may 9, 2025 - madison, wisconsin

It’s hard for me to pinpoint what exactly makes an Amyl and The Sniffers show so special. One reason could be that the electric punk band hailing from Australia knows how to put on a show — and have centered it in their ethos from very early on. The roommates-turned-bandmates completed their first EP in twelve hours as a way to score gigs around Melbourne, eager to start performing like other legends in the local scene. That twelve hour stint has since turned into touring all around the world with three albums under their belt — landing them in Madison, Wisconsin at The Sylvee this past Friday with a sold-out crowd ready to go. And the specific crowds at an Amyl and The Sniffers show could easily explain what makes being there so special, too. While I was there I saw people from all walks of life, from older men in trucker hats and well loved band t-shirts to spikey haired teenagers with dark eyeliner. It feels rare to be at a show with such a wide breadth of people, and it speaks to just how accessible and flat-out fun their music is. This diverse group of concert-goers were all there together ready to mosh, crowd surf, and release any and all energy they brought with them. And release they did.

Led by the unforgettable and infectious Amy Taylor, Amyl and The Sniffers started the night out with “Control” from their debut album. “I like being a big bad boss / I like telling people off / I like working under pressure / I'm a freak, it gives me pleasure”, Taylor declares as she struts around the stage doing her signature facial expressions. Backed by The Sniffers in question, Dec Martens (guitar), Gus Romer (bass), and Bryce Wilson (drums), all going to town on their respective instruments. Blaring snares and heavy guitar accompany Taylor as she commands the stage with her one-of-a-kind energy, almost as if she was the ringleader of this vivacious crowd. It wasn’t long before beer cans were flying, moshes were starting, and head-banging was welcomed, all spearheaded by Taylor getting as up close and personal as she could to the crowd while cheering them on. And maybe the final piece of the puzzle of what makes an Amyl and The Sniffers show so special is her.

There are definitely two sides to Amyl and The Sniffers. One being their rambunctious, loud, and carefree perspective on their songwriting and sound with songs like “Me and the Girls” — “you and your boy band look frumpy grumpy / you and the boys look ugly as fuck / me and the girls are drunk at the airport / (can you believe it? it's open bar)”. Their music can serve as an opportunity to not take life so seriously and have a reprieve from whatever’s going on around you, something that Taylor acknowledged during the show, right before the first cord of “Me and the Girls” struck in Madison. At other points in the show, though, the other side of Amyl and The Sniffers shone through in Taylor’s commentary between songs. Acknowledgements of the rise of the number of women murdered in Australia, the war on Gaza, and digs at Trump’s presidency sent waves through the crowd as Taylor used her captive audience to pay her respects to world issues. There are obvious deep ties between punk and politics throughout history, so it’s no surprise Taylor followed her predecessors. But as times get increasingly more tense with artists using their platforms to take a stance, it was refreshing to see that Taylor didn’t falter on what’s important to her and the band.

This observation isn’t an isolated one, though, because while their sound is exuberant and rowdy, their lyrics oftentimes carry a similar weight to those speeches on stage from Taylor. From songs like “Knifey”, centered on women fighting back aggressors on a late night walk home, to even right in middle of “Me and the Girls” with the line “me and the girls, we want free abortions”. Striking the balance between escaping the world and bringing awareness to it is no easy feat, and Taylor somehow did it effortlessly — all while having the time of her life on stage and inviting everyone else along for the ride throughout the entire night.

Even after almost being hit by a beer can in the photo pit (to be expected, and it was awesome), it truly felt like such a privilege to capture a show so authentic and of it’s time. Make sure to catch Amyl and The Sniffers on the rest of their Cartoon Darkness World Tour — you won’t regret it!