Steel Panther, crikey, what can you say abut these guys? Unless you’ve actually seen them you’ll realise there are no words to describe what happens up there on that stage. But for the sake of journalism, I’ll have a bit of a stab for you.
First off, I have to point out that Michael Starr, Satchel, Lexxi Foxx and Stix Zadinia aren’t your average rock band, clad in lycra and with bigger hair than Tina Turner, they make a living honouring (and poking small amounts of fun at) 80’s glam metal.
With song titles such as, Asian Hooker, Fat Girl, Eatin' Ain't Cheatin' and Stripper Girl on their current album Feel The Steel, it was pretty obvious we were in for a treat, but the show, the hoards of women showing their “Booooooobies!” and the in between-song comedy made this one of the best shows I’ve seen in 2009.
Over the past couple of months, the bands status in the UK has skyrocketed following on from their epic performance at Download Festival and the release of the singles, Death TO All But Metal and Community Property, which both were well received in Manchester.
Looking down from the balcony in Academy One, it was amazing to think that the band were originally billed to play one of the smaller academies, because the floor was rammed with all manner of sequins, lycra and hairsrpray encrusted hair do’s. it was fabulous.
Whilst the band played; “all the songs we know by us” the fans were treated to a huge guitar solo from Satchel, which saw him careering about the stage like a man possessed, before leaping up onto the drum kit and whacking the bass drum with his feet whilst his fingers went crazy ripping the guitar to shreds.
Afterwards, the lucky winner of the bands competition to join the guys on stage, made his appearance during Death To All But Metal, Tayler Hill from Barrow-in-Furness, totally rocked the stage with the guys, and even stayed on for a super awesome rendition of AC/DC classic Highway To Hell.
The encore cover of the Van Halen classic, Jump, was the perfect way to end an awesome evening in Manchester, regardless of the fact that my eyeliner was now all over my face and my hair was covered in sweat, I left with a warm fuzzy feeling… until next time.
FemaleFirst - Ruth Harrison
Tagged in Steel Panther