Since my first viewing of Inhaler in as teenage indie rockers still finding their feet in the summer of 2019, their act has undergone hundreds of hours of polishing and practicing. Their current show displaying that they are well and truly at the top of their game.
At Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse, a huge step-up in capacity from their debut album’s tour showing at the o2 Ritz, the Dublin quartet showed no sign of intimidation, and commanded the stage with confidence and coolness. Although not my favourite venue, with the simple, grey, squareness of the room not lending itself to atmosphere or warmth, Inhaler’s understated presence was massive. They enthralled everyone present and making for a brilliant night.
Frontman Elijah Hewson proved he has learnt how to take hold of a crowd; being the only band member who directly addressed the audience, and only a few times at that, he nevertheless kept the room’s full attention continuously, purely due to the passion and quality conveyed in the music – inciting mosh-pits, dancing, and sing-a-longs without so much as an instruction. Their act seemed choreographed to the last detail yet flowed perfectly with no force or falsities, the boys seemed fully in control of themselves and their performance.
Inhaler kicked off their set with ‘These Are the Days’, the first single released from their sophomore album, Cuts & Bruises, before diving into an earlier single, ‘We Have to Move On’, a song whose music video I was lucky enough to feature in as a fan back in early 2020 and meet the band in the process, proving Inhaler’s dedication to including their supporters in every step of their journey.
Hits from the early days of their career were included in the setlist as well, such as ‘My Honest Face’ and, in the encore, ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’, creating a well-rounded mix of picks for fans new and old to enjoy. The quality of Inhaler’s discography is perhaps even better exemplified by the tracks that weren’t played, with personal favourites like ‘Ice Cream Sundae’, ‘Falling In’ and ‘Slide Out the Window’ missing from the setlist of a night of wall-to-wall hits.
Inhaler are continuing their tour of Europe and North America until the end of 2023, with exciting summer stops that include Reading & Leeds Festival, TRNSMT and Lollapalooza Sweden – shows that promise to deliver to the band’s ever-growing fanbase.
It appears evident that Inhaler are ready to take their place amongst the top of the modern indie rock scene. With their captivating stage presence, huge work ethic and a discography that is only getting better; I can’t wait to see what they take on next as they become a staple band of the genre.
