Inhaler: A Breath Of Fresh Air

The last time an Irish band played at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, the Tower was lit up in the colours of the Irish flag. While Inhaler didn’t quite manage that feat, the Dublin band still put in a towering performance.

The group always seems to be mentioned in the same breath as U2 frontman Elijah Hewson’s dad, Bono. Their first album, It Won’t Always Be Like This, did appear to owe a lot to U2: sweeping grandiose songs that came with an anthemic quality.

The influences have now changed slightly, with The Cure and Echo and the Bunnymen coming into the fold. The band shone more on uplifting tracks such as When It Breaks and Dublin in Ecstasy, which seemed suitably placed to be heard in the palatial surroundings of the Empress ballroom.

Providing a contrast between the moody atmosphere that dominates their second album, Cuts and Bruises, Hewson’s voice was heartfelt and soaring on Valentine and My King Will Be Kind, both tracks being from their first album.

What direction the band takes next music-wise is unsure, though the rapturous reception given to It Won’t Always Be Like This gave some indication of what their audience really wants to hear: great, uplifting songs with a rousing melody. The feeling was that this was only the second chapter in a long career. Tonight, Inhaler made Blackpool rock in an assuring fashion.