Steel Panther - Engine Shed, Lincoln - March 14 2014

Usually a city well-renowned for its copious amount of swans and a better-than-you-think-university-thank-you-Inbetweeners, Lincoln has seldom seen such a majestic display of bulge and biceps. But that's what it's getting; Steel Panther are in town on the first date of a sold-out UK jaunt, and the masses have arrived clad in spandex, make-up and horrifyingly realistic wigs.

If you've heard anything good from the eighties, then you've essentially heard opening act Mia Klose. The Swedish frontwoman and her crew play a formidable brand of rock 'n' roll that would be fun on its own, yet Klose's thunderous vocals ensure that all ears are pricked upwards. A cover of Guns 'N' Roses banger You Could Be Mine gives the audience more than they need in the build up to the eve of the Panther – this is going to be amazing.

Even for purists and grumpy bastards, its hard to ignore Steel Panther's unstoppable rise to power. They had members of Slipknot, The Darkness, Anthrax and Avenged Sevenfold play on their first album. They scored themselves a genuine anthem with Death To All But Metal – on their first album. They headlined Brixton Academy... off the back of their first album. It's now the run up to their third full-length, 'All You Can Eat', and the Sunset Strip Saviours show no signs of slowing down.

Eyes Of A Panther sees the band storm on stage like absolute heroes; Satchel's guitar licks and riffing are the stuff of legend, while Michael Starr's impervious vocals are just as powerful live as they are on disc. Two songs in, the band descends into a ten minute stand up segment – this should be utterly shit, but it's not. It's hilarious. Their total embodiment of the 'eighties rock star' stereotype is completely – and worryingly – realistic; Starr and Satchel comment on Lincoln's 'castle' (it's a cathedral), there is talk of cocaine/hookers and several Lostprophets jokes prove to be incredibly close to the bone(r). 

A lesser band wouldn't dream of interspersing paedophile gags amidst their catalogue of tunes, but most bands aren't Steel Panther. Their parodist style of glam metal is played with such vigour, self-awareness and talent that it actually sounds better than the bands they're taking the piss out of.

Tunes like Asian Hooker, It Won't Suck Itself and new ditty The Burden Of Being Wonderful are just so obnoxiously clever; the sing-along to Community Property is a genuine chills-down-the-spine moment, even given the fact that it's a song about a man-slut. Hell, there's even lighters in the air – a terrifying prospect when the amount of hairspray in the room is considered.

Girls are hauled on stage (you don't know the meaning of terror until your girlfriend is invited on stage by Steel Panther), bassist Lexxi Foxx does a 'hair solo' where he basically just pouts at everyone, and Party All Day (Fuck All Night) brings a close to one of the most epic, excessive displays of rock 'n' roll grandeur in recent memory. Some may dismiss them as a joke band, but Steel Panther are by no means messing around. They're set on world domination, and judging by tonight's performance, it's not too far away.

Steel Panther UK & Ireland Tour Dates are as follows

Tue March 18 2014 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE O2 Academy Newcastle
Wed March 19 2014 - GLASGOW O2 Academy Glasgow
Thu March 20 2014 - SHEFFIELD O2 Academy Sheffield
Sat March 22 2014 - CAMBRIDGE Cambridge Corn Exchange
Sun March 23 2014 - BRISTOL O2 Academy Bristol
Mon March 24 2014 - NOTTINGHAM Rock City
Wed March 26 2014 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton

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