Reviewed on Saturday December 7
American hard rock outfitFozzyopened Steel Panther’s Spreading The Disease tour with some tight tunes. Chris Jericho is an energetic frontman with cookie-cutterBold and the Beautifullooks: golden locks, bulging biceps and an enviable Californian tan. And did someone say WWE pro wrestling champion? Defeating The Rock seems to have turned Jericho into a natural crowd-pleaser when it comes to schmaltzy melodrama. It complimented the general hammed-up vibe that slapped you in the face throughout the night. Fancy dress soared to outrageous levels all around.
I wasn’t completely sold on the second act, Buckcherry. Their performance and songs were a little vanilla for my taste but they did a great job of warming up the audience. As soon as Steel Panther hit the stage, the crowd was thrown into a debauched and humorous Twilight Zone of metal goodness. The rambunctious lead vocalist Ralph Saenz plays his onstage persona Michael Starr with just the right balance of parody and professionalism. The onstage banter between the band was incredibly entertaining and had the crowd screaming with laughter. “Leonardo DiCaprio didn’t paint the Sistine Chapel in a fucking day, guys!”; “Who loves pizza and pussy?!”
Their lyrics may catapult your eyebrows off your forehead but the shock horror value and political incorrectness are exactly what make Steel Panther so clever and hilarious. Maybe it was the hairspray fumes, but the band had the crowd high as hell on their scandalous hijinks. Satchel (Russ Parrish) is a phenomenal guitar player, and belted out some technically brilliant solos on his rad electric green guitar. Lexxi Foxxx (Travis Haley) was sharp and glamorous on bass and sported the most fabulous pair of hot pink sequin and tassel flares I have ever laid eyes on. Foxx plays the perfect caricature of a Hollywood airhead and spent much of the set posing like a pro and correcting his make-up in his stage-side vanity unit. Drummer Stix Zadinia (Darren Leader) thundered flawlessly on drums and showcased his softer musical talents on piano for the ballad ‘Weenie Ride’. We also got a sneak peek at two killer new songs from their upcoming album.
’80s glam metal has long been the poster boy for excess and ridicule and this was a fantastic tribute – or rather, a complete lampooning of the genre executed with ingenious skill and style. Steel Panther are a sensational act at the height of their talents.
BY KYLIE FINLAY
