AMYL & THE SNIFFERS PROVE THEY’RE PUNJ ICONS FOR A NEW GENERATION AT SOLD-OUT FONDA SHOW
Amyl and the Sniffers at their first of two sold out shows at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles.
Punk rock is alive and well in 2024, and thankfully, it looks a little different now than it did 30 years ago. Relatively new on the scene but already making a sizable splash, Australian punk rockers Amyl and the Sniffers slayed the first of two sold-out nights at the Fonda Theatre this past week. The Sniffers, fronted by Amy Taylor, have been playing festival stages and even opened for Foo Fighters and the Hives at BMO Stadium earlier this month, but tiny rooms are where they live and thrive.
Before the Aussies took the stage, punk newcomers Lambrini Girls, who hail from Brighton, UK, tore through precisely the type of punk set you want to see and hear in 2024. Early on in the set, singer and guitarist Phoebe Lunny checked in with the crowd to ask if they were feeling safe and shared protocol of what to do if someone gets hurt in the mosh pit. That gentleness quickly faded upon introducing a memorable track called "TERF Wars." After briefly but eloquently explaining what a TERF was to the crowd, the Lambrini Girls certainly protected trans people in their two-half-minute takedowns of people who think trans people shouldn't have the same rights as everyone else. Still, people like JK Rowling indeed were not.
Amy Taylor, lead singer of Amyl and the Sniffers, performing in Los Angeles.
The most meaningful part of their set was Lunny's introduction of "Boys In The Band." Lunny, alongside bassist Lily Macieira, insisted that we must believe victims, music scenes be explicit of those that commit sexual assault, and we ought not to remain quiet when we hear that anyone has misbehaved, even if they are a friend. When bassist Macieira shared the statistic that only between 1-8% of sexual assault cases in the UK lead to convictions, the crowd roared with anger. "Boys In The Band" was a showstopper in the set and felt like a manifesto for the femme and nonbinary band.
While the energy was still high, Amyl and the Sniffers took the stage like the headliners they rightfully were. Taylor, donning an oversized trench coat with a pair of fake upholstered breasts, took the stage with a full beer and fighting spirit. Opening with “Balaclava Lover Boogie,” the band ripped across the stage with energy and excitement that was instantly matched by the crowd. Arms, legs, and limbs flung over the barricade as everyone sang and moshed along. Cups of beer and alcohol flew through the air, drenching the crowd, though no one in particular minded. Not long had passed before Taylor removed her trench to reveal a more primal Tarzan-esque two-piece get-up. Her complete abandon onstage is half the fun of Sniffers live shows, she did not disappoint.
Amyl and the Sniffers at their first of two sold out shows at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles.
Electric tracks like “U Should Not Be Doing That” and “Hertz” were testaments to how much Amyl has grown over the last six years as a performer and how much audiences have connected with their work; even standing up front, it felt like you could sometimes barely hear Taylor’s voice over the crowd scream-singing along with every lyric. When the balcony of the Fonda Theatre practically vibrated as fans sang along to “Don’t Need a Cunt (Like You To Love Me),” it became apparent that Amyl and the Sniffers have certainly made their mark not only on Los Angeles but on this whole new wave of modern punk rock. If this is what the band is doing now, I can’t wait to see what they’re still capable of.