Live Review: Nekromantix, The Workinghorse Irons, Green Machine

The Hi-Fi is ablaze with colour and there are sky-high spiked quiffs as far as the eye can see – it's a beautiful sight. Green Machine's performance isn't the most enthralling, making their suitability for tonight's bill questionable. Thankfully, local psychobilly outfit The Workinghorse Irons pick up the slack and run with it, putting in a solid performance that easily explains why they've built up a strong following.

Kim Nekroman is a legend in the psychobilly scene, so it's surprising and downright cool to see him setting up his own gear while drummer Lux distributes the setlists. With such low-key behaviour, Nekromantix's official stage entrance goes by almost unnoticed, but they make their presence more than known as they kick things off with Nice Day For A Resurrection. Nekroman, Francisco “Franc” Mesa and Lux are making it clear from the get-go that they mean business – the mixing is spot-on and, as much as it's a cliché to say it, this current line-up is a well-oiled machine. Nekroman is in fine form, playing up to the crowd who lap up every little bit; Mesa's growling backing vocals provide the perfect backdrop while he shows no mercy on guitar; and Lux produces a hellish beat on drums while remaining more ladylike than a finishing school graduate. This sets the tone for the rest of tonight's set and it couldn't get better if they tried.

Nekroman promised the band would do their best to cover material from all eight albums and it's certainly no lie: the setlist includes at least one track from every album, including Alice In Psycholand, Demons Are A Girl's Best Friend, Brain Error, Nekrofelia, Horny In A Hearse and an extended version of Bloody Holiday, which sees the boys take a break while Lux gets to show us what she can do (as if we weren't already aware!). After all, many of the songs, especially the older ones, are given a heavier, faster and far more menacing beat tonight, thanks in large part to Lux's incredible drumming (resulting in one enthusiastic fan getting on stage to kiss her and another 'worshipping' her, all of which she took in her impeccable stride).

Tonight, Nekromantix proved that they are well and truly alive and kicking and there is damn good reason why the band has legendary status. Long may this line-up live.