It promises to be the rock and roll party of the year as The Rep plays host to Essex indie stars Dingus Khan tonight.

Part of their second national tour in support of debut album Support Mistley Swans, they are also promoting the re-release of their demented murder ballad Knifey Spoony as a digital single on the criticall acclaimed Fierce Panda Records.

Arguably the biggest band ever to emerge from Mistley, their three drummers, three bass players, electric ukulele and theremin will be the biggest test so far for the Rep’s newly improved stage.

It was barely a year ago that the octet were preparing to release Knifey Spoony the first time around on Label Fandango. Their debut 7in was picked up by Steve Lamacq in March 2012 and triggered a blitzkrieg of activity as they were invited to record a session at Maida Vale, appeared at Bestival, Latitude and the Reading and Leeds Festivals before releasing further singles Made a List and Plank.

Somehow they also found the time to release Support Mistley Swans, which received widespread critical acclaim - including an album-of-the-month endorsement by Artrocker magazine.

Their music been described as like Blur meets Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention. They call it “subtle harmonies and fierce grinding dischords, a music so powerful that it would drive us mad if only our ears were tuned to the sound of it”.

This will be a great opportunity to catch them locally before their meteoric rise takes them beyond the Stour.

Support is provided by Ipswich scene veterans The Waxing Captors and rural Suffolk ex-pats Rory and Ned, who return to their home county from their adopted city of Liverpool.

Ipswich-based Antigen Records organised the show to not only highlight local talent, but to focus attention on The Rep as a music venue capable of attracting national touring bands to Ipswich again.

“Thanks to the commitment of promoter Ed Barnes and landlord Ben Bartlett, The Rep is developing into the most promising live music venue in town. They refitted the stage last year and, over the last few months, they’ve had musicians from internationally renowned acts such as the Bluetones, Inspiral Carpets and the Coral. We’re really keen to work with them to rebuild local interest in live music,” says Antigen Records spokesperson Jason Whittaker.

“I heard Bury St Edmunds-based promoter and musician Seymour Quigley tell BBC Radio Suffolk recently that he felt sorry for Ipswich, because the town used to be a regular stop-off for touring bands, but they have stopped coming here. It’s difficult to argue with that view.”

The sentiment is echoed by promoter Ed.

“It’s crazy bands aren’t coming here, it’s the county town of Suffolk, with a population of 120,000 and a university campus. I want to see bands I like in my own town. I’m sick of going to Colchester, Bury and Norwich.”

All this could be about to change with major refurbishment of The Rep planned for the summer.

The show starts at Tower Street venue from 9pm. Admission is £3. For more information about Antigen Records events and releases visit www.antigenrecords.com. For more entertainment news follow @WhatsonWayne on Twitter