Download Festival 2014 Review: 10 Best Performances
4. Steel Panther
You know what to expect from the premium comedy-cock-rock enthusiasts: outrageous lyrics, outrageous banter between songs and outraged parents holding their hands over too-young rock fans who came for the rest of the bill. Yes its incredibly sexist and puerile, but theres no denying the impact that the grotesque foursome have on a crowd, and its not limited to the number of bare breasts their raunchy calls to arms inspire. For all of their lyrics dripping sex, and their tongue in cheek silliness, their musicianship abilities are not up for debate: theyve only got to the stage theyre at now because of their abilities. The shtick remains the same at every gig: they rib each other mercilessly and almost flirtatiously between songs, playing on a well-versed dynamic that positions each in an archetypal role (of STD-riddled front-man, supremely egotistical lead guitarist, retarded bassist and animalistic drummer), but it just doesnt grow tiresome or wear thin. In short, once again, it was impossible not to smile along, and laugh at the naughtiness, but most importantly, it was impossible not to love the music once again.
