Story by Metal Head Cosa
Photos by Geula Justice, Photographer
On Tuesday, Sept. 26, the Arvest Theatre at The Midland and 98.9 The Rock in Kansas City, Mo., played host to the mighty Stone Sour and the saucy Steel Panther with support from The Cherry Bombs.
First to hit the stage, for what was already looking like a full and fun crowd, were the “Darlings of Rock & Roll,” The Cherry Bombs, a seven-woman burlesque dance troupe that combines sultry, high-energy dance with heavy metal, fire and acrobatics.
As soon as Cherry, Gypsy, Dixi and the rest of the ladies hit the stage it was hard-stomping, hair-swinging, attitude-driven sexiness in abundance. Not only do the ladies entertain with drop-dead looks and scantily-clad outfits, they also grab you with high-energy dance moves, championship-style pole spins and breathtaking fire dancing. They embody a confidence and attitude that easily reached all the way to the back of the theater.
In the face of an uncertain crowd not used to a burlesque troupe opening a heavy metal show, they had no problem owning the stage and crowd, all to a soundtrack that included hits by the likes of Korn, Motionless in White, and Rob Zombie. Although we didn’t get their entire set, the crowd was entertained, especially when the Bombs brought out the various props of fire including wands, rings and batons that added heat to an already smoking stage.
Next to own the stage was the arousing Steel Panther. Imagine if you will that Motley Crue, Poison, Cinderella, and Twisted Sister had a love child born on the Sunset Strip – it wouldn’t be near as sexy as Steel Panther.
As soon as Stix Zadinia appears behind the drums, you know you are in for something special even before Mr. Hottnes Satchel/lead guitars comes out. Satchel, with his nipples a glaze through his ripped-fishnet sleeveless T-shirt, skin-tight leather pants, headband, and Farah Faucet hair, wastes no time to give a pelvic thrust to the ladies in the front row as he casts attention stage-right with a monster riff.
Before your eyes appears the beautiful Lexxi Foxx/bass guitar with primping mirror in hand to make sure his make-up and waist-long blonde hair are on point throughout the show. Foxx, rocking skin-tight purple leather pants and a metal-studded leather vest, checks his hair one more time just as Michael Star/vocals comes to the stage.
In true front man ‘80s glam style, and not to be outdone by his fellow band members, he is rocking leopard-print tights, a headband, “death to all but metal” T-shirt and long scarves.
While doing titles off their new album like “Goin’ in the Backdoor” and “Wasted Too Much Time” and classics like “17 Girls in a Row” and “Gloryhole,” Steel Panther is not a band of innuendo. They are straightforward sex, drugs and rock-and-roll, and the astonished folks around who had no idea what they were in for were quickly left with their jaws open.
From the first note to the last, Steel Panther is a non-stop party. They bring the ‘80s to life with killer jams and blazing riffs. In between songs they made sure to thank Corey Taylor for the raise of an extra six-pack of soda as well as plead for him to stop taking their ladies.
The highlight of their show had to be when they invited any ladies who would raise their hand and make it to the front onto the stage to help sing and dance to “17 girls.” This was not before they invited Stacey or Karen – they weren’t really concerned with her name – onto the stage to sing their hit “Girl from Oklahoma.” By the time the ladies were escorted off stage, they were 20 strong and visibly used by the rock. Behind the pelvic thrust, pretty make-up and long, primped hair were great songs, fantastic audience interaction and limitless humor. Steel Panther is an all-around entertaining and fun band.
Finally the time had come that everyone seemed to be waiting for: the mighty Corey Taylor, of Slipknot fame, and Stone Sour hit the stage. I’ve never had the pleasure to see either band, but can say the legend of Corey Taylor had built him up pretty big in my head so I was anxious and excited to cross them off the bucket list.
With fellow members Josh Rand and Christian Martucci on guitars, Johny Chow on bass and Roy Mayorga on drums, Stone Sour, in support of their new album “Hydrograd,” starts right out of the gate a heavy-metal band.
Full of energy and nonstop head-banging, Taylor knows what the crowds needs and gives it to them. I have to admit I personally haven’t gotten into Slipknot or Stone Sour, so I didn’t know what to expect and wasn’t very familiar with many of the tracks.
However, it didn’t take a huge fan to know Stone Sour killed it.
They had the crowd jumping, head-banging, horn-throwing and having the time of their life from start to finish. They made sure to do some new songs like “Rose Red Violent Blue (This Song Is Dumb & So Am I)” and “Song #3,” and of course classics like “Through Glass” and “Broken,” two of my personal favorites. Stone Sour killed them all as the crowd sang along to every track. Not to be out done by Taylor, Chow, Mayorga, Martucci and Rand kept pace with his madness and were a show all themselves.
Tuesday night was an all-around really good show – high energy, good tracks and a great crowd!