Halloween has come early to the Facebar tonight with the main stage decked out in skulls and cobwebs. It can mean only one thing - Dr Diablo and the Rodent Show have brought the Boneyard to Reading. Featuring Alien Sex Fiend’s Rat Fink Jr, the band promise a night of trashy rock n roll with more than a slice of tongue in cheek horror added to the mix.

Shrouded in a permanent haze of green light, Jonny Wah Wah introduces us to his latest project, OTUK – The Green Man Project. It’s a far cry from his normal roles as singer with On Trial UK and drummer with local comedy punks The Deckchairs. Jonny wearing an impressive leaf mask has been researching pagan tales of yore and The Green Man in particular. It’s a sample heavy (most notably ‘The Wicker Man’) set with considerably more folk-dance elements than his previous works. Finishing the set with one of On Trial UK’s songs, it has been an interesting preposition and goes down well with the crowd. OTUK - The Green Man Project - Oct 24 I’ve seen The Pink Diamond Revue several times over the past decade and they continue to be a unique experience best suited to a dark venue. Lit only by the ever-changing projections on the back wall, guitarist Tim nonchalantly plays an enthralling combination of acid drenched psychedelia and surf music over Rob’s rhythmic poundings. There’s no singer just a series of samples adding to the hypnotic nature of the music. Instead, there is Acid Dol, an old shop mannequin adorned in a 1960’s beaded minidress, sunglasses and a variety of hats that are changed throughout the set. As a foil to Tim’s menacing stare and guitar posturing, Acid Dol provides a surreal counterpoint to the pulsating soundtrack. Add in the Halloween decorations and you have a sonically and visually stimulating set. The Pink Diamond Revue - Oct 24 I’ve been a fan of Alien Sex Fiend for well over 35 years having been given a copy of ‘It the Album’ on the back of the ‘Smells like…’ single. Over the years I’ve amassed a large collection of ASF singles and album, but never got to see the band live. Core members Nik and Mrs Fiend have been absent from the live circuit for a decade and it seems increasingly unlikely I will ever get to see them.

Salvation comes in the form of former ASF guitarist/drummer Rat Fink Jr with the Dr Diablo and the Rodent Show. Playing a selection of ASF and Cramps tunes amongst others this is the closest I’ll get to an ASF show and has been in my diary as a must go show since it was announced.

There are two yellow toxic steel drums on one set of the stage with a selection of disfigured mannequins and skeletons on the other side. Centre stage is an impressive demonic skull adorned mike stand. Sadly, the back projector is not loading the band’s visuals and we are denied the 3D glasses experience to go with the selection of obscure 1950’s films.

Posed behind the steel drums, the horned Dr Diablo in blood splatted lab coat provides the music starting with a teasing sample of ‘Human Fly’. Opening with the frantic rockabilly stomp of ‘Ghost Train Man’, Ratty bounds on stage looking truly ghoulish with his white makeup, blackened eyes and his feather and bone embellished hat. We are in shock horror territory with Ratty’s guttural roars, the primordial dance beats and heavy guitars plus all sorts of sci-fi effects adding to the wondrous cacophony of sounds. Dr Diablo and the Rodent Show - Oct 24 The Cramps ‘New Kind of Kick’ is followed by the first of tonight’s ASF tracks. ‘It Lives’ with its chugging guitars, throbbing bass line and yells of ‘lights go out’ is pure ASF and a big cheesy grin forms across my face as the song descends into ‘I Walk the Line’. The late Alan Vega’s ‘Jukebox Babe’ is a wonderful piece of rock n roll that allows Ratty to channel his inner Elvis. Dr Diablo and the Rodent Show - Oct 24 ‘I was a Teenage Werewolf’ takes us back to The Cramps and although Ratty is no Lux Interior (not even Iggy could match Lux), he is still a domineering and very memorable presence. The marvelously titled ‘I'm Doing Time in a Maximum Security Twilight Home’ is prime ASF with its proto industrial grinding guitars and monotonous beat. The crowd shimmers along to its compulsive trance like groove. Dr Diablo and the Rodent Show - Oct 24

Suicide’s ‘Ghostrider’ and its train like beat is mixed up with elements of ASF’s ‘Now I’m Feeling Zombified’. The Red Krayola’s ‘Hurricane Fighter Plane’ had already been given the ASF treatment and a faithful rendition is warmly received. ‘Smells like…’ and ‘Outer Limits’ continue the journey through the ASF back catalogue.

New song ‘Heebie Geebies’ sees Dr Diablo venture out from behind his steel drums to join Ratty on vocals for a glam rock stomp that is initially reminiscent of Marilyn Manson’s warped take on ‘Ant Music’ before becoming something far more fun. All good things must come to an end and we are heading back to the start with the iconic ‘Ignore the Machine’, one of the finest tracks ASF ever released. Dr Diablo and the Rodent Show - Oct 24 Dr Diablo pulls down the cobwebs down from the ceiling and that’s the end of the show. There’s no encore but there doesn’t need to be one. This has been a hugely enjoyable night taking me back to the music I loved as a youth.

To my friends, Alien Sex Fiend were that weird unlistenable band that Ian likes, whereas in reality they were musical pioneers combining trashy rock n roll with dance music years before anybody else, although usually with an inflatable banana in tow. Tonight, the Dr Diablo and the Rodent Show channeled that music into a show that was just so damn enjoyable. Dr Diablo and the Rodent Show - Oct 24