Amyl and the Sniffers / Rock City / Nottingham

Jun 7

Jun 7 Amyl and the Sniffers / Rock City / Nottingham

I’ve been looking forward to this one for some time. Amyl and the Sniffers latest album “Comfort to Me” is a fave and a regular spin on the turntable. Interestingly there was no news or official announcement about the support, until I happened across a tweet on the day of the show from Billy Nomates who confirmed she would be supporting. The night just got extra special ! Not only did I really want to see Billy Nomates as well, but as it happens, both Tor Maries (Billy Nomates) and Amy Taylor (Amyl and the Sniffers) have collaborated with Nottingham’s own Sleaford Mods…… I quickly remembered back to Facebook posts, surely not….. they’re touring the US aren’t they ? My heart raced !

I first heard Tor Maries back in 2020 with her exception performance on the Sleaford Mods single Mork n Mindy and our subsequent discovery of her debut album released in the August, and she quickly became part of our musical landscape and indeed took the honours as our “One to Watch” in 2021 in our 2020 music awards.

Walking onto the stage, simply set out with her laptop set on top of a flight case, she kicks the programme into operation and we dive right in. Early in the set we get Emergewncy Telephone from her most recent EP, which is a fresh almost playful piece of post-punk pop. Tor dances around the stage, to the delight of the sell out crowd. It has a wonderful feel to it. Simple…. Almost like singing along to your favourite tracks in your room, totally uninhibited…. It’s so refreshing, relaxed and beautiful.

Tor Maries has a style of her own in dealing with big issues. Such as with her razor sharp humour in Hippy Elite to her more direct in your face annihilation of the folk that retort ‘well… back in my day’ in the delightful Happy Misery.

There’s also the fantastic humour in Call in Sick a song, quite simply about not wanting to go in to work. I love the way the track escalated from a sniffle to saving the world from the next pandemic by selflessly excluding yourself from the workforce. Admit it, we’ve all been there lol !

The highlight of the set goes to Supermarket Sweep and it’s guest vocal performance from Jason Williamson of Sleaford Mods ! Yeah the night just became perfect.

Billy Nomates is so refreshing. Tackling some big issues but with a style all of her own. If you can, go see her….. soon

Now, it’s time for the headliners, and the capacity crowd are really up for this (especially following the set from Billy Nomates). Simply set out, the Aussie pub punks enter the stage to a wall of intense energy, Amy Taylor sporting her usual bleached blonde mullet. Their shows over here in the UK may be few and far between, but that hasn’t stopped their growth and their fanbase. Their style is fantastic loud, fast raucous punk, with gravelly vocals and fuzzy guitars over a pounding rhythm section. They have changed and developed, and their sound on the latest album “Comfort to Me” is more rounded…. Still fast, but tight and punchy.

Early on Amy has some issues with both mics failing to work, resulting in her hijacking the mic stands from Declan Mehrtens (guitar) and Gus Romer (bass), however with cords wrapped round the stands, it inhibited her usual wild movement around stage for a song or two, but the band took the slight distraction in their stride and never lost a beat.

With roving mic restored Amy returned to dancing round the stage as she snarled out the lyrics

The large set comprised mainly with tracks from 2021’s “Comfort to Me” and the self titled “Amyl and the Sniffers” from 2019, with 70’s Street Munchies from their 2017 debut album “Big Attraction & Giddy Up” along for the ride. The pace of the set is unrelenting from start to finish in true punk fashion.

All the fan favourites were on display with Got You, Security and I’m Not a Loser and a brilliant rendition of Guided by Angels which is my personal favourite from “Comfort to Me”. Also of note was the performance of the classic Freaks to the Front, a song for the masses of freaks, misfits and punks that make up the audience, a call to come forward and let loose and enjoy the show ! It truly has an anthemic feel to it.

The energy in the room was just electric, and the highlight of the set came in the encore with Hertz which had the whole crowd singing along and bouncing making the whole floor shake. It’s the perfect punk party track about a wild trip out of the city to the country / sea. The ultimate escape track.

The night ends with Some Mutts and somehow, time has accelerated once again. It seems to have gone so quickly, but I guess the old adage is true, time flies when you’re having fun.

And what a fun night this was….. two great artists that compliment each other perfectly, a surprise guest appearance… what more could we ask for ? Well….. maybe 5 more songs lol

Set List

No More Tears (Comfort to Me 2021)

70’s Street Munchies (Big Attraction & Giddy Up 2017)

Snakes (Comfort to Me 2021)

Gacked on Anger (Amyl and the Sniffers 2019)

Freaks to the Front (Comfort to Me 2021)

Choices (Comfort to Me 2021)

Capital (Comfort to Me 2021)

Maggot (Comfort to Me 2021)

Don’t Need a Cunt (Like You to Love Me) (Comfort to Me 2021)

Security (Comfort to Me 2021)

Guided by Angels (Comfort to Me 2021)