Steel Panther Brings NSFW Glam Metal Mayhem to Milwaukee

Concert ReviewMilwaukeeThe RaveCody Parks & The Dirty South

Mar 30

When Steel Panther announced their Twenty Twenty $ex Tour, it was pretty much guaranteed to be an outrageous, laugh so hard you will cry kind of night. Their stop at The Rave in Milwaukee promised no exceptions, as the historic venue packed itself to the brim with a crowd eager for debauchery, humor, and a face-melting glam metal show. The energy in the room was electric, with fans decked out in everything from barely-there leather and spandex to mullet wigs, channeling the band’s unapologetic throwback to the wild excess of the 1980s Sunset Strip; the air smelled faintly of stale beer and rebellion, but Steel Panther wasn’t rolling into town alone; they brought along the Nashville-based Cody Parks & The Dirty South, a band hell-bent on redefining what country can sound like by smashing it together with gritty metal riffs. As The Rave’s lights dimmed and amps started humming, it became clear this wasn’t going to be a quiet evening. Between beer in hand, raunchy jokes on standby, and songs about excess, heartbreak, and everything in between, the stage was set for a night that no one would forget (or stop laughing about) anytime soon.

A‍ll Photos By: Aaron R. Shriver Photography

Tonight, walking into The Rave in Milwaukee felt like stepping into a time capsule of decadence and rock 'n' roll glory. This iconic venue, a labyrinth of historic charm and gritty energy, has been hosting unforgettable nights since 1927. With its intricate architecture and vintage details, it’s the kind of place that makes you wonder how many legends have left their sweat on these walls. The Eagles Club is a sprawling space that makes even the heaviest riffs reverberate like a thunderstorm, or it could be the shaking of the floor from the ballroom upstairs. The balcony offers an incredible view of the stage, but let’s be real, most fans were too hyped to stay seated. Downstairs in the basement, whispers of the “haunted” pool area float around like urban legends, adding an extra layer of intrigue. The entire building oozes an eerie coolness, perfectly setting the stage for a band like Steel Panther to blow the roof off.

‍Cody Parks & The Dirty South hit the stage like a whiskey-soaked wrecking ball, immediately commanding attention as the room filled with anticipation. Cody Parks doesn’t front your typical Nashville act. There’s grit in his delivery, a rawness that leans far more metal than country, and it works. Sporting a look that screamed outlaw grit with a touch of heavy metal swagger, Cody and his crew wasted no time cranking up the amps and letting their unique blend of Country Metal loose on the Milwaukee crowd. Kicking things off with "Dirt I'm From," the band delivered a tight, energetic performance that had heads nodding and beers raised in approval.

C‍lick The Image Above For The Full Cody Parks & The Dirty South Photo Gallery

Tracks like "Water In The Well" and "Thunder Cash '69" turned the energy dial way up, with Cody’s snarling vocals and the band’s hard-hitting riffs transforming the crowd into a sea of movement. Their take on "Long Haired Country Boy" was a fresh, gritty spin that gave the Charlie Daniels classic a rock ’n’ roll punch in the face. By the time they closed with "Redneck Rich," the room was fully warmed up, buzzing from the unapologetic fusion of twang and distortion. Cody Parks & The Dirty South didn’t just open the show, they lit the damn fuse.

‍From the moment the lights dropped and the opening notes of “Eyes of a Panther” rang out, the energy inside The Rave shifted into overdrive. Steel Panther doesn’t just play shows, they put on a full production, complete with outrageous personas, razor-sharp musicianship, and a level of comedic timing that feels almost scripted… except it never quite is. Rolling straight into “Tomorrow Night” and “Asian Hooker,” the band wasted no time unleashing their signature blend of glam metal parody and legitimate musical chops. Michael Starr’s vocals soared, Satchel shredded with effortless precision, and the rhythm section of Lexxi Foxx and Stix Zadinia (now part of the band’s legacy lineup) kept everything tight beneath the chaos, but the music is only half the story.

‍Within minutes, the on-stage antics took over. Two dancers appeared on poles, with the band joking they blew an extra $75 of the production budget to make it happen, a line that perfectly sums up Steel Panther’s brand of humor. It’s ridiculous, self-aware, and delivered with a straight face that makes it land even harder. Between songs, the band launched into extended comedic bits, often stretching three to four minutes at a time. They roasted the crowd relentlessly, calling out husbands dragged along for the ride, poking fun at bald guys in the front row, and turning everyday audience members into part of the show. Even security couldn’t keep a straight face, laughing along as guitar picks were theatrically launched out of Satchel’s mouth and over their heads into the crowd.

‍One of the more surreal moments came with “Just Like Tiger Woods,” which, given the real-world headlines circulating that same day, hit with an extra layer of shock humor. Steel Panther doesn’t tiptoe around anything; they lean all the way in. And somehow, the crowd was right there with them, laughing, singing, and fully embracing the absurdity. After “Friends With Benefits,” Satchel took center stage for a blistering guitar solo that served as a reminder: beneath all the jokes, this band can flat-out play. His solo seamlessly transitioned into “Death to All But Metal,” one of the band’s defining tracks, and the entire room erupted. If there was any doubt about the connection between band and audience, it disappeared in that moment.

‍ Then came one of the night’s running bits, a supposed Australian superfan who had been following the band for 37 shows. Whether it was real or not, it didn’t matter. It set up “Poontang Boomerang,” delivered with the kind of over-the-top storytelling that only Steel Panther can pull off. They followed it with “All I Wanna Do Is F*ck (Myself Tonight),” and the crowd sang every word back with unapologetic enthusiasm. It’s a strange thing to witness, thousands of people singing wildly inappropriate lyrics in unison, but that’s exactly what makes a Steel Panther show what it is. It’s not just tolerated; it’s celebrated.

‍The night reached another level when “Holly” was brought on stage. Dressed exactly how you’d expect for a Steel Panther show, tight black outfit, full confidence, she became the centerpiece of one of the band’s most outrageous segments. They “wrote” her a song on the spot, “A Song for Holly,” packed with lyrics that were as ridiculous as they were explicit, and somehow, it worked. With Holly still on stage, the band launched into “Girl From Oklahoma,” which turned into the biggest singalong of the night. Voices echoed through the Eagles Club as fans threw themselves into every lyric, creating one of those moments that sticks with you long after the night ends.

‍Despite Milwaukee being labeled a “no nudity” city for the evening, that didn’t stop Steel Panther from inviting 17 women on stage for, you guessed it, “17 Girls.” Normally, things might get even wilder, but even with the toned-down restrictions, the energy didn’t dip. If anything, it made the moment feel even more chaotic, with a stage full of dancing fans soaking in their time in the spotlight. Closing out the main set with “Party All Day (F*ck All Night),” the band left the stage to a roaring crowd that wasn’t ready for it to end. Milwaukee made sure they came back, and the encore delivered exactly what fans wanted, a tease of “Community Property” before the night officially wrapped with “Glory Hole,” sending the crowd out on one final, unforgettable high.

‍Walking out of The Rave that night, one thing was clear: Steel Panther isn’t for everyone, and they’re not trying to be. If you’re easily offended, this probably isn’t your show. But if you’re willing to lean into the chaos, laugh at the absurd, and appreciate a band that can back up their outrageous humor with serious musical talent, then this is an experience you don’t want to miss. In a venue steeped in nearly a century of history, Steel Panther proved that sometimes the most unforgettable nights are the ones that don’t take themselves too seriously. And for a few hours in Milwaukee, nothing else mattered but loud guitars, unapologetic comedy, and a crowd that was all in from the first note to the last.