With wet panties galore, the smell of sex oozed in the air as LA`s finest brought their ‘Heavy Metal Rules’ tour to Birmingham, straight outta sunset strip, glam metal heart throbs Steel Panther livened up a dull Saturday night with their infectious lyrics, rocking beats and lots of lycra . This wasn’t a show to bring your Mum for a belated Chrimbo gift, unless she’s hot and then that would be a different ball park. Frontman Michael Starr would be all over her like a nun with a banana…
UK’s Wayward Sons brought down the house as they warmed up the frivolous crowd, guitar rifts and raw vocals boomed from the stage as the sell out crowd cheered for more, ‘Black As Sin’, ‘Any Other Way’ and ‘Alive’ shook the audience and grabbed their attention, showcasing a range of latest offering ‘The Truth Ain’t What It Used To Be’ to fans young and old.
Beer danced about as men in wigs jostled through the crowd, dressed as their idols, girls in mini dresses, ripped tops and short skirts eagerly awaited the main attraction, bursting into Birmingham with a fan favourite ‘Eye Of The Panther’ they were back and as playful as ever after skipping Birmingham on last year’s tour.
“Hey everyone” beamed Michael Starr. “Just to let you know, after the show we are giving away free coke, this is where Ozzy Osbourne grew up man, I mean it’s the home of heavy metal so a bag for free after the show yeah?” causing the crowd to erupt in cheers.
Steel Panther is always one of those shows you just can’t miss, naughty lyrics with Lexxi Foxx pouting on bass, puling out a mirror and fixing his make up to ensure he’s looking great. Those long blonde locks thrusting into the stage air as he plucks on the bass owning the beat and leaving the fans begging for more. Lexxi puts the glam in glam rock with his sequined tee’s and shiny gloss you know it isn’t a proper Panther party without this glamour puss.
Always the gent, Michael was quick to notice his crowd, from joking with them to eyeing up prey, he knew how to have them eating out of his hand, from grabbing a young Asian girl in the audience onto the stage then serenading her with the catchy ‘Asian Hooker’ to bringing up Lizzy, “who is gonna get bizzy and have spunk all over her titties” before serenading her with lovers anthem ‘Weenie Ride’ he knows how to pull the right strings to keep it entertaining yet not delving too far, cough cough, wink, wink.
The ‘Crazy Train’ didn’t stop there with a hilarious cover of the Ozzy Osbourne hit complete with delirious impression the audience were left in stitches as he paraded around wide eyed pretending to be the Sabbath frontman.
Satchel adds sex to the band, his wavy hair and ripped vest top declaring “Beer O Clock” no matter what the other members may say, he certainly gets the ladies attention but forget the good looks and concentrate on the guitar. Perfect riffs and melodies flow as he keeps the party stomping from the front to the back, he knows what to do to keep the fans lubricated through classics ‘Party All Day’, ‘Poontang Boomerang’ and ‘Community Property’ The crowd sang along loud and proud at the band who wouldn’t really be welcome at a ‘Me Too’ rally.
Overshadowed by the others at times Styx holds his own, keyboard solo’s showing he is more than just a drummer, getting the loudest cheer of the night with his verse ditty to Lizzy, whilst at times he is lost in the madness he holds it from the back strongly keeping it all in check.
’17 Girls’ signalled the end of the high paced show was looming. A little more chaos won’t do anyone any harm. As they brought on girls from the audience to gyrate and dance on stage, getting not the groove and wiggling their wobbly bits they sent the crowd crazy before being joined on stage by ‘Surreal Panther’ a UK tribute act to the band. Handing over their weapons of mass destruction the idols took a backseat as their counterparts rocked the stage, surreal yes, but fun never the less leaving the crowd wanting more as it was time for an encore. Like premature ejaculation the night ended swiftly but not without a trip to the bands favourite place ‘Glory Hole’. This fast paced beat mixed with slower verses sent the crowd into a meltdown, singing and jumping about. Steel Panther came saw and conquered Birmingham all over tonight.
