In the troubled society we live in today, the spirit of punk rock feels like something that we all need now. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons for the rise in the Australian based “Amyl and the Sniffers” who have gathered a solid fanbase now in the UK thanks to blistering festival performances and appearances on shows such as Jools Holland. Tickets for this intimate Cardiff date sold out extremely quickly, so those present are the lucky ones to be here. Before their headline set the band are mingling with the punters and lead singer Amy Taylor posing for pictures with anybody who wants them.
Whilst their questionable mullets may feel somewhat dated, their style of music and the energy they bring feels somewhat refreshing. This is evident right from the off with “Starfire 500” as the four of them ignite the stage they stand on. Despite her smaller stature, Taylor is getting herself right into the swing of things, spitting out the lyrics during “I’m Not A Loser”. “Cup Of Destiny” has to be one of the stand out tracks on their self-titled debut and is clearly a fan favourite as well. The pit is full of all different types of people; male and female, young and old and it doesn’t give up the whole night.
“Westgate” is proceeded by a middle finger to politicians working in government today later followed by “GFY” which is equally biting in its delivery. Slices from their earlier EP’s such as Mole (Sniff Sniff) are blasted through with vigour as the band remain tight throughout. “70’s Street Munchies” sounds as though it could have come from the birth of the punk era itself, but it blends into the rest of the setlist with absolute ease.
We’re also treated to the debut of a brand-new track which is untitled as of yet. Taylor stands on stage beating her chest to the chants of “Energy is my currency” and shows them no sign of slowing down the momentum they are gaining. The one fan chanting for “Monsoon Rock” throughout the night who was told to “Calm his beans” finally gets what he’s asked for and probably provokes the biggest reaction of the night. Sweaty bodies are all crashing into each other whilst others are diving off the stage.
What’s evident tonight is the sense of “girl power” that has been installed within the room. Usually you get the big shirtless guys who want to give it tough in the pits and you still get that. However, what’s refreshing is that there are an equal number of women right in the mix of things. Amy herself gets into the action on several occasions which in turn encourages others to crowdsurf their way to the front. Many end up dancing on stage right next to the band and even one over enthusiastic stage invader causes “Mandalay” to be cut off short and started again.
Part of the charm of punk acts like “Amyl” is the DIY nature of the way that they operate. Everything feels raw and genuine even down to their setlists; not printed out on glossy headed paper but written down on the back of a paper plate! Despite the amount of songs, they’ve played, the set still seems somewhat brief even though everyone here is clearly satisfied with what they’ve seen. Ending with “Some Mutts” they leave the stage triumphantly thanking the crowd who have given their all throughout the night. As the lights come up but the ears are still ringing, you can hear people saying that it was the best gig that they had been to in a long time. On that basis I think it’s fair to say that we are going to be hearing a lot more from this Australian punk outfit in the next couple of years.