Steel Panther @ 02 Apollo, Manchester 24 January, 2018
It’s a fairly cold night but fortunately dry, so all the fluffed puffy hair with skin tight lycra and makeup can stay intact for the Panthers to see them in all their glory. The queues go all around the venue, its sold out show tonight and everyone seems pumped to go.
First up was Wayward Sons fronted by Toby Jepson previously known for Little Angels, Gun , having heard Wayward Sons their name seems familiar but I’ve not not seen them perform before. They proved to be a great opening act, they delivered a solid performance with the crowd rocking away and plenty of guitar play and squeals.
Up next is the big hearted, huge vocal genius Nathan James with his band Inglorious, and it is glorious too see them perform. Their songs are a mixture of heavy and soft, with vocals which have highs and lows.
He is all glittered fitting the theme tonight, with a fan favourite playlist starting from Read All About It and my favourite Holy Water, which shows off their sound well. We finish on Until I Die, whilst a short sweet set, (it does feel short) the crowd were pumped and ready to go.
The crowd roar for the band to come out and there were more girls in the crowd than, oh wait, they were men in wigs, though jokes aside the amount of effort the fans put in tonight is 10/10 for effort!
Stix appears atop his drums, and generates some noise from the outset the band follow with roars and kick off with Eyes of a Panther prowling around the stage, engaging with the crowd and they strut from left to right.
It’s still funny, you just think before you arrive it will be the same jokes etc, but no, I was laughing as much this time if not more than last time as Michael & Satchel tell “Manchester you are the best crowd of the tour” also gives reps to the previous bands asking us to make some noise and its hard to find supports because they need to make sure the other bands have smaller penis’s than them!
Flowing well and into Going In the Backdoor and Asian Hooker as we all sing along to this filth, Michael spots a young girl with her Mom on the balcony. This is the good thing, no one takes them seriously, at all, ever, as it gives them leverage to lower the bar to a level that’s so low that the crowd laughs. Satchel comes out with an array of potty language – then goes further, saying she only has 8 years to go until she is of legal age ;)….. as the whole room erupts into laugher.
Poontang Boomerang sees the crowd go nuts, hands and hair is swaying around there is no slow lane here until Satchel remains alone to have his moment to shine . Proceeding to play his solo, a long one at that, which is not unfamiliar to the hardcore fans. Nonetheless absolutely great to see, it starts off slowly and picks up speed and he adds in kick drum and crash he knows how to show off his talent, obviously making up for a small….
Lexi is looking more manly than usual tonight but still swaying his hair around and pouting – not forgetting his mirror and hairspray which make an appearance. He also find it extremely funny when Satchel and Michael go on their long rants and jokes, he just stands around looking bored twiddling with anything.
A young, but heavy topped girl is picked out of the crowd to join them on stage. Only as they sing, she lifts her top, she obliges and a few moments later she was here to do it again for all to see whilst Micheal sings to her Weenie Ride. This is followed by 17 Girls which sees a stage invasion and a young lad Calum joins us on stage to play the guitar and does this with much skill – of course its staged….but still this lads skills are top of the game as he struts around the stage afterwards Michael tells him he can any girl he wants in the crowd.
One of the funniest bits (I was in stitches and cant recall them doing it previously) was the bit where they each take it in turns to sing a variety of “Yeahs” with tonal pitch and frequency, Michael’s the most normal. Satchels completely random though as the crowd manage to keep up and Michael to fans “Who wants Lexi to try one and he asks Lexi “You want to try one” crowd roars …..even more random as he say “eeee oar, eee oar” “ br rb br br br br br br“ “mooooooooo and finishes with a funny “hahahahah” the crowd relay everything perfectly Satchel and him clap hands and Michael looks stunned.
We end tonight on Death to All but Metal as they leave the stage but not for long as this rowdy bunch want more, and rip through Community Property and Party All Day F*ck all Night. A great ending to a fantastic night, one that even my old dear thought was truly fantastic.
What can be said that hasn’t already, probably not a lot really. Steel Panther get a lot of flack from the many music lovers because its not music, it’s a show, its …. I don’t really care personally. They can play, they can sing and they can certainly entertain with fun and humour far beyond that of any ‘normal gig’. Sometimes I think it would be nice for us to hear something serious from the Panthers and I KNOW they are more than capable… but that’s not really going to happen not at this stage in their careers.
Set List
Everybody Wants Some!! (Van Halen song)
In the Future
Eyes of a Panther
Goin’ in the Backdoor
Asian Hooker
Tomorrow Night
Wasted Too Much Time
Poontang Boomerang
Guitar Solo
That’s When You Came In
Weenie Ride
17 Girls in a Row
(17 old from the audience did… more )
Gloryhole
Death to All but Metal
Encore:
Community Property
Party All Day (Fuck All Night)
Review and Photographs: Chris Bowley