One of my favourite local bands are Grindhouse. It is the first time I have seen them play with their new drummer Neil Mathews in action, since Liam 'Sticky Wicket' Cuffley left the band at River Rocks. They perform a frantic set of high energy songs about SLR 5000, Peter Russell-Clarke and cheese, while a plate of kabana is shared around the crowd. Which goes well with the crisp cold beer and manic riffs that is in plentiful supply.

There is very little known about the satanic, time-travelling, occult metal band, The Neptune Power Federation. They sound EPIC with their Satanic fuzzage stoner rock riffs and those haunting vocals from The Imperial Priestess. I only heard about them last year but I was surprised that the band has been around since 2011. They released their third album, "Neath A Shin Ei Sun" in 2017.

I know is that they come from Sydney or Hell according to their bio. They all have cool monikers like Screaming Loz Sutch on Vocals, Inverted CruciFox on Flying V Guitar Search & DesTroy also on Flying V Guitar, Jaytanic Ritual on Bass and Mr Styx banging a satanic cacophony on Drums.

I've been shooting enough gigs to recognise some of those familiar faces. There is Jason 'Jay' Whalley of Frenzal Rhomb fame and his gorgeous wife Lauren Friedman plus two members of Nancy Vandal with Fox Trotsky (Mike Foxall) and Dean Bakota. The elusive Troy Vod is one of the young guns in the current Buffalo Revisited lineup. Special guest today on theremin we have local legend, Thomas James Watson from Sheriff.

The Neptune Power Federation are enthralling to watch. I can only describe The Imperial Priestess as being dressed up like Lene Lovich on acid! As she mingles with the crowd, people are mersmerised by her mystic gaze. Meanwhile the band crank out chunky riffs with not one but Gibson Flying V's shredding into overdrive. They are touring Germany in March and I reckon their sonic sermon will go down a treat. The set ended with the birthday boy, Grindhouse's Mick 'Two Fingers' Simpson joining the band with a stonkin' cover of Motörhead's Killed By Death. The ghost of Lenny lives on at The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar.

Photography by CarbieWarbie