Inhaler’s sturdy, reliable brand of indie has made them a breakthrough act in recent years, with two commercially and critically successful albums already under their belt. In that context, the young Dubliners’ third LP ‘Open Wide’ is a canny move, moving in some fresh directions while retaining their established style.
The opener Eddie In The Darkness has a sense of swagger and grit to it, immediately signalling that we’re in for something slightly darker than previous releases. It starts with some bare bones piano and drums before escalating in its middle section, developing a sense of drama that should be compelling live.
Billy (Yeah Yeah Yeah), meanwhile, is also content to serve up something a little different, with its slower groove putting Elijah Hewson’s vocals at the centre of the frame. It has a placidness to it, but also shows a lighter, more relaxed side to the group’s approach.
The pulsing electronics of Your House’s introduction feel like early Kasabian for a moment before swerving pale imitation with a soaring chorus that feels in keeping with their earlier work, with backing vocals from the House Gospel Choir giving it an extra sense of urgency.
Shifting gears again, the quietly funky guitar intro to A Question Of You really spotlights the band’s musical prowess and Josh Jenkinson’s lead work also shines on All I Got Is You, with the record affording him more opportunities to show his talents than their first two LPs.
Open Wide continues the electronic experimentation with a slow, drawn-out introduction that feels indebted to New Order. It is a style that Hewson slots effortlessly into and it is fascinating to hear how Inhaler bring a sense of familiarity to a track that starts out in a very different space to their previous output.
Here Hewson and his bandmates continue to prove they are far from a U2 knockoff and deserve to be appraised in their own right. There are some real signs of growth on ‘Open Wide’ and a sense of maturity developing as they continue to prove why they are held in such high regard, with its eclectic blend of electronica and indie set to satisfy their existing fans while conjuring up a few new ones.
Inhaler Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Mon February 10 2025 - BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy Birmingham
Tue February 11 2025 - NOTTINGHAM Rock City
Thu February 13 2025 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Fri February 14 2025 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Sat February 15 2025 - BRIGHTON Centre
Mon February 17 2025 - GLASGOW O2 Academy Glasgow
Tue February 18 2025 - GLASGOW O2 Academy Glasgow
Wed February 19 2025 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE O2 City Hall
Fri February 21 2025 - MANCHESTER O2 Apollo
Wed April 16 2025 - KINGSTON UPON THAMES PRYZM Kingston
Fri April 18 2025 - SHEFFIELD Leadmill
Fri May 30 2025 - DUBLIN St Annes Park
Fri February 28 2025 - TORONTO Ontario - History (Canada)
Sat March 01 2025 - TORONTO Ontario - History (Canada)
Sun March 02 2025 - MONTREAL Quebec - MTELUS (Canada)
Tue March 04 2025 - PORTLAND Maine - State Theatre Portland Maine (USA)
Thu March 06 2025 - BROOKLYN New York - LIU Brooklyn Paramount Theatre (USA)
Fri March 07 2025 - WASHINGTON - Anthem (USA)
Sat March 08 2025 - PHILADELPHIA Pennsylvania - Fillmore Philadelphia (USA)
Mon March 10 2025 - ASHEVILLE North Carolina - Orange Peel (USA)
Tue March 11 2025 - BIRMINGHAM AL Alabama - Iron City (USA)
Thu March 13 2025 - ORLANDO Florida - House of Blues Orlando (USA)
Fri March 14 2025 - FORT LAUDERDALE Florida - Revolution Live (USA)
Sat March 15 2025 - ST PETERSBURG - Jannus Live (USA)
Mon March 17 2025 - HOUSTON Texas - House of Blues Houston (USA)
Tue March 18 2025 - AUSTIN Texas - Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater (USA)
Wed March 19 2025 - DALLAS Texas - House of Blues Dallas - Complex (USA)
Wed April 16 2025 - KINGSTON UPON THAMES PRYZM Kingston
Fri April 18 2025 - SHEFFIELD Leadmill
Mon April 21 2025 - MADRID La Riviera (Spain)
Tue April 22 2025 - BARCELONA Razzmatazz (Spain)
Thu April 24 2025 - PARIS Zenith (France)
Fri April 25 2025 - LYON LE TRANSBORDEUR (France)
Sat April 26 2025 - MILAN Fabrique (Italy)
Mon April 28 2025 - ZURICH X Tra (Switzerland)
Tue April 29 2025 - PRAGUE Lucerna Velký sál (Czech Republic)
Wed April 30 2025 - VIENNA Gasometer (Austria)
Fri May 02 2025 - MUNICH Zenith (Germany)
Sat May 03 2025 - BERLIN Columbiahalle (Germany)
Mon May 05 2025 - COPENHAGEN Store Vega (Denmark)
Tue May 06 2025 - HAMBURG Indespark Arena (Germany)
Wed May 07 2025 - COLOGNE Palladium (Germany)
Thu May 08 2025 - ANTWERP Lotto Arena (Belgium)
Sat May 10 2025 - AMSTERDAM Ziggo Dome (Netherlands)
Fri May 30 2025 - DUBLIN St Anne's Park
Tue June 03 2025 - PERTH Astor Theatre
Thu June 05 2025 - BRISBANE Tivoli
Fri June 06 2025 - SYDNEY Enmore Theatre
Mon June 09 2025 - MELBOURNE Forum Melbourne
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
