Amyl and the Sniffers at The Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WAAmyl and The Sniffers (Amy Taylor, Declan Mehrtens, Gus Romer, Bryce Wilson) kicked off their biting, bona fide Aussie-punk set with lead singer ‘Amyl’ bounding onto the stage. After a few fist pumps and pogo-style jumps, she emphasized respect for one another during the show before screaming, “Now, let’s get rowdy!” Her strong ‘Strayan’ voice and visceral energy prompted the packed pit at the Paramount Theatre to thrash at will as the Sniffers careened into the fast-paced, three-chord slammer “Control,” from their self-titled first release (2019). The song’s ‘Be Resilient, Be a Boss, and Believe in Yourself’ themes continued in the rocking banger “Do It Do It,” from their recent release Cartoon Darkness (2024). The pair of tracks made for a ripping opening subset encapsulating the band’s unrestrained, in-your-face punk lyrics and licks, with wallops of way back classics: Wendy O. William’s “It’s My Life” mashed with Dale Bozzio’s (Missing Persons) “Destination Unknown” attitude, crashing with Motörhead-meets-AC/DC’s gritty rock riffs.The band’s skull-crushing performance was chock-full of punk-rock anthems loaded with savage power chords, thunderous basslines, and brash wit. “Security” and “Freaks to the Front,” both from Comfort to Me (2021), were hard-hitting and had the crowd moshing as Amyl moved across the stage—her presence, a force-to-be-reckoned with. The Sniffers’ raw edge and dynamic performance further lured enamored fans into their ferocious lair. The realness made for a refreshing antithesis to the polished, pretty-from-afar acts that tend to dominate today’s touring scenes.While the fourpiece highlighted their love of all things rock on their sleeves, beneath the band’s tongue-in-cheek sneers, Amyl and the Sniffers are observing, seething, and writing about darker societal themes. “Big Dreams,” the band’s first single from Cartoon Darkness moves away from their signature brash punk, slithering into a grim requiem that touches on the concept of the strength of the human spirit in the throes of trying to move beyond the daily grind and challenging times.The band’s talent for confronting unsettling topics also cuts through in “Knifey” (Comfort to Me).  Amyl’s voice carved a hole through its driving rhythm, piercing the veil of the foreboding unknowns—in doing so, capturing a fear felt by many while walking alone, particularly at night, and confronting a rising ‘what if’ panic by pulling out a comforting ‘knifey.’Amyl and the Sniffers retained their bite for the duration of their set, broaching portentous tropes with spiky, cynical tones that describe a sense of urgency while unshackling self-restraints to find purpose in life. The booming ‘know your worth’ single from Cartoon Darkness, “U Should Not Be Doing That,” and the breakaway escapism in “Hertz” (Comfort to Me) were two standouts.Amyl and the Sniffers round-kicked it back to their touchstone high-voltage energy by closing the superb set with “GFY.” The song’s self-reliance punk ethos served as a perfect ending to the night. Concertgoers left the historic hall with reminders from the band, to keep a head up while advocating for oneself, resonating within, ready to resurface when needed.SETLISTControlDo It Do ItDoing In Me HeadSecurityChewing GumSnakesFreaks to the FrontGot YouMutts (Can’t Be Muzzled)Big DreamsIt’s MineGuided by AngelsCapitalKnifeyMe and The GirlsJerkin’Tiny BikiniFactsU Should Not Be Doing ThatHertzENCORE:Balaclava Lover BoogieGFYPhotos by Megan Perry Moore.The post Amyl and the Sniffers at The Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.