Amyl And The Sniffers – Live At Newcastle NX

Its November and most peoples thoughts have started wandering towards the long dark Winter nights that lie ahead and what can help bring some joy and light to the soul during these months? Well, I can certainly recommend catching Amyl & The Sniffers live, if nothing else then just to experience the infectious joy that lead singer Amy Taylor brings, with that ever present smile that’s firmly in place for the whole of their set. After a short hop on the train up from Teesside to the Toon, a settling in to out digs for the night, pie and chips in a pub that we have frequented many times before a gig in the city and a few beers with friends old and new in Rafferty’s, a bar that draws in all the like minded inclusive people. Weirdly it seems that all Geordies all Smoggies (that’s people from Teeside for the benefit of international readers) whether male, female or any other identity, are called Andy from now on. With that random thought it’s now time to make our way to the NX.

Entering was made truly simple and safe by all the staff involved with this venue. As we made our way into the main hall it’s clear that it seems to have been rejuvenated, and I must say it’s to its betterment. I have to say that It took getting into the venue and checking out the Merch stall before we could figure out who the support act was. Yes I get that going to a gig is all about the headlining act you forked out to see, but the support should always get some kind of publicity, after all, they are just as worthy of this and occasionally they can unexpectedly be the highlight. Anyway, Upchuck all the way from Atlanta USA are said support, they break onto the stage like a Minor Threat meets Sabbath thunderclap, but with the added depth of feeling been given by lead singer KT who delivers their revolutionary lyrics. By the time this band had finished their set, the sweat, heat and love had reached a level that I’ve not seen for a support act for some time. I’ll be surprised if you don’t see this band headlining their own shows in the near future. This is usually the time in the review where I normally start waffling on about heading to the bar and chatting to friends, but there’s only time for a swift toilet break and to fight my way back to our spot near the front through a huge throng of people.

So without further ado, the lights go down, the crowd go crazy, and onto the stage comes the Aussie whirlwind Amy Taylor, followed by her band of friends. I say this because you’re fully aware that this is an outfit bonded by friendship and fun, it’s a gang of pals from the streets of Melbourne. Kicking off with ‘Doing In Me Head’, a track from the new full length ‘Cartoon Darkness’, it isn’t one of the best from this album, but what it definitely is, is a lyrically clever song, and as a live song it just fucking grabs you, and you’re not getting off this train until the end of the line. Following this up with the the fully inclusive and “fuck off” to you if you don’t like who I am ‘Freaks To The Front’ made this a gig that was never ever gonna let this crowd down. From here on in we are all a family.  

Amy is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to owning the stage, that knowing smile that never leaves her face, is not born from any contempt for her fans, but is a smile born from the knowing that lines like “you are fucking spiders, I’m drinking riders” are more of a “you can say and do what you like, but I’m still here and your not”, the last laugh is on her side I’d say, with the love coming from this room, yes we all get it!. 

This is the bands first time in Newcastle, and the crowd are so happy to welcome them, non stop crowd surfers roll over the barrier, at one point is actually becomes a little difficult to divide the crowds noise and singing from the bands sound, so much so that before you know it we’ve got through songs like ‘Security’, ‘Pigs’, ‘Motorbike Song’, ‘Chewing Gum’, ‘Tiny Bikini’, and ‘Me And The Girls’, and a lovely heart felt story about how Horses should run free, but if they weren’t domesticated would that actually have put them more at risk anyway, and the end has crept up on us sooooo fast. But then, this is where I actually come clean, I don’t like doing live reviews that much, because, if you want to know how good a band is, get out there and go see them. These are only my uneducated words, a feel for what I’ve seen and heard, if you really love music, go support it……

Amyl & The Sniffers do live up to the hype, that’s my opinion anyway. We’re able to make our own choices on who we listen to and when we party, but if Amyl & the Sniffers are playing near you then the party is rolling into your town and you really should grab yourself a ticket.