They wear matching sharp suits, play choppy guitar riffs and are fronted by a man called Howlin' Pelle Almqvist, who climbs on speakers and demands more applause.

In the background are several pogoing eccentrics, including portly bassist Doctor Matt Destruction, who sports extravagant sideburns, thinning hair and a moustache - and crucial sixth member Randy Fitzimmons, who remains invisible to the eye.

These are the enigmatic Swedish rockers The Hives, known for delivering strings of killer riffs without ever pausing for breath. They have, over the past three years, risen from obscurity in smalltown Sweden to become everybody and their mama's new favourite band, and they thrive on being unique.

The Hives were still in high school when they started. The five then teenagers allegedly received mysterious letters from Randy Fitzsimmons, and before they knew it they were teaching themselves to play instruments and performing raucous gigs.

Since then, the band have had a good time perpetuating the myth of this first meeting while keeping Fitzsimmons under wraps.

"The letter told me to show up at a certain place and a certain time," insists guitarist Vigilante Carlstroem.

"It didn't say much - only that we were going to be the greatest punk band ever.

"Randy Fitzsimmons is more like the sixth member of The Hives. He's not like some producer who puts together American boy bands. I mean, Randy doesn't play shows, but he's always with us."

Their mission to be the greatest punk band ever took a turn for the better when Alan McGee, famed for discovering Oasis, spotted the Swedish madmen on German TV.

Soon they were signed to his label Poptones and releasing a compilation of their previous albums Barely Legal and Veni Vidi Vicious in the UK. Your New Favourite Band, as this British debut was dubbed, lived up to its moniker by provoking a stampede of Rock is Back' newspaper headlines and selling 100,000 copies with barely any promotion.

After catching a sleeping England by surprise The Hives moved on to wake up a dozing America and soon the likes of Tom Hanks and Outkast's Andre 3000 were moshing away at their gigs.

None of this surprises the far-from-bashful band members.

"We always consider ourselves to be the best band around, so why shouldn't we sell a lot of records?" says guitarist Nicholaus Arson.

"We get to decide what music to make, so we might as well decide to do the best music," adds Pelle.

"And we're skilled enough musicians that we can pull it off.

"We're sorry it took us so long to get over to the UK. But now we're here we should all rejoice in the hands of The Hives and be happy that they're here playing - because I know I am."

They are back with eagerly awaited follow-up album Tyrannosaurus Hives, which is as fast, loud and as full of killer riffs as ever.

Starts 7pm, tickets cost £7.50. Call 01273 709709.