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May 26, 2022 By Matthew Berlyant

The rise of Amyl and the Sniffers from obscure Aussie punks to a band that is getting bigger by the second has not come overnight. Since being signed by ATO/Atlantic in 2018 and releasing their first, self-titled album in 2019, they’ve gotten more and more renown for their awesome live show with the focal point being singer Amy Taylor, a wiry ball of energy that’s impossible to ignore. If you’re talking stage presence, she’s got it. It also helps that their second album, last year’s Comfort to Me (just reissued in a deluxe edition with some live tracks), is a huge step up in songwriting, musicianship, and production from their previous album and was one of 2021’s finest full-lengths.

This all led to the band playing their biggest U.S. headlining gig to date last Thursday night at Brooklyn Steel. And what a set it was!

Opening with the debut’s “Starfire 500,” things then got crazy with Comfort to Me’s ripping “Freaks to the Front.” The 14-song set split the selections between their two albums rather evenly and nicely showed that they can seamlessly integrate older songs into their current set. Highlights included “Maggot,” Comfort to Me opener “Guided by Angels,” and the awesomely titled “Gacked on Anger.”

Guitarist Dec Martens effortlessly played ripping hard rock riffs the entire night and while the mix made it harder than it should’ve been the hear the absolutely incredible rhythm section of bassist Fergus Romer and drummer Bryce Wilson, they still managed to lay it down, as keeping up with Taylor is no small feat.

The main set was such an explosion that of course the enraptured audience yelled for more and for a second, it wasn’t clear whether or not they would come back out as it seemed like the house music was about to start and the lights were about to go on. They did not, though, as Taylor and her bandmates rushed back to the stage and they played a blistering version of the debut’s “GFY” before saying “adieu” for the evening. And this time, the house music did come on. It was Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.” I don’t know if country music is in Amyl and the Sniffers’ future, but for right now, they are one of the most exciting punk bands on the planet.

www.amylandthesniffers.com

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