Irish band Inhaler brought their indie-rock jams to The Anthem on March 7 as a part of their “Open Wide World Tour.”
The pre-show playlist of Billie Eilish and Arctic Monkeys cut and the room went dark. Robert Keating’s deep bass and Ryan McMahon’s steady drums of “My Honest Face” filled the space. Lead singer Elijah Hewson’s “1, 2, 3, 4, 5” chant sent an electric jolt through the crowd as Josh Jekinson shredded on the guitar. The influx of energy had its own effect on everyone; some groups of fangirls jumped and danced up and down while other, more tame, concertgoers bobbed their heads to the infectious beat.
Inhaler is one of those band’s you have to hear live to truly get. The group plays loud, but intentionally so. The soundwaves course through the room, every beat being felt in each audience member’s soul.
The group has a U2 meets the Arctic Monkeys sound that is a throwback to the Tumblr-grunge era of 2012. This makes sense when you realize that the lead singer, Hewson, is Bono’s son. Growing up around Bono’s genius has heavily influenced Inhaler’s sound, but not in a way that seems inauthentic. Though nepotism can sour the group for some, Inhaler has evidently brought a new sound that pays homage to old classics.
This is evident in the crowd. The general admission area was filled with a wide variety of people; teen girls who might be the target demographic for the band, couples on date night, dads who know the songs just as well as their daughters and middle-aged groups here to use the group’s nostalgic sound to escape to their younger years. Inhaler has managed to reach many different audiences—something most musicians can’t do.
Though demographically different, the crowd has one thing in common: they were there to experience good music and live in the moment. Instead of phone cameras, Inhaler was met with smiling faces and dancing bodies. Audiencegoers put away their screens to live in the now.
The show’s climax came during “X-Ray.” A new track from the group’s newest album “Open Wide,” they began the song with an ABBA “Gimme Gimme” interpolation before breaking into the rock-heavy tune with an easily-belted chorus. Soon after, “Dublin in Ecstasy” engulfed the crowd in orange, white and green light to pay homage to the group’s hometown. The pit erupted in cheers as Hewson leapt off the stage and sang with a fan.
Inhaler played for an hour and a half, barely taking a breath. The songs flowed into each other, yet each was unique in its own way. The setlist was a good mix of old and new and even engaged people who didn’t know the lyrics.
If attending an Inhaler show, be ready for a dance party, a good time and some post-show tinnitus that is worth it in the end.