Steel Panther, Norwich

It was a sold out show and I was a little unsure how Steel Panther would be received on a university campus. The lines of people queueing left no doubt that nobody was even slightly conflicted about seeing a band known for sexually explicit shows and songs. They had last played there on 11 November 2012, so this was not new territory for them.

Black Sonic Pearls opened. Being the opening act can mean the room never fully feels like yours. Theirs was a short, fast, loud set, less theatrical than the two bands that followed, which on this particular bill is a fact, not a criticism.

Then they covered Earth Song, and what they did with it is great. It was the standout of their set and the moment that told you this band are going somewhere.

Kelsy Karter & The Heroines followed, Kelsy in a red corset, and brought the drama. Her live vocals were flawless, with a power and edge that exists on the record but not with the same depth and impact. There was a feisty air when she wanted the room louder, and warmth between songs, particularly before Lightning in a Bottle. They owned it.

They went straight into Eyes of a Panther, and the energy did not dip from there. Starr walks the stage giving it the full largesse, hand gestures at the saucier end of the spectrum, finger pointing into the crowd like he is picking people off. He makes it look easy.

Starr hit every note, with no strain, and the whole band were at a hundred and ten percent throughout. Some of the between song material had been tailored to Norwich, which I appreciated in principle but could not make out a word of in practice. It didn't matter.

They held the crowd's attention completely. During Asian Hooker a woman danced on stage, starting with her top on but not ending that way.

The secret to Steel Panther is that in any other world it would be obscene, but here, dialled up to eleven, the bit is the gift. For the duration of the show you get to live a completely different reality.