Inhaler

About a year ago I heard about Inhaler. A young four piece band from Dublin with a charismatic frontman whose surname is Hewson. You can see where this is going can't you? This exact situation first happened in 1978 or thereabouts. The problem was that in 1978 I was 6 yrs old and my life revolved around playing in the bomb hole in Pype Hayes Park, riding my green bike and playing Army with my non to mobile but entirely enthusiastic Nan. The '78 band from the North side of Dublin was about to change the music landscape forever but their impact on my life was still 9 years away.

The problem this time is that I am 47 and 30 yrs too old for Inhaler's immediate demographic but that's not to say that I can't use Inhaler to piece together a final gap in a musical Jigsaw. At least that's probably how I initially saw it with them becoming known to me as a side piece of U2 news. Inhaler's charismatic frontman is Elijah Hewson the son of Bono. I didn't see U2 until I was 18 or thereabouts and they were 12 years into their career with War, Boy, October, Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree and Rattle Hum already in their back catalogue, playing in front of millions worldwide at Live Aid and filling stadiums across America. Inhaler have 7 songs on Spotify, their roadie looks like a sixth former who likes to tinker with electrics a bit, they're supporting some good bands here and there but their own gigs are filling venues with capacities in the hundreds rather than the thousands.

When I first listened to their tracks I approached it all wrong. I was chasing something I missed out on. A reincarnation of early U2. Bono in his youth. The Edge with hair. I know why. It's a grasp at the past. It's an attempt to grab hold of a simpler time, a complete time. A time without loss. Looking for a patch, a plaster on grief.

My daughter went to see them in Sheffield last November (I couldn't go) but soon after we got tickets to be able to see them here in Birmingham at the O2 Academy. The temptation was to go in one of my U2 tour T shirts. Display my colours. I decided against it. I decided to give them a go on their merits. I hadn't seen any piggy backing on the success of U2. Of course, I've no doubt Inhaler have the full support of Bono and that of the parents of Josh (lead guitar), Rob (bass) and Ryan (drums), but I hadn't seen them using the connection, the unavoidable connection, to get a step up. So, out of respect for their efforts, I should give them a go on their merits right?

Rocking up to the O2 and we're guided upstairs. Not to the top tier of the 3000 capacity hall but the top room that used to be the top room of what was The Dome Nightclub in the early '90's. Small bar and stage with a capacity of maybe 400 or 500 at a push. In fact I blagged my way into an after party with Shed Seven a couple of years back in the same room after they had filled the main hall for 2 hours. Inhaler's 7 songs aren't going to fill 2 hours and, realistically, aren't going to sell 3000 tickets. At least not yet.

Lots of groups of kids (mid to late teens) at the right demographic but equally lots of couples. The main couples being parent (45 - 55) and child (15-20). Parent there because they like U2 and kids there because they've shied away from the Drill Rap bollox infecting the ears of kids today and the manufactured boy/girl bands. They're seeking out bands that have formed as mates, learning their instruments, playing their instruments and making their way through the music scene. A few of the parents couldn't resist the U2 colours but for me it didn't seem right for tonight.

Feet were the support band. A local group from Coventry consisting of a drummer, bassist, two leads and their frontman. They were very good to be fair to them. I described them on Twitter as 'Surprisingly good. Fearlessly charismatic. Think Happy Mondays crossed with The Cure drifting somewhere between late 60's, a touch of 70's, some 80's/90's crossover doused in originality'.

As the room filled for Inhaler I saw two schoolmates I hadn't seen for 29 years or so. When I say mates one was my best mate at school who I've not had anything to do with for 29 yrs and the other was an older lad, a bully who never really got the better of me and suffered the ignominy of losing his 1st XV Rugby team place to a kid he had bullied for years when I took his No 15 shirt and stepped into the first team. I didn't say hello. In a way it was what I was initially setting out to find. A blast from the past. In the moment it didn't matter. I didn't have the confidence to be the better man but I also didn't feel I really had anything to say to them.

Inhaler came out to a good reception from the kids who are going to be their loyal fanbase for life and us oldies there for whatever reason we were there for. For me, despite the obvious comparisons and the temptation to compare, I was gonna give them a go purely on their merits. It was much easier than I thought. As a U2 obsessive you can't help but notice how much he looks like his Dad and the odd frontman trait that's similar but it was never a distraction as Elijah is clearly carving out a musical career and style of his own.

They opened with When I'm With You a not yet on Spotify number. Josh leads us in.

"Sugar Hits
I need to taste it
On my lips"

 All four of them looked ridiculously comfortable and commanding on stage. I say 4. There's actually 5 if you include the keyboard player but he doesn't appear to be an 'official' member. They exude a confidence well above their years and they clearly love what they are doing bouncing off each other throughout the gig.

The 10 song set is 50% tracks on Spotify and 50% newer songs. I got a set list from @inhalerupdated on Twitter because I wondered what the songs were that I didn't recognise. For the sake of this blog I'll assume it's right. Throughout the gig I found myself liking every tune which is rare for me when hearing songs for the first time.

It Won't Always Be Like This was next and this is a cracker of a tune with a wonderful spinning chorus and live it gets you bouncing whether you want to or not.

"Play me like a record baby
Spin me around
Turn me upside down"

A Night On The Floor is beautifully moody with a great intro and lovely warm up for Ice Cream Sundae.

"Have your eyes focus
Just to clean up your mess
Or not"

I love Ice Cream Sundae. Took to it the first time I heard it and wow it thumps live.

"Easy as an ice cream sundae
Slippin' outta your hand
Into the dirt"

It's a crowd favourite for sure and so much better live. This was a recurrent theme. Every track I knew was better live. They inject a huge energy and joy into the songs. They're a band that have to be seen to be fully appreciated.

Falling In is all about the guitars for me.

"What a glorious feeling
And I like it a lot"

My King Will Be Kind and again both Josh and Elijah seem to enjoy this one. I'd love to find the full lyrics to this to get the background to "I fucking hate that bitch"

"Oh you lost your mind
'cause I lost mine"

After these two non spotifiers is We Have to Move On. This is their latest track on Spotify and it's a wonderfully accomplished track.

"Sad, serious things
Never become unbroken"

Cheer Up Baby is the final new one in the set

"You're not on your own
Sinking like a stone"

There's No Other Place. This one is a belter. From the raw chords at the start to the booming drums to the rising anthemic lyrics this is pure class.

"And I'd jump if you told me to
Got the controls under your left foot"

The set was brought to a close with My Honest Face. I'd describe this as my favourite but then that's about 5 favourites I have already. Its a wonderful tune, a bass line that rattles the bones, its sing along, its moshable, it's grab your mate and belt it out to each otherable and it's a great tune to end a gig on and send everyone home buzzing.

"And Honey I could play the Joker
My made up smile broke your heart last night"

An hour flew by with me being completely immersed in Inhaler. Elijah looks accomplished on the guitar and has a voice that seems to have grown immeasurably in a year and is well suited to filling the stadiums they'll soon be filling. Rob delivers a bass that never misses a beat and rattles through as the backbone to their songs particularly It Won't Always Be Like This and My Honest Face. Seems to like the buzz from the crowd as he wondered off stage into the front row towards the end. If Rob is the backbone then Ryan is the powerhouse of the rhythm section. Stands out throughout but comes into his own in There's No Other Place. Josh just oozes cool. Looks like he's been tearing up gigs with his lead for years and interacts well with Elijah. Their influences are huge and varied but never copied. Of many of the influences in their music U2 was not a main one for me and the non U2 sound was a relief. They've an original, new, energetic album ready to go in these 10 songs. Elijah said it's on it's way and I can't wait. They ooze confidence, talent, charisma and polished musicianship producing a better sound live. They have shed loads of energy and they're gonna need it when they're filling stadiums, which they one day will, with their anthemic tunes born out of a wonderous mix of influence.

I went in looking for something I'll never find but I came out mesmerised by an emotional connection to something new, fresh and energetic. A band that I'm confident are going to change the music landscape again.