STEEL PANTHER/JOHN 5 ADELAIDE ENT CENTRE 21/10/2024
Way back around 2009 when I was first introduced to Steel Panther, my initial instinct was to NOT like this band at all! As a massive fan of glam/hair/sleaze metal, how could I possibly appreciate a band who were a parody of the genre, mocking the music I loved so much? Turns out, not only did I find the songs actually funny, but they totally nailed the genre so much that they appeared to be legitimately celebrating the era just as much as parodying it. This was confirmed when I experienced my first Steel Panther show at the Adelaide Soundwave Music Festival in 2011. They had the look, the moves, and the music down pat. They were indeed a fantastic representation of the era.
Despite being impressed with the band, I did suspect that the joke might get old and they might just fade away after their debut album Feel the Steel. Turns out after six studio albums and a live album, they’re still going strong and back in Australia yet again!
Opening their show at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre, was former Marilyn Manson/Rob Zombie guitarist; current Motley Crüe guitarist John 5. Joining John on stage was drummer Alex Ricardo. The majority of this instrumental set was material from John 5 and the Creatures releases. These songs showed off the versatility of John’s guitar work as he covered rock and metal leads and riffs and also jazz, funk and even bluegrass styles. He certainly plays like he traded playing with friends as a kid with playing his guitar for countless hours every day. Despite the crowd sounding impressed with this first half of the set, it was the second half that actually had the crowd singing along, not an easy thing to make happen when you’re playing instrumentals! John turned a microphone in the direction of the crowd to get their vocals for a rendition of Queen’s Crazy Little Thing Called Love. The set closer had John bring up his guitar tech Richard to cover the bass guitar as the 3-piece worked their way through a medley of songs from John’s ‘other’ band Motley Crüe.
This part of the set had the crowd in full voice and really warmed everyone up for Steel Panther. This medley consisted of snippets of Motley classics Livewire, Too Fast for Love, Shout at the Devil, Looks that Kill, Home Sweet Home, Wild Side, Same Ol’ Situation, Girls Girls Girls, Dr Feelgood and finally Kickstart my Heart. This was certainly an impressive way to kick-off a rock gig.
Not too long after John 5 exited the stage, Steel Panther exploded onto it. Opening with a now-classic track from their debut, Eyes of a Panther, it was instantly clear why this band is so popular with the rock crowds that attend their gigs. Yes, they are comedic, but they also transport you back to experience a good old-fashioned 80s rock show. Frontman Michael Starr is part David Lee Roth, part Bret Micheals as he moves around the stage, and the rest of the band behind him have all the rock star moves we’ve seen in those classic glam metal music videos. The band worked their way through songs from their early albums including Asian Hooker, Fat Girl and Death to All but Metal and later tracks including their fantastic ode to the good old days 1987 from their latest album On the Prowl. One thing about a Steel Panther gig that makes their shows seem to go by so quickly, is the banter between songs. This part of their show is just as entertaining, if not more than, the music itself. If you’re easily offended, I definitely would not suggest you attend a Steel Panther gig. The overly sexual (and potentially offensive to many) lyrics in their songs could be considered tame when compared to the banter between songs. Hilariously juvenile!
Midway through the set, guitarist Satchel’s lead guitar solo was a reminder that although their show is comedic, the band members are all extremely talented musicians with a history within serious bands in the past. Throughout the show, Steel Panther sounded amazing and incredibly tight as a unit. Aside from the musicianship and the banter, another fun aspect of a Steel Panther show is the crowd interaction and participation. Throughout the show, girls were brought onto the stage for added entertainment and often awkward encounters with the band. One girl was brought up on stage to have each band member sing suggestively to her in turn, before launching into Girl from Oklahoma, and during the song 17 Girls in a Row, I’m pretty sure there were at least 17 girls up there (in various states of un-dress at times)! The set ended with the crowd-pleasers Community Property and Party all Day (Fuck all Night) before the band momentarily left the stage before the obligatory encore of Gloryhole which rounded out the set.
Once again, Steel Panther delivered an epic, hilarious and inappropriately entertaining show that most certainly seemed to have everyone leaving the Entertainment Centre in high spirits and it sure was a way to make a Monday evening feel like a party weekend!
Kym Robey
Check out the rest of Steel Panther’s Australian Tour
24th Oct - Brisbane - Fortitude Music Hall
26th October - Melbourne - Margaret Court Arena
Thanks to TEG MJR/TEG LIVE