Steel Panther, 02 Academy Bristol, 05/02/20

Photo credit: Martin Thompson
It’s 8pm in Wig City, Bristol, UK. Gary from I.T is in snakeskin leggings and the scene is set for an ‘80’s rock ‘n’ roll party.

Wayward Sons are in support tonight. The stage is dry and not quite full of bodily fluids yet and it’s a homecoming lead singer Toby Jepson. A long drive home from Antwerp after a 2am start, so he tells us.

He’s looking happy though and they have a serious gear set-up and it’s sounding good, especially Ghost, Crush andJoke’s on You.

Sam Wood on guitar looks like he’s having the best time and the crowd are mirroring this. The songs have a tap-along likeability as well as a honed rock core, which is the perfect blend for tonight.

Steel Panther up next and everyone knows this is all a bit silly, but here you get an all-senses-absorbing experience of pure and undiluted hair metal, ‘80’s rock, pop rock, whatever you want to call it, along with grand showmanship and a very happy crowd.

Showcasing tracks from the new album Heavy Metal Rules like All I Wanna Do Is F***, F*** Everybody and classics for Panther fans like Asian Hooker, Community Property and Party Like Tomorrow is the End of the World. SP virgins are in their awe of what they’re getting away with, but it makes you wonder if they’re just not afraid to say what some think. And Poontang Boomerang? Come on, how many bands want to be brave enough to release that? 

And so it goes on. Let Me Cum In is a great song, then you get hit with the shock of the lyrics. That’s the general theme – and it’s clever.

With a tribute to (or distasteful joke at the expense of) Rick Allen, Def Leppard’s drummer, Stix Zadinia tucks one arm into his t-shirt and lets rip on the skins. Near the mark, but if you don’t know this lot by now, you wouldn’t have bought a ticket.

Michael Starr morphs into David Lee Roth without apology – it’s uncanny. The curator of the six string and the master of the whammy bar Satchel gets busy grinding his crotch into Michael’s head while astride the drum stand when he’s not looking, at the same time belting out crazy riff skills. His fret abilities are a big F*** You to the neigh sayers.

It’s an easy equation that there should be more of in rock – a friendly band who appreciates its fans, audience recognition and good music that secretes a passion for rock ‘n’ roll. Why did people ever stop riding motorbikes through hotel corridors? No good reason probably.