Live Review: Steel Panther + Cody Parks and The Dirty South @ Buckhead Theatre, Atlanta - April 8th, 2026

Apr 10
3 min read

Updated: Apr 11

Rock musicians performing on stage. One sings into a mic, clad in a black leather jacket, the other holds a guitar. Colorful lights glow. — Steel Panther photo by Chris Collett

There are shows where you go for the music, and then there are Steel Panther shows where you go for the full spectacle. April 8 at Buckhead Theatre landed firmly in that second category. The crowd knew exactly what they were walking into, and the energy in the room reflected it before the band even hit the stage.

Opening the night was Cody Parks and The Dirty South, who wasted no time getting the room warmed up. Their set leaned into a gritty Southern rock feel with a bit of edge, and it did exactly what an opener should do. By the time their set wrapped, the crowd was already engaged and ready for what was coming next.

Rock band performing energetically on stage. Guitarist in cap, singer leaning on mic stand. Colorful lights, drum kit in background. Mood: intense. — Cody Park and The Dirty South photo by Chris Collett

Steel Panther kicked things off with “Eyes of a Panther” and rolled straight into “Tomorrow Night,” immediately setting the tone. The jokes came fast, but the musicianship never took a back seat. Satchel’s guitar work was sharp all night, and Stix Zadinia kept everything tight behind the kit. It is easy to get caught up in the humor, but they are locked in as a band from start to finish.

“Asian Hooker” turned into one of the standout moments of the night. Michael Starr picked a girl from the crowd to come on stage, and she immediately owned it. She jumped on the pole like she had done it a hundred times before, completely comfortable in the spotlight. When asked where she learned how to move like that, she casually said “YouTube,” which got a huge reaction and one of the biggest laughs of the night.

Rock guitarist with a red electric guitar and "Feel Lucky" shirt performs energetically. Pole dancer in leopard print upside down. Red stage lights. — Steel Panther photo by Chris Collett

That kind of unpredictability carried through the entire set. Right before the closing song “Gloryhole,” ATL local Noah Smith joined the band on stage to perform “Into the Fire” by Dokken, adding another unexpected moment to an already wild night. Earlier in the set, around the fourth song, bassist Spyder tossed out his three, Spyder Booby Bites into the crowd, which quickly turned into another fan-favorite interaction up front. At the same time, there was a younger fan in the audience who kept getting called out throughout the night, especially during the banter around “17 Girls in a Row,” adding another layer to the crowd interaction and solid parenting.

Visually, the stage never slowed down either. Two dancers were out for most of the night, moving across the stage and keeping the energy up between songs and during extended sections. It all added to the over-the-top feel Steel Panther is known for, but it never felt forced. It just felt like part of the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8x2xtx1Org

Steel Panther - Eyes Of The Panther

The setlist stayed heavy on fan favorites with “Just Like Tiger Woods,” “Friends With Benefits,” and “Death to All but Metal” all hitting hard with the crowd. By the time they closed with “Gloryhole,” the entire room was fully bought in. Loud, chaotic, and exactly what a Steel Panther show is supposed to be. Even if you have seen them before, this is one of those bands you go back to again and again because it is always going to be a good time.