Amyl & The Sniffers by Roberta-Ann Smith

 When asked about their name, 28 year old singer Amy Taylor explained "you sniff it, it lasts for 30 seconds and then you have a headache – and that's what we're like!" On The 15^th of November I was lucky I got to see the Australian Punk band Amyl & The Sniffers at their thrilling, explosive and ferocious best at London’s Roundhouse. Taylor was spontaneous and magnetic, prowling and pacing the stage like a caged puma, flexing and posing with aggression and vulnerability in equal measures. There was a moment during this sell out show, just before performing ‘Tiny Bikini’ (from the band’s third album ‘Cartoon Darkness’), when Taylor felt the need to address the crowd... “I just wanna take a second at the start of the set to talk about politics... Donald Trump can eat my arse...But not in a cute way, in the way where he should stop being a fuckwit and let me get an abortion, let trans people go and be trans if they wanna be, and all that other fucked up shit. The problem with that is, those motherfuckers over in America, Australians are always sucking them off, so it’s gonna hit us up too, which is bullshit, and you are probably doing the same. but I’d also like to say Free Palestine, We’re all going to burn to shit so do the fuck whatever you want.” Whatever you think of her views or music you could never accuse them of being boring onstage

There were so many highlights but two hardcore slammers,  ‘Motorbike Song’ and ‘Chewing Gum’ really stood out and showed the band at their very best, bouncing about the room to a finger-clicking verse before erupting into a firewall of distortion. Also ‘Monsoon Rock’” which I believe is a fan favourite, is a great example of the band’s ability to blend fiery punk aggression with infectious melodies. Taylor’s vocals on this track were a perfect mix of ferocity andfun, delivering the song’s cheeky, rebellious lines with a sense of joyful abandon. The band played with such abandon that it was impossible not to get swept up in the sheer energy of it all. Lyrics like “I wanna ride you like a Harley D / you’ve got the intelligence and you yearn for me” (‘Motorbike Song’) bring to mind Iggy Pop & The Stooges in their heyday, both with the captivating physical performance of their lead singer and with the garagey raw power brought by the pared down 3-piece band. While many of today's bands, even in the ‘heavy rock’ category feel overly produced and ‘smoothed over’, Amyl and the Sniffers aren’t afraid to show their ragged edges, either live or on record. They sound like 4 people together in a room playing their hearts out, prioritising feeling and energy over precision or polish every time.

Guitarist Dekay’s razor-sharp riffs and Fergus “Ferg” McFadden’s relentless bass lines created a tight, unyielding rhythm section, with drummer Gennie anchoring everything with blistering speed and precision. Their sound is a chaotic and intense fusion of garage rock and punk, but it’s also accessible, thanks to Taylor’s magnetic vocal hooks and the songs’ anthemic energy. It was an unforgettable, exhilarating experience, one that captured the essence of what makes the band so special: a mix of aggression, fun, and authenticity that refuses to be ignored. Amyl and the sniffers broke all my bones. The only thing to do after that is take another sniff.