At once utterly committed to political resistance and completely unserious about the world, Amyl and the Sniffers were exactly what Salt Lake City needed.
At once utterly committed to political resistance and completely unserious about the world, Amyl and the Sniffers were exactly what Salt Lake City needed.
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Amyl and the Sniffers @ The Complex 03.30.25

By
April 1, 2025

Concert

Lead singer Amy Taylor screams into the mic during the band's opening song "Control."
Lead singer Amy Taylor screams into the mic during the band’s opening song “Control.”

A sea of tiny bikinis amassed at The Complex on Sunday, March 30. The crowded venue felt more like a dingy pub down under, with blokes tossing beer cans and T-shirts in the air — even crowd surfing a blow-up doll. Philadelphia four-piece Sheer Mag kicked off the night with a spirited set that seemed to activate every dad in the audience. Clad in a leather vest and round Lennon sunglasses, lead singer Tina Halladay and her rallying anthems were the embodiment of classic American rock and roll. 

Amyl and the Sniffers entered the stage to the iconic “Destination Calabria” by Alex Gaudino, led by Amy Taylor in a yellow jersey-style romper and pink, glittery cowboy boots. Her classic feathered hair and crazy eyes lit up as she leaned into the fan directly behind her mic stand. She jumped into the pit during “Doing in Me Head,” sweeping through it like a tornado. In her thick, piercing Aussie accent, she greeted the crowd, explaining that their latest album Cartoon Darkness was written in response to a dystopian past, present and future. 

During their set, which included recent hits like “Jerkin’” and “Chewing Gum” as well as punk classics from their 2021 release Comfort To Me, Taylor twirled, screamed, jumped, butt-kicked and flexed her biceps like a bodybuilder. My favorite performance was “Big Dreams,” the closest the band has to a genuine ballad. She stopped a few times to make cheeky comments on her new discoveries about Utah, from the recent pride flag ban (“Fuck them in their assholes!”) to the Great Salt Lake (“Very salty. Lots of dead birds.”). She announced “Knifey” as a little something for all the women in the crowd, to whom she yelled: “Do what you want, say what you want, have opinions that are wrong!” 

But it wasn’t just Taylor that possessed unrestrained charisma and a cult-like effect on the audience. When she stepped off stage for a moment, bassist Gus Romer led the audience in a chant of “Oy, oy, oy!” and ripped off his shirt in a fit of passion. A few songs later, drummer Bryce Wilson followed suit. Declan Mehrtens’ ripping guitar solos sent the crowd into a frenzy at least half a dozen times. The band closed with “Hertz,” followed by an encore of two punchy tracks which I admittedly hadn’t heard before: “Balaclava Lover Boogie” and “GFY.” At once utterly committed to political resistance and completely unserious about the world, Amyl and the Sniffers were exactly what Salt Lake City needed.

Photos by Jess Gruneisen | @jessgruneisenphotography

Check out more of SLUG‘s recent concert coverage:
Chat Pile @ Urban Lounge 03.05.25
Lauren Mayberry @ Soundwell 01.31.25