Miked Up.

Scenes From Last Night's Peelander-Z Show at Three Links.

For going on 17 years now, the comic book-influenced Japanese punks known as Peelander-Z have been throwing the same party. And in no way is that depressing — because, as last night's offering from the band at Three Links once again proved, people keep showing up. Better yet: They have a great time once they do.

It's impossible not to: A Peelander-Z show is clearly a spectacle, with the three-piece's members' Power Rangers-like get-ups barely even even scratching the surface of the depths of hysteria that are displayed. Boasting about as linear a narrative as a Japanese game show, with Peelander Yellow serving as the Mad Hatter-like master of ceremonies, the show includes everything from jump-roping and improvisational instrumentation (tin bowls are killer for percussion, clearly) to stage-diving and cue card-assisted shoutalongs.

Of course, it's not all antics: There's a case to be made that the band's “So Many Mike” song is about as solid a criticism of American culture as exists. And Peelander-Z deserves plenty of acclaim for the way it supports younger bands, too: At each tour stop, the band goes out of its way to invite a young local band to open its show; on this night, that meant the night's opening slot went to the young School of Rock-sprung two-piece Pretty Little Demons, who set the table for the always-lively Party Static before Peelander-Z took over.

But, yeah, it's mostly antics. And, thankfully, Karlo X. Ramos was on hand to capture it for us all to relive again today.

All photos by Karlo X. Ramos.