ALLENTOWN, PA—What happens when four extremely talented musicians who each happen to have a great sense of humor form a band combining those two innate abilities? You get Steel Panther and their deservedly wild fanbase selling out shows around the world.
On February 17, the band performed to an overly packed house at Crocodile Rock Cafe in Allentown, PA, and proved that each member is at the top of their game. Michael Starr’s searing vocals remained strong throughout the entire evening while Satchel’s blistering guitar work never let up. Lexxi Foxx (as stated by Lexxi himself, the extra “x” is for extra SEX!) was as masterful on the bass guitar as he was at flinging his hair and making sure he always looked his best by constantly checking himself in his handheld mirror. When not annihilating his drumset, Stix Zadinia showed off his versatility by performing a ballad on the piano (the sign of a truly great hair band drummer)!
If you haven’t heard of Steel Panther, you need to get in on the joke because it’s a good one. So yes, Steel Panther is obviously a parody taking aim at the glory days of ‘80s hair metal, but make no mistake—these guys take their show seriously and they do it better than anyone. The band looked and sounded like they walked right off of Sunset Strip circa 1985 and acted like they were bigger than all the bands they emulate combined. What makes them such an outstanding act is that they masterfully combine their comedy routine with top-notch musicianship and original songwriting. Take away the clever (or filthy depending on your tastes) joke lyrics and you have songs that would have stood their ground with the best of the ‘80s glam bands.
The band tore through a 90 minute set featuring such gems as “Supersonic Sex Machine,” “It Won’t Suck Itself,” “Gold Digging Whore” and “Fat Girl (Thar She Blows).” While the show was heavy, just the between-song banter was well worth it. The songs were hilarious, but the band really shines when they are improvising. One of the finest examples at their show in Allentown was during their songs “Community Property” and “Weenie Ride.” The band brought two more-than-willing girls up on stage and proceeded to entertain the crowd at their expense. I can’t give specific details here, but it is worth your time to search for
the two-part clip online.
It’s easy to understand the mass appeal of the band. On the surface, they are a hysterically funny band poking fun at the excess of hair metal, but underneath lies a tremendously talented group of musicians who are dedicated to carrying the torch of the very genre they tease. The best thing about Steel Panther is that whether you are laughing at them or with them, you will thoroughly enjoy the show just the same.
