the holiday spirit, the band performs songs from their 2006 CD, Twisted Christmas, including such stand outs as “Silver Bells,” “Deck the Halls” and “Heavy Metal Christmas” (a spoof on the 12 Days of Christmas) with all members taking the mic for a part. As for the classic Twisted hits, they performed such greats as “Bad Boys of Rock n Roll,” “We’re Not Gonna Take it,” “The Price” and “Destroyer”.

Throughout the 90 minutes, Dee banged his head, fluffed his hair and ran the stage from one end to the other tirelessly, defying his age and putting frontmen half his age to shame. He’s in great shape; a mirror image of himself from the ’80s. He has been and still is one of the best frontmen in metal!

Clearly missing from the show and one my favourite things about the Twisted Sister since I was a teenager was the cursing. Dee told the crowd he cleaned things up a bit since there were youngsters in the audience, but he did manage to slip in a few sexual innuendos just for good measure!

Mid-way into the show a fat pants-less Santa emerges to grant the band their Christmas wish. Irreverent yes, and also funny as hell!

All songs were played flawlessly as you would come to expect, with guitarists Eddie “Fingers” Ojeda and Jay Jay French trading leads and showcasing some really unique guitars. Eddie pulled out a Wayne Charvel Pink & Black Bullseye as well as a custom made TS Giftwrapped guitar that lit up, while Jay Jay showcased his gift from pantless Santa: a “Shark” guitar to help remind him of his ex-wife’s divorce attorney!

If you haven’t seen the show or don’t live in the New York, area do yourself a favor and check out the band’s DVD, Twisted Xmas: Live In Las Vegas, exclusively featured on the band’s brand new eight-hour box set From The Bars To The Star. It’s the perfect stocking stuffer for any metalhead, naughty or nice!

Eddie Ojeda in action

Twisted Sister "From The Bars To The Stars" Box Set

Dee Snider

Jay Jay French