Sci-fi surf stars Palooka 5 and testifying rock'n'rollers Jim Jones All Stars are coming to The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea

The five-piece are on the bill with opening act Paul Groovy and The Pop Art Experience and headliners Jim Jones All Stars at The Wedgewood Rooms in Southsea on Saturday. Melding garage-rock with that all-important twang, they describe themselves as ‘B52s/Joe Meek with a “bad vibrations” modern twist.’

It will be the band’s second visit to Southsea, following a successful spot on the final Punk’n’Roll Summer Party bill on South Parade Pier last August.

Guitarist T Baigent recalls: ‘We were on with The Racketeers and Paul-Ronney Angel – it was a great day. The sun was out, beer was drunk and we had fun. We've played all along the south coast, but that was the first time we'd played Portsmouth.’

The west country-based group (three-fifths from Taunton, one apiece from Swindon and Exeter) formed in 2014 from scene veterans, but their history is shrouded in mystery – as T puts it: ‘People don't need to know about our past – it's boring! No one wants to know about that...’

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They have however proved popular with 6Music DJs Gideon Coe and Tom Robinson, and have won transatlantic fans thanks to spins on Drew Carey and Little Steven’s Underground Garage Show in the US.

‘We still don't know how he picked up on us, it's bonkers – but we're not complaining,’ T laughs. ‘When he plays us it's a real thrill, because that's got loads of listeners across The States.’

Following on from earlier albums, Rough Magic and Ultra Marine, they are due to release their third album, Alien Grace, on the cult record label Spinout Nuggets next month.

Originally sporting an Apocalypse Now-style American military theme, the band have now moved into outer-space for their inspiration.

‘There's the famous surf-scene there in Apocalypse Now – we've actually got a song called Debbie Don't Surf on the last LP,’ in tribute to the famous film quote: “Charlie don’t surf”, ‘we've moved ourselves out of the green stuff now, and my wife dresses in lots of mad sci-fi gear – we call ourselves “sci-fi surf” now.

‘We've got a theremin now, and an old Hammond organ and lots of crazy sonic gear so we try to give it that authentic ’60s garage sound, but with a sci-fi, B52s, early-Pink Floyd kind of feeling to it.'

The theremin’s distinctive sound has helped them in their quest for new interplanetary sounds.

‘You can play it properly,’ says T, ‘or play it the punk-rock way we do – you set the theremin to the key of the song and then my Mrs,’ frontwoman B Baigent, ‘waves her arms around in front of it and it sounds acceptable! It comes in and out and always keeps you on your toes.

‘We’ve also got an old Clavichord from 1967, and an old Elka – the combined age of all the organs is about 250 years!’

The band runs a regular club night back home in Taunton called Club Kongo, which features all manner of craziness.

‘It's good to give it that Whiskey a Go Go vibe. We do it six times a year – three bands, go-go dancers, and we make these crazy films which get projected over the band. It's like an Andy Warhol Factory kind of vibe.’

Some of the dancers who appear at those club nights, The Go Gets will be joining them here in Southsea.

T adds: ‘We don't take ourselves too seriously – the main thing is to have a good laugh and keep smiling. There's nothing duller than watching four blokes that turn up in their cargo pants who stare at their feet. We put in loads of energy and leap about and put on a really good show.’

Jim Jones All Stars with Palooka 5 and Paul Groovy and The Pop Art Experience are at The Wedgewood Rooms on Saturday, doors 7.30pm. Tickets £15, go to wedgewood-rooms.co.uk.