ShareInhaler performing their Cuts & Bruises Tour at Rock City Nottingham on Thursday 23rd February 2023
Review by Kevin Cooper
The moment that Elijah Hewson walked on to the Rock City stage on Thursday night with his band Inhaler, they had the crowd in the palm of their hands from the very first note, proving that they aren’t just here courtesy of Elijah’s dad, Bono.
Along with bassist Robert Keating, guitarist Josh Jenkinson and drummer Ryan McMahon, they have developed their own unique sound and have assembled an instantly recognisable catalogue of tracks. Now touring to promote their second album, Cuts & Bruises the screams of excitement were deafening when they opened with their energetic anthem, These Are The Days.
My Honest Face was driven by a rampant rhythm section that filled the venue, whilst an electric performance of My King Will Be Kind had the teenage crowd screaming out the lyrics. Other new songs Valentine, Now You Got Me and Dublin In Ecstasy were greeted as established favourites, and We Have To Move On really ramped up the energy.
A real highlight was Who’s Your Money On? (Plastic House) with its slightly groovier sound as was their latest single, Love Will Get You There. With a set that mellowed into a mesh of indie anthems, Inhaler’s punchy guitar pop with big choruses went down a storm.
Set closer was one of their oldest and most beloved songs, Cheer Up Baby, which was a magical moment, before an encore of If You’re Gonna Break My Heart and It Won’t Always Be Like This ignited the crowd with its contagious energy.
Having been friends since school, every band member contributed to the anthemic riffs and throbbing beats that were the sound track of the set, and with Hewson’s soaring vocals taking centre stage, they certainly carry with them an impervious aura of stardom.