Inhaler Live at 3Arena - 11/11/2023

2023 was a monumental year for Inhaler. From touring with the Arctic Monkeys, opening for Harry Styles at Slane Castle, releasing a sophomore album and touring all over North America and Europe-they were busy, in demand and popular. They closed out a hectic year with a headline show at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland and watching them live encapsulates why they have been able to grow so much in such a short amount of time. 

It is important to note that they were quite popular before their second album ‘Cuts and Bruises’ was released. Their first album went to number one on the official UK charts and ever since they have been a staple in the indie rock scene. Their greatest talent is that they’re able to make these songs that lend themselves to a live audience. With guitar solos, drum-led intros and moments where lead singer Elijah Hewson gets the crowd to take over singing the song for him (most commonly in the second chorus of My King Will Be Kind). 

These moments of participation between the band and the crowd help to elevate the music as a whole, taking the live show to an event that the fans will remember, rewatch the videos on their phone, talk about and yearn for again.

There is nothing groundbreaking about their show. No elaborate stage setup or outfits, no interludes or monologues. When they are performing it is just them and their instruments. This level of vulnerability, even on a stage as big as the 3Arena’s, opens them up to the crowd and for a level of intimacy that itself is heightened by the live music. 

They are tight on stage, each guitar line and drum kick is in time. The songs straight from the album are some of the best that can be found within the indie-rock scene with a range of styles and thoughtful, purposeful lyricism. But played live, blaring out from the speakers with the crowd backing vocals and an occasional note change in the singing, they become greater, more impactful and meaningful. When played live, each songwriting decision is shown bare for the audience and with each word, each note, and each rest, they prove why they made those choices.

Headlining the 3Arena isn’t just a big deal because it’s their biggest headline show to date or the fact it’s their last show of the tour and of 2023-both monumental events that have changed their lives. It is monumental because it is a return to their hometown. For the first time in over a year, they’re back in Dublin and playing hits off of ‘Cuts and Bruises’. This energy, the anticipation and excitement, is palpable in the crowd. The fans are desperate to see this band again and the band, when on stage, are more than happy to be back as they play through the set with renewed vigour after such a tiring tour schedule. 

3Arena might not have had special songs in the set, rare B-Sides that haven’t been played live for years, but it had a distinctive energy to it that no other show was fortunate to have. Inhaler has shown throughout the year that when it comes to touring and putting on live shows they can create moments that ascend simply by playing the songs. There is a level of showmanship that they possess, the energy of rockstars that persist through the set. This energy shone greatly in Dublin with their craftmanship in full display, being bolstered by a fierce energy and refined stage presence that closed their tour with a memorable hometown show.