Inhaler O2 Apollo review: Phenomenal show has 'Manchester in Ecstasy'

From the moment the Irish four-piece stepped onto the stage, the sound of screams reverberated around the intimate 3,500 venue, and as frontman Eli Hewson belted and played the opening notes of ‘My Honest Face’, the tone was set for an enthralling performance from one of the most exciting bands in rock.

It is a really exciting time for Irish music. Fontaines D.C.’s ‘Romance’ was critically acclaimed and garnered nominations at the Grammy Awards; Hozier’s ‘Too Sweet’ reached No. 1 on the UK and Irish charts, Kneecap’s ‘Fine Art’ was a rousing success, and then of course Inhaler entered a new era with the release of the Kid Harpoon-produced ‘Open Wide’ that saw them explore a wide range of influences and dive into a more pop-orientated sound.

In ‘Open Wide’ the band explored styles from 70’s glam-rock to 80’s pop-rock and drew inspiration from artists and bands such as Prince, Depeche Mode, Deftones, and T-Rex to create their most colourful, assured, and arguably best record to date. Unsurprisingly, ‘Open Wide’ featured heavily on the setlist in Manchester, including the live debut of the Sam Fender and Bruce Springsteen-esque ‘Still Young’, which allowed Josh Jenkinson’s catchy riffs and Bobby Keating’s exquisite bass lines to shine through.

Early in the set, tracks such as the Prince-influenced ‘A Question of You’ allowed frontman Hewson’s vocals to shine and provided an opportunity for a dance-along, and ‘Eddie In The Darkness’ erupts into a guitar-driven jam complemented by soaring vocal harmonies. The grungy ‘Little Things’ provided a euphoric response after Hewson declared, “This one’s for One Direction,” and was a perfect fit in between the Talking Heads-esque ‘When It Breaks’ and the bass-heavy ‘Who’s Your Money On? (Plastic House). The latter allowed Keating’s gorgeous bass lines to shine and complement the lively drum patterns of Ryan McMahon, the sound of synth, Jenkinson’s bright guitar, and Hewson’s powerful vocals.

On stage, the band opted for a minimalistic approach with just a banner with the album cover of ‘Open Wide’ behind McMahon’s drum kit positioned on an elevated platform. There were no pyrotechnics, no theatrics, and no Hollywood-esque visuals on display. It was simply four incredibly talented musicians who allowed their music to do the talking, and the old-school approach worked to perfection.

As the night progressed, the mid-tempo ‘Billy (Yeah Yeah Yeah)’ highlights the band’s experimentation with 80’s pop grooves. Hewson turned into the role of conductor as the catchy ‘Love Will Get You There’ erupted into a mass singalong, while Jenkinson’s guitar lines and Keating’s heavy bass stand out in the grunge-influenced ‘Dublin in Ecstasy.’ Hewson’s tremendous vocal melody takes centre stage for the fan-favourite ‘Cheer Up Baby’ and is complemented by fast-paced drums, punchy guitars, and a groovy bass line from Keating before The Killers-inspired ‘Just To Keep You Satisfied’ closes out the first part of the set.

In the encore, ‘Open Wide’ is given an extra kick in a live setting thanks to a tremendous vocal performance from Hewson, ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’ sees Jenkinson take centre stage for a thrilling solo before the T-Rex-influenced ‘Your House’ closes out the night in fine fashion.

As evidenced by the additional dates added to their UK tour, legs in North America, South America, Australia, Asia, and Europe, and their biggest ever headlining show at St. Anne’s Park in Dublin to come, Inhaler are more in demand than ever. With talent in abundance and a willingness to embrace a more mainstream sound, the Irish four-piece are firmly established as one of rock music’s most exciting acts and could well become the era-defining band that brings rock music back into the mainstream.