Bowling For Soup And Steel Panther - Manchester Arena

If any group would be ideal to support Steel Panther, it would be Bowling For Soup: both groups don't take themselves too seriously and both are entertaining live acts.

If you had never seen Bowling For Soup before their 45 minute set was an excellent introduction to the band; in a way it was like a best of set. By the third song Ohio (Come back to Texas) they had the audience warmed up and waving their hands in the air. Describing Manchester as their favourite city they appeared to be on a roll. It was hard not to get taken in with their brand of pop/punk songs. Punk Rock 101 and Girl All The Bad Guys Want were highlights of a storming set.

They even did their usual "photo opportunity" bit where the band pose collectively for photos for the fans. A job well done.

Whether you think Steel Panther are a modern version of Spinal Tap or for real you are always guaranteed an entertaining show. It was a brave move playing in the arena as they usually appear at the smaller Manchester Apollo.

Their songs sound like pastiches of Bon Jovi/Def Leppard/Motley Crüe: if their songs did not have the dubious lyrics then they would probably be played more on the radio, but then again, that's the appeal of the band.

In the past their talking in between the songs has tended to be rather crude and whilst that is still the case, they seem to have toned it down slightly.

I Love It Loud is the opening track which sums up the band exactly: loud in music and loud in attitude. During their 16 song set that lasts nearly two hours there is plenty of audience participation, especially with the female members of the audience. They even invite a selection of them up on stage for the song Seventeen Girls. At one point the band were totally lost amongst the 50 or so girls on stage with them.

Guitarist Satchel does the obligatory guitar solo which includes snippets of rock classics, it's good but it could have been cut down and made shorter. Lead singer Michael Starr was on fine form and he is just as good or even better than the frontmen of the groups that the band try to parody.

There are lots of jokes and not so subtle innuendo in between tracks and they act part of a1980's rock band with ease. You half expect Dave Lee Roth from Van Halen to appear on stage at any point!

Death To All But Metal closes a storming set; after what seemed a lengthy pause the band encore with Fat Girl and the song that Bon Jovi never recorded Party All Day.

It was a very well rehearsed and well timed show and whilst it may have seemed spontaneous, their years of playing on LA's Sunset Strip showed through from these talented musicians. They probably have reached their peak with the number of fans they attract in the UK but for those present tonight it had been an escape from everyday life.

A great night's entertainment.