The Fillmore Silver Spring had a low level hum before anything even started. Not loud, not chaotic and the crowd leaned heavily into the assignment, wearing denim vests, a few t-shirts that have seen more shows than some touring bands, and more than a couple of leopard prints. You could practically hear the ghost of 1987 revving its engine outside. Sunset Strip rockers Steel Panther had come to town.
Opening duties fell to Cody Parks & The Dirty South, who walked out like they had something to prove and maybe a few things to confess and if you didn’t know better, you might’ve thought you wandered into a Southern rock revival meeting that accidentally got booked on a glam metal bill. On April 4, their set hit with a southern-fried swagger, part hard rock, part back-porch confession, part bar fight waiting to happen. Cody Parks himself carried that outlaw preacher energy, the kind of frontman who looks like he might either save your soul or steal your whiskey, depending on the night.
They didn’t waste time warming up the room. First song in, guitars were already leaning into that gritty, slightly dangerous tone, the kind that doesn’t ask permission. Their set had that barroom swing to it, where you can picture the songs breathing in a much smaller room somewhere in Alabama or Georgia. But here they were, opening for a band that thrives on excess. There’s something refreshing about an opener that doesn’t try to mimic the headliner. Cody Parks & The Dirty South carved out their own lane, less neon, more dust and diesel. But it worked. It grounded the evening before things inevitably spun into glitter and absurdity. By the time they wrapped, the room felt primed, like a coil tightened just enough.
Then came the shift.
The lights dropped and when Steel Panther hit the stage, it was immediate. No easing in, no gentle hello. Just full-throttle, hair-sprayed, leather-clad ridiculousness crashing into the room like a confetti cannon loaded with punchlines.
The thing that always sneaks up on people who haven’t seen them live – beneath the jokes, the absurdity, the very intentional ridiculousness… they can flat-out play.
Michael Starr commanded the stage the way he always does, half rock god, half stand-up comic who wandered into the wrong venue and decided to stay. His voice held up, too, cutting through the mix with that familiar high-register confidence.
Satchel, meanwhile, treated the fretboard like it owed him money. His playing bounced between legitimately impressive and deliberately over-the-top, sometimes within the same solo. One minute he’s shredding with surgical precision, the next he’s milking a note like it’s the punchline to a joke only he’s in on. It’s that push-pull that keeps things interesting. You laugh, then you catch yourself thinking, wait, that was actually really good.
The nights set list leaned into the expected chaos. “Eyes of a Panther” hit early and did exactly what it’s supposed to do, set the tone, set the pace, and give the crowd something to latch onto. “Community Property” turned into a full-room singalong, the kind where you don’t even try to fight it. You just go with it, because resisting would feel weirder than joining in. “Death to All But Metal” still hits like a mission statement, even now. Maybe especially now.
Watch the official music video for “Death to All But Metal” by Steel Panther on YouTube:
Between songs, the band stretched time in that way they always do. Bits ran long, jokes circled back on themselves, crowd interactions veered into territory that probably shouldn’t work in 2026 but somehow still do. It’s a tightrope, and they know it and they lean into it anyway. At one point, there was an improvised song for a young lady in the audience who was brought up on stage to experience the fun. It was part roast, part love letter, entirely ridiculous. Those moments are the glue of a Steel Panther show. The songs are the backbone, sure, but the connective tissue is all the stuff that isn’t planned down to the second.
Stix Zadinia, back behind the kit, kept everything from flying off the rails completely. There’s a steadiness there that doesn’t get enough credit. While everything else is flirting with chaos, his drums keep the whole thing grounded. Not flashy, just reliable.
Visually, the show didn’t try to reinvent anything. It didn’t need to. The aesthetic is the aesthetic—big hair, bright lights, a stage presence that feels like it was imported directly from a VHS tape labeled “Best of 1987.”
Sound-wise, the room carried everything well. The Fillmore has that knack for keeping things clear without sanding off the edges. Guitars had bite, drums had weight, vocals stayed front and center. Nothing got lost, which matters for a band like this. The jokes need space, but so do the riffs.
Mid-set included “Friends With Benefits,” which got a solid reaction, and “17 Girls in a Row” — and both songs were loud, dumb in the best way, and completely embraced by a room that knew every word and didn’t care who heard them sing it. That’s kind of the theme with this band. No pretense. No apology. Just commitment.
Watch the official music video for “Friends with Benefits” by Steel Panther on YouTube:
Steel Panther doesn’t pretend to be anything they’re not. That’s part of their charm, sure, but it’s also part of why it still works. The joke hasn’t worn thin because the music underneath it holds up and on nights like this, packed into a room that feels just the right size, it reminds you that sometimes rock shows don’t need to evolve into something bigger or cleaner or more serious.
Sometimes they just need to be loud, a little ridiculous, and completely committed to the bit.
Setlist
1. Eyes of a Panther
2. Tomorrow Night
3. Asian Hooker
4. Just Like Tiger Woods
5. Friends With Benefits
6. Death to All But Metal
7. Poontang Boomerang
8. All I Wanna Do Is Fuck (Myself Tonight)
9. Girl From Oklahoma
10. 17 Girls in a Row
11. Part All Day (Fuck All Night)
12. Community Property
13. Gloryhole
Here are some photos of Steel Panther performing live at The Fillmore Silver Spring on April 4, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Michael Sprouse/ Odd Rocker Photography.
Here are some photos of Cody Parks & The Dirty South opening Steel Panther at The Fillmore Silver Spring on April 4, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Michael Sprouse/ Odd Rocker Photography.
