Steel Panther Were On The Prowl At The Fillmore in Detroit

Steel Panther - Detroit 2023 Michael, Satchel, Stix and newest member Spyder brought Steel Panther over the top for a glam metal extravaganza at Detroit’s Fillmore Theatre this past Tuesday March 21^st and the crowd was there to “Party Like Tomorrow Is the End of the World”. It’s been four years since the boys have been in Detroit and their loyal fan base was excited to have them back.

The show began with a hilarious pre-recorded intro hyping the experience, and a dramatic silhouette of the band members standing on platforms around drummer Stix (Zadinia). The band opened with Eyes Of A Panther from their first album, Feel The Steel.

These guys may be a parody of 80’s hair bands, but they’re probably more talented than half the bands they make fun of. They found a shtick that works and has served them well for over 20 years now and why fix something that isn’t broken? A lot of people just don’t get the joke or they find the humour offensive, but the people who attend these shows love it and from what I have witnessed four times now, they have a great time!

The self-depreciating humour and the barbs back and forth are quite funny. Satchel really digs at Michael Starr and Michael plays along with it with a smile.

Maybe surprisingly, a large number of fans are female, and they happily join in on the fun flashing the band from the audience, getting called on stage for a bit where Michael Starr makes up a song (Impromptu Song For a Girl) for an audience member, and joining the band on stage en masse to dance, usually to the song 17 Girls in a Row or for this night, Party All Day.

It’s not surprising that Michael Starr and Satchel, actual names Ralph Saenz and Russ Parrish, were once both members of a Van Halen tribute band. They’re a great frontman and guitarist, and although they’re over the top in this band the talent is undeniable. New Bassist Spyder is a great replacement for the departed Lexxi Foxx and brings his own take on the character, coming across as a kind of lovable dweeb.

The setlist was pretty heavy on material from the first album, Feel The Steel as well as the new album On The Prowl. The show finished with several songs from Feel The Steel and a hat tossing contest where Michael Starr told the fans that nobody was going anywhere until each band member caught the hat.

Opening bands Tragedy and Crobot put on a couple of great performances to open the night. Tragedy is an all-metal tribute to “The Bee Gees and beyond” and is an over the top band much the same way that Steel Panther is except that their songs are metal versions of The Bee Gees and 70’s pop and yacht rock, and I have to say I liked it. Only the most twisted mind could have contrived such a thing and its genius!

Crobot is another unique band that you have to see if you never have. They describe their sound as dirty groove rock, and frontman Brandon Yeagley is freakishly animated with his wild contortions and facial expressions. I’ve never seen anyone jump as high off the stage as he did in that performance. I find bands are far more theatrical these days, and I like it. With concert tickets at all new highs for the big shows, I would far rather spend a fraction on a show such as this one than the week’s salary that some shows are charging.

Visit Steel Panther at steelpantherrocks.com.

Steel Panther / Crobot / Tragedy
The Fillmore
Detroit, MI
March 21, 2023

All photos by Dan Boshart

Steel Panther