If you missed Amyl and the Sniffers in Birmingham last night, you missed a wild one. The Aussie four-piece slammed into the stage like a shot of adrenaline, screeching through their set with an energy that turned the crowd into one big, sweaty blur (including me – not a pretty sight!). Every beat, riff, and scream from Amy Taylor had that rare punk bite that’s getting harder to find these days.
Taylor was a force to be reckoned with. With her bleach blonde Farrah waves and cropped guitar top that, she looked like a queen ready to burn down the establishment, and the crowd couldn’t get enough of her.
The whole place was chaos in the best way. Mosh pits kept breaking out, not out of anger but just for the thrill. It was electric, a proper throwback to when punk shows were all about cutting loose, not standing around watching.
Amyl and the Sniffers didn’t hold back on their message, either. Anti-establishment and fired up, the lyrics cut through the noise, and the crowd was all in, fists raised and singing along (me included, much to the dismay of everyone near me at armpit level).
Sound-wise, they just nailed it. Loud, clear, and hitting hard, it felt like their studio tracks had come to life. Stadiums are probably on their horizon, but last night they proved they’re best seen up close, where you can feel every ounce of their intensity.
Props to Upchuck for opening, too. They brought their own kind of chaos with a Rage Against the Machine vibe, even throwing in a few songs with the drummer taking over vocals in Spanish while the singer crowd-surfed. Perfect warm-up for what was coming.
Bottom line? Amyl and the Sniffers are the real deal. Catch them while they’re still playing venues this size because you’ll be glad you did.
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