Experiencing the Thrill of The Northern Exposure Tour at Pickering Casino Resort
- jaybroderick
- May 9
- 6 min read
WARNING: the following article contains vulgar language, and deals with adult subject matter. And even some adults will find this offensive. You have been warned!
By: Jay Broderick
Pickering, ON - The Pickering Casino Resort... it's my first time at Durham Region's newest entertainment facility. Of course, I'm here to cover a concert at The Arena. It's The Northern Exposure Tour and coincidentally, it's also my first time catching either of the bands on the bill... Steel Panther, Buckcherry, and Kurt Deimer. Little did I expect, this night was going to turn out to be one of those once in a lifetime moments, and I'll never forget it... May 7, 2025!
Kurt Deimer
Kurt Deimer... if you're a horror movie junkie (like me), you may recognize him as the gas station teller who meets a dire end thanks to Michael Myers in the 2018 movie Halloween. His experience in that realm prompted him to start his own horror franchise Hellbilly Hollow which is coming soon. But it's Deimer's music that brings him out on tour with Steel Panther.
He gets things started in kick ass fashion with his song "Look" from the band's new album And So It Begins, which releases today, May 9. Deimer's music is a mix of hard rock with rappy style lyrics. For the band's 3rd track, Deimer appears in a t-shirt that says "I'd Rather Be In Pickering Canada", which I thought was super cool. For the May 5th show in Hamilton, Deimer appeared in a "Straight Outta Hamilton" tee, so it's a thing for him which I love. Such a great start to this show, and on a personal level, I was handed a pass that allowed me to photograph the full set. This was another first for me... but things would get even crazier with the next act.
Buckcherry
I'm sure we all have a bucket list of bands we are dying to see live. I've got a ton of them, but knocked another off my list in Buckcherry. Man, these guys rock hard from a studio aspect, so I couldn't wait to see how they stacked up on the live stage. Based on the buzz from the fans in the front row, I had a pretty good feeling about it. And then the band burst onto the stage. The groove laden, head nodding, insanely catchy "Roar Like Thunder" pierced through the airwaves, and the party was on!
Buckcherry was alive! The jumping, and dancing and energy emanating from the stage was intense. Seriously, what is wrong with me that I had not yet caught this magic? Because magic it was! The Los Angeles band rolled right into another heavy party track "Lit Up", and it was a complete reflection of what was in store for the next hour.
As my fellow photog (94.9 The Rock's David McDonald - a true gem in his own right) and I headed out of the photo pit after our allotted 3 songs, Buckcherry guitarist Stevie D yelled out "No! You guys are allowed to stay!!". Wait, what??? It was true, he gave us permission to shoot the whole set. This was 2 in a row. I couldn't believe what was happening here, but I wasn't passing up on this opportunity.
As the heat rose in The Arena, frontman Josh Todd stripped down to shirtlessness, as Buckcherry continued to kick some serious ass. The intensity was unmatched, and the Pickering crowd was in a frenzy. The band played an amazing set with songs like "Onset", "Say Fuck It", "Gluttony" and even doing a rendition of Bryan Adams' "Summer of 69" after a Canadian flag made its appearance on a speaker stack.
The cherry on top came during the band's final track of their set, the fan favourite "Crazy Bitch". With the crowd belting out the lyrics, the band mixed in a montage of multiple different tracks like Donna Summers' "Bad Girls" and CCR's "Proud Mary". And then, as they transitioned back to "Crazy Bitch" for the finale, Stevie D motioned for us to head up on stage. I was lost. What? I didn't know what he was saying. I needed my man David to confirm that we were being motioned to head up to the stage to get a few shots of the band from that vantage point. HOLY SHIT! The absolute pinnacle of my career!! And Buckcherry was killer!
Steel Panther
Now, as if none of this was enough, we still had the evening's headliner's to grace the stage. One thing about Steel Panther, they don't take themselves all that seriously. Another LA band, they started out as a bit of a parody, making fun of the glam metal movement from the late 1980s into the 1990s. The welcome was so great for these guys, that they jumped on board and rode the ship over the past 25 years. It's true, there is a ton of comedy in here, but it's not to say that these guys are not musicians. In fact, they rock a pretty mean set, and most importantly, the fans eat it up. In great glam metal fashion, the women love these guys, and the men, well, I guess they love the women!
A foggy, purple stage greets us as the band members head into position, led by drummer Stix Zidinia. It's a hilarious name that lets you know exactly what you are in for. But if his name didn't make it clear, the smoke does, the lights come up and the stage is flanked by 2 stripper poles, one on each side, and a dancer on each. Yes, this is exactly what we are in for. Still uncertain? After the band's opening track "Eyes of a Panther", they roll into a track called "It Won't Suck Itself". If it's still not clear, well, I guess I can't help you any further.
Steel Panther is not for the faint of heart. I almost felt bad for the young lady in the front row ahead of the show who said her father was sitting in the seats at the back of the venue. YIKES!! Frankly, the band is vulgar. Telling jokes about Asian hookers, Pamela Anderson's vagina, and Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen's one arm. I get that this isn't for everybody, but lighten up. It's in bad taste, but it's fun! If you don't believe the 2 can go together, then for sure it's not a concert you should ever go to. But I'll wager the curiosity has you, at minimum, Googling the band to find out more.
I'm not certain the venue knew exactly what they were in for, but from a music standpoint, the band sounds great. Electric fans are placed strategically at the front of the stage to blow the hair of the musicians, in true glam fashion. In my estimation though, and I'm sure the band will agree, it's all about the sexual innuendo. Final case in point, the band has a song called "17 Girls in a Row" in which they invite willing female audience members up on stage to dance during the song's performance. I was never great at the math subject of guesstimation, but there must have been 40 women, young and not so young that piled onto the stage. Believe me, some of them took this very seriously, dancing like the ladies on the poles that were flanking the drum set. Some even flashing the fans who were left watching.
Set List
Eyes of a Panther
It Won't Suck Itself
Asian Hooker
Never Too Late (to Get Some Pussy Tonight)
Just Like Tiger Woods
Girl From Oklahoma
17 Girls in a Row
Party Like Tomorrow Is the End of the World
Community Property
Death to All but Metal
Gloryhole
There was no flagrant nudity here. Essentially just language, but there is a 19+ age restriction for this show, and with good reason. As we are all adults, we can choose whether to partake or not. If you weren't expecting this, then you were undoubtedly surprised. For the rest, the show was a blast. One of those things that you have to experience at least once.
Concert Photo Gallery
Steel Panther Online
show date: May 7, 2025
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