Shock rock parody glam band Steel Panther get festive for the “On the Prowl Winter Holidaze Tour,” rounding out the year after their On the Prowl album release and subsequent summer tour.
Moon Fever is the solo opening act for the show. The high-intensity rock group really does their best to get the crowd hyped up. Their tracks feel like a cross between 90s and modern rock, with the vocals giving Scott Weiland vibes at times. The singer leaps about the stage, jumping over the drum kit and stage diving (over a very wide crew pit) and into the crowd. Despite not being a similar aesthetic as Steel Panther, the crowd really enjoys the performance, and especially the energy they brought to start the show.
I don’t think anyone in the crowd is unfamiliar with Steel Panther, and any unknowing attendees would really be in for a surprise. They’re known for their lewd lyricism, crass humor, and extreme satire of 80s metal, and when you think they’ve gone too far, they go even farther. Whether it’s “Let Me Cum In” or “Gloryhole,” there is no shortage of inappropriate content at their shows.
I feel like I won’t be able to put in text most of the things that the members say between songs, but while there’s enough to make fun of when it comes to the wild era of hair metal, there are only so many ways that you can make sexual jokes about fans in the front row. The segments between songs feel like they go on a bit long, but I will say that the fans really seem to relish getting roasted by the band, or getting called any number of offensive terms.
Knowing full well what the show entails, some female fans have come prepared to get pointed out by the group, and also to flash the band, which they do before they’re even able to get to their third song of the night. A prime example of the fan interaction comes when they perform “Asian Hooker” and bring up an Asian member of the crowd on stage, who they then proceed to dance with (and hump) during the song. I saw her exit the stage to reunite with her friends in the audience, gleefully getting back to watching the show as her friends cheered for her moment on stage. It’s clear that everyone here knows exactly what they’re getting when they come to this show.
Despite being labeled as “parody,” the musicianship is no joke. Looking past the enjoyably silly lyrics, singer Michael Starr gives a vocal performance that rivals most hair metal bands still on the scene, with guitarist Satchel, bassist Spider and drummer Stix Zadinia all lending perfectly to the genre and aesthetic of the show. Love them or hate them, you can’t deny that Steel Panther is as metal as it gets.
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