DJ jams with Steel Panther

WEST HOLLYWOOD -- Steel Panther is not just a heavy-metal parody anymore. The four-piece rock band with San Fernando Valley roots has been playing regularly in Los Angeles for 10 years, including a successful current weekly run at House of Blues, and their campy mix rock and comedy is as wildly entertaining as ever.



A crowd of well over 1,000 made their way through the gate Monday, and Steel Panther delivered a blistering 90-minute set featuring about half bawdy originals along with a staple of sing-along hits from the likes of Motley Crue, Van Halen and others.

A lot of big-time stars like Steven Tyler, Paul Stanley and Meatloaf have jumped on stage and jammed with Steel Panther through the years, and on Monday it was Guns N' Roses
guitarist D.J. Ashba who gave it a shot, jumping in for a version of ZZ Top's "Tush" that had everyone going a wild, including a bunch of ladies from the crowd who proved more than willing to shake their stuff right along with singer Michael Starr, guitarist Satchel, bassist Lexxi Foxxx and drummer Stix Zadinia.

Signed to Universal, Steel Panther cracked the Billboard top 100 with its 2009 CD, "Feel The Steel," and another record entitled "Balls Out" is due in October.

All the players live in the San Fernando Valley, including the more-talented-than-you'd-think Starr from North Hollywood, and Steel Panther's wave of success figures to continue, as the band is set to play some European dates with Def Leppard and Motley Crue - about as big as you can get these days.

"I think we realized we had something special from the very beginning, and it's been fun watching it grow and grow," said Starr, sipping a red bull backstage a few minutes before the band took the stage. "There's some elements of humor, but I think what people really like is we put on a pretty big show. We're entertaining. There is nothing else like us."