Live Review: Steel Panther - Norwich

Live Review: Steel Panther – UEA, Norwich

20th July 2026
Support: Kelsy Karter & The Heronies, Black Sonic Pearls
Words & Photos: Tom Atkin

In Norwich tonight, one of the few bands that can turn literally any venue in to a party and the UEA is playing host to Steel Panther who have brought along a few friends to help along the way.

To open the evening modern rockers Black Sonic Pearls take to the stage with a huge amount of confidence, unleashing into what felt like a wall of hard rock. The audio felt a bit off at the start of their set, however this was rectified very quickly and did not have an impact on their overall performance. With the venue already filling up pretty quickly they had plenty of people to prove themselves to, which they did with a performance that was filled with huge vocals giving a commanding vibe, and lovely thick guitar tones.

This is exactly what you want from a rock band, but sadly it was only a short set, however one of those songs was an absolutely stunning Michael Jackson cover which they made their own.

The energy that they brought to the opening of the night definitely won them over some new fans, those that I could see along the barrier visibly enjoying themselves, along with the movement in the middle of the floor, they are the perfect fit to open this tour.

Following on from an amazing start is never easy and the last Kelsy Karter & The Heroines graced our pages they were opening at the O2 for Halestorm. Kelsey Karter instantly makes a statement, coming out in what I think is classed as a lingerie set, she knows how to grab the attention of everyone in the crowd.

There was zero difference in the performance or the energy from the band compared to that O2 Arena show, proving no matter the setting, they will give you every thing that they have. The band are on absolute top form, the interactions between the three of them is an absolute pleasure to see. They beautifully mix classic rock influences with a sprinkling of a modern edge, then slap Kelsey’s stunning vocals and song writing over the top of it all and you have a band that really deserve to be on the stage.

Now it’s time for one of the original party bands, Steel Panther, who haven’t been on this Norwich stage in fourteen years. Everyone who has walked through the door tonight knows exactly what they are about to witness. Equal parts comedy, glam metal and musicianship that is world class. A band that hasn’t swapped up their formula at all, yet it will consistently fill venue after venue.

As the lights turn to a lovely shade of purple, the band come out on to the shade to the expect uproar from throughout the venue. Starting the show with their classic ‘Eyes Of A Panther, a riff that is instantly recognisable, and with the choreography that is often over looked, a feature of their shows that after so many years of touring, they have nailed down to a tea!

From that point on it was classic Steel Panther throughout, whilst they are a very gimmick ridden band that does not detract away from the fact that their performance is consistently flawless. Every note from Michael Starr hits exactly where it should. Every solo from Satchel is pin point perfection. Stix Zadinia providing the heavy hitting drums that line the tracks is spot on. Even the “New Guy” of the band Spyder on bass, looks and sounds like he has been there from the very beginning.

In between some of the songs we get the usual humour, relating to drug use and lewd acts. Some are probably bored with that now, however those that are, are not in the crowd tonight as each “bit” lands with the crowd, with them erupting in laughter. Whilst some of the jokes are perhaps repeated each night, they are localised to the places they are playing so work very well indeed.

The stage performance continues through out, each member of the band interacts consistently with members of the crowd, even if its just pulling faces at them or thrusting in their general direction, keeping the attention on them rather than the two pole dancers at the back of the stage. Those pole dancers are pretty much the only additional bit of flair for the show, apart from the huge fan at the front of the stage to provide a nice hair wafting breeze for Starr. They don’t rely on pyro and stage tricks to get the attention, just the fact that they are Steel Panther and they are consistently in your face.

It has been an incredibly long time since this Norwich stage was last graced by Steel Panther. In that time they have played all over the world, from Download to Wembley Arena and they have remained consistent with who they are and what they do. Showing that whilst they are a comedic glam metal band, that does not mean that their craft is weak. Having the confidence to come out, mess around, be very non PC but still have every one enjoy the night is a skill set that is hard to replicate.