Sleaze, satire and sold-out chaos: Steel Panther prove Manchester still knows how to party like it’s 1987.

Words & photos by Sabrina Ramdoyal (sabrinaramdoyal)| Aug 11, 2026

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Steel Panther’s sold-out Manchester Academy show proved that rock ‘n’ roll’s wild side is far from dead. It was a riotous throwback to glam metal’s glory days: depraved, decadent, and utterly hilarious. Onstage, debauchery, filth, and comedy collided, demonstrating Steel Panther’s unwavering commitment to over-the-top spectacle, even if their commercial heyday is behind them. Pole dancers strutted and spun, injecting an 80s glam excess that would make some past glam bands blush, while the band’s comedic timing remained razor-sharp, eliciting roars of laughter between each sleazy riff.

The show kicked off with crowd-pleasers “Eyes of a Panther” and “Tomorrow Night,” even featuring a cheeky nod to Mötley Crüe’s “Shout at the Devil.” Not content with mere nostalgia, the band pelted the crowd with boobie-shaped candies (allegedly “laced with ecstasy”), escalating the chaos. During “Asian Hooker” and “Just Like Tiger Woods,” the Academy echoed with the collective harmony only Steel Panther fans could muster, as the crowd belted every word. “Friends With Benefits” sparked a frenzied moshpit, and Satchel’s jaw-dropping guitar solo—performed with the aid of a pole dancer’s prop—served as a potent reminder that, beneath the parody, this band shreds with the best of them.

“Death to All But Metal” predictably unleashed pandemonium, serving as a rallying cry for anyone who believes rock should be loud, proud, and a little dangerous, unlike its TV-friendly counterparts. Even the tongue-in-cheek “Mother’s Day” proved a surprisingly infectious live banger, with the crowd gleefully singing along to every irreverent lyric. “1987” offered a bittersweet homage, as the band and fans alike raised a glass to the legends—Vince Neil (the old one), Ozzy, Lemmy, Hendrix—who made such excess possible. “Girl From Oklahoma” transformed into a wild onstage party, complete with an impromptu jig alongside a fan from Scotland, which had the entire Academy at maximum volume.

“17 Girls in a Row” saw exactly 17 fabulous ladies pack the stage, relishing their best glam-rock lives and “Party Like Tomorrow Is the End of the World” brought a lucky fan up to play guitar onstage, soaking up the mayhem. For “Community Property,” the house lights illuminated the crowd, whose voices soared, creating a stadium anthem rather than a cheeky glam-metal singalong. The show concluded with “Glory Hole,” igniting a final, frenzied circle pit. Hats were tossed, fedoras caught, and the moshpit raged until the last note—a fittingly unhinged finale to a night of glorious chaos. Steel Panther may look like a satirical display, but their power to throw a party was no joke; Manchester will not soon forget it.