Amyl and the Sniffers burst onto the punk rock scene from Melbourne, Australia, with an unapologetic energy and raw, feral sound. Led by the magnetic Amy Taylor, whose electrifying stage presence matches her sharp wit, the band also includes guitarist Dec Martens, bassist Gus Romer, and drummer Bryce Wilson. Together, they deliver a high-octane blend of pub, punk, and garage rock that channels the spirit of the late ’70s with a modern twist.
The group self-released their debut EP, Giddy Up in 2016, swiftly followed by Big Attraction in 2017, cementing their reputation for razor-sharp tracks. Their self-titled debut album arrived in 2019, earning critical acclaim and a 2020 ARIA Award for Best Rock Album. In 2021, they took things up a notch with Comfort to Me, and this year, they have raised the bar yet again with the fantastic Cartoon Darkness.
Tonight, Amyl and the Sniffers sold out the Roundhouse for the third night in a row, which is quite an achievement. Not only that, it underlines their commitment to their fans. They could have played one night at Brixton Academy or Hammersmith Apollo and played to a similar number of people, but they didn’t. They did three nights at the Roundhouse instead. Good on ’em.
Support band Upchuck are from Atlanta, Georgia, USA. I’ve seen them described as ‘post-punk’, well maybe. Indeed, in terms of attitude, they are closer to ‘actual’ punk, with flavours of metal, rap and hip-hop thrown in. On the cover of their albumSense Yourself, vocalist KT is shown with a flowing head wound. I assumed that it was fake blood. She was hit by a shopping trolley that somebody threw. Was the show stopped? Of course not! In an interview with Vice KT, told the interviewer that the resultant scar was a memento of a “lit” gig. Now that, my friends, is punk rock.
KT leaves the stage at one point, and drummer Chris takes over on vocals. This is not necessarily a good thing. The material for this section of the show is decidedly thrashy. On tonight’s evidence, Chris couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket, but he made a reasonable effort. Thankfully, KT soon returns. Her heart is in the right place: she bellows “fuck Trump!” and “Free Palestine!” to enormous crowd approval, and (in my opinion) rightly so! Upchuck’s set is over too soon, and KT is in the crowd for the last song. Despite my minor misgivings about Chris’s vocals, Upchuck were worth arriving early for.
Amyl And The Sniffers are touring to support their current album, Cartoon Darkness. The record is slightly more mature musically than their previous album, Comfort To Me, if not necessarily lyrically. However, maturity doesn’t necessarily sell. Also, the question needs to be asked: what do Amyl And The Sniffers aim to provide? Well, I can’t imagine that they’ll come up with a 15-minute-long prog epic anytime soon, that’s for sure, and it’s something to be thankful for, too!
We get most (11 of the 13 songs) of the new album, starting with Doing In My Head, which is as much of a banger as anything that Amy and the boys have done before, including Security and Hertz. The lyrics of Amyl’s songs definitely give the listener the feeling that vocalist Amy Taylor has lived them. “Me and the girls are drunk at the airport” (Me And The Girls)? Yep – I can definitely picture that!
As a live band, Amyl And The Sniffers utterly excel. The band are tight, and Amy is a superb frontwoman. Her stage presence is probably best described as kinetic. I keep looking for the springs in the soles of her shoes. There must be some, surely?!! How else can she bounce around like that? Guitarist Declan Mehrtens bears a passing resemblance to Queen’s Brian May. He doesn’t play like him, though, which is just as well. I doubt that Brian would be able to play quickly enough, so bless him. Drummer Bryce Wilson is pretty damn spectacular, and bassist Gus Romer has a meaty approach to playing that I feared had gone out of fashion.
After Pigs, Amy talks about Trump and Palestine. I like the way that she expresses opinions without appearing to preach. Amy’s in the photo pit for Freaks To The Front and sinks the best part of a pint prior to Security. She knows how to rock ‘n’ roll! It has to be said that Amyl And The Sniffers make the most sense onstage. Their records are great, but their gigs are better. I asked earlier what the band aim to provide. Well, ultimately, what they provide is a bloody good night out! And their records? They provide the soundtrack to a bloody good night in!!!
WORDS: MARK KELLY PHOTOS: CRIS WATKINS
Full gallery of the night!
All photos ©Cris Watkins Photography
