Brutally Honest Reviews: The Twisted Roses

One thing that every Neopian should keep in mind before buying a ticket to see this band, is that their music is loud. Like, LOUD. So all you classical, freak folk, M*YNCI, Yes Boy Ice-Cream lovers, do not even bother attending this concert. If you still are reading this concert review, fantastic, let's continue on.

I arrived at the venue approximately 45 minutes before the intimidating Grarrl security guard would let us into the actual concert hall. This particular performance was general admission only; so the earlier you came to wait in line, the better your chances of being a few feet away from your favorite band. Let me say this, however; the line was very, very long. I managed to briefly talk to the three girls that stood at the front of the line. They were purple Shoyrus decked out in fishnets, clunky oversized black boots, and violet skirts with enough eyeliner to write out the quadratic formula. When I asked them how long they’d been waiting, one of the girls, without looking at her watch, said, “Sixteen and a half hours.” My jaw dropped to the floor. I made my way to the back of the line, still amazed by the dedication of the fans.

At exactly 7:00 PM, the doors promptly opened and the thousands of fans rushed in. Like a stampede of hungry Skeiths battling it out for one Bacon Deluxe Hot Dog, the audience was not afraid to be a little pushy to get as close as possible to the Twisted Roses. I, on the other hand, tried not to get stomped on and took my grand old time. What I found amusing was that most of the fans sprinted so quickly to the stage, they completely missed the massive and extensive tour merchandise table. They had everything imaginable! Twisted Roses key chains, Twisted Roses t-shirts, Twisted Roses posters, Twisted Roses dolls, Twisted Roses CDs, and Twisted Roses mugs. After buying myself a Twisted Roses trucker cap, I placed it on my head and moved toward the stage.

Making my way through the crowd that had accumulated, I was pleasantly surprised that I managed to get a good view of the stage despite my previous lingering. A possible highlight of the evening was the manly blue Grundo next to me who was almost in tears from the excitement of seeing his “absolute most favorite band in the history of forever.” As I turned my attention to the main stage, I examined the closed black curtain and imagined what was in store for the crowd behind those drapes. With thousands of others, I waited anxiously for the band to take to the stage.

After about thirty more minutes of waiting, the lights that illuminated the massive venue dimmed abruptly and the crowd roared in response. Before I could even blink, fans were shouting and clapping with excitement. I felt my heart begin to pound loudly in my chest. I have been to countless concerts, but I have never experienced such a magnificent energy as exuded by the audience. I felt overwhelmed, nervous, and simultaneously thrilled.

On the dimly lit stage, I could faintly see the outline of the drummer as she made her way to her place on the stage. Soon enough, a blaring electric guitar began to play and was then accompanied by a steady thwack of bass drums. Then, in all her glory, the lead singer of the Twisted Roses began to descend from the ceiling on what seemed to be a gothic chandelier (decked out in radiant black roses and dark novas). The white Ixi was dressed in a black lace gown that was embellished with crystals. Her face was painted with heavy purple eyeshadow and black lipstick. Coloured lights dances across the stage as the curtain unveiled her bandmates playing their instruments on max volume.

Following the instrumental intro, the band immediately shifted into one of their newer songs from their latest album: It’s Colour not Color. Displaying true musicianship, the girls traded instruments quite often and moved around the elaborate stage frequently. The set design was absolutely astonishing and was nothing short of masterful theatrics. Complete with flashing red strobe lights, background dancing Bloops, video monitors, thousands of black roses and a multi color backdrop, there was plenty for the eye to take in!

Possibly what the Twisted Roses are most famous for are their angsty lyrics that are charged by rage and serious sarcasm. Notable songs that the crowd went crazy for were: “Violet Velvet Chair of Despair”, “Why did Samantha Get the Avatar and Not Me”, and “Sign of the Crabula.” Overall, I would say the performance was very tight and seemed well rehearsed. They are true punk stars after all! From beginning to end, the band was perfectly in sync and did an outstanding job harmonizing with one another.

If I have learned anything from the concerts I have attended, I have learned that if you leave a show feeling inspired or deeply moved, then the performance was exceptional. Being the avid concert-goer, I found Twisted Roses surely a breath of fresh air. As I made my way out of the venue, I felt revived and young again in the mass of teen fans as we exited the building. Taking a few minutes to write down some notes, it was not long before I was the only Neopian outside. When done scribbling on my notepad, I looked up and saw the Twisted Roses loading up their tour van. With my knees shaking and palms sweating, I gently approached the girls to tell them what a wonderful job they did. Contrasting their hard and dark exterior, they were kind beyond belief and were more than willing to sign a couple autographs and take a picture with me.

The Twisted Roses get a 5/5.

Check back soon for more concert reviews! (I made the tragic error of seeing 2 Gallon Hatz...)