Inhaler “Wrecked the gaff” tonight.
While this Dublin slang means a night of mayhem, I find it more appropriate to say they tore down the house.
It’s amazing what a few months will do, as their last Montreal visit was back on July 31st, 2022, at Osheaga.
I was disappointed because I was supposed to interview the boys, but they fell ill, and cancelled the interviews.
Yet, they went on stage and delivered some great music. It was impressive, but a few months allowed them to really hone in their craft. Their set was tight, full of rock star confidence and left us wanting more.
I promised myself, for the interview that would avoid the B-word. No! Not that one, the four-letter rock star name that has two Os in it.
Elijah Hewson, Robert Keating, Josh Jenkinson & Ryan McMahon have developed a sound that is unique yet hints at that other Dublin band. It’s haunting at times, but the songs are fresh and full of youthful vigor.
It Won’t Always Be Like This was created in the middle of a pandemic, so the song became an anthem of hope.
Just like an inhaler is a lifeline to an asthmatic, the band’s debut album became of lifeline of hope, amid the dark turmoil that was Covid.
To come out of the gate with such well-crafted songs, just cemented the band as one to watch.
The venue was packed before the first band even stepped on stage. I opted to sit with some friends in the balcony, only to be entertained by some fans who insisted on standing up, blocking the view of those behind them. It got heated, but when security got them to leave their seats, the few rows behind them clapped in relief.
That was the first of many incidents of clapping.
Sun Room
Garage Rock from California, from Sun Room started us off. Think The Hives, with a little less attitude, and a lot more garage.
They had a great energy and swagger and really linked us back to a past sound, deep from the archives.
Their Spotify numbers are quite impressive, so it’s no wonder they did a great job getting us ready for the headliners.
I know they won over a few fans by the end of their set, including one from our group who thought they had a Cramps-like vibe.
Inhaler
These Are The Days started us off with some of the big songs at the outset, followed by their biggest hit so far My Honest Face.
This was one of the songs that, if your eyes were closed, you could easily picture that band with only one letter and a number playing.
Song after song, with just a hint of the first strum, or chord, the crowd would cheer in recognition of what was to be played next.
As the band sang, you could hear a chorus of fans bolster the song as if lifted by the weight of their appreciation.
The momentum erupted with When It Breaks, lights and patterns on the stage going wild, as was the crowd, as the levy holding back the band’s energy burst open.
During My King Will Be Kind, the crowd shouted the part of the song where you can feel the frustration, like a communal release of angst.
A fan threw a boa on stage before Now You Got Me, which was given to drummer Ryan.
Dublin In Ecstasy soared through the crowd, from the blue dimmed stage, giving us “the shiver running down” our “spine.”
As Who’s Your Money On? slowed down, the lighters came out for the Plastic House outro, as Elijah serenaded us before ending the set with Cheer Up Baby.
The lights dimmed, the band walked off, and the crowd demanded an encore.
It wasn’t long before the Ole Ole Ole chant started, and the band was resurrected from the depths of the Corona. There is no backstage…it’s actually under the stage.
Elijah returned sporting a wife beater (can we change the name of this yet?) and broke a few himself with If You’re Gonna Break My Heart.
The night ended on a high with a song that used to start every set: It Won’t Always Be Like This, the perfect crescendo to an unforgettable fire…I mean night.
Sparkling cowboy hats were thrown onto the stage, as the band thanked the audience and shared drumsticks and picks, mementos that will be cherished.
It was a fantastic night of music, where we all found what we were looking for…a reminder that music can lift our souls, put a smile on our faces and let us fight another day.
Writer: Randal Wark is a Professional Speaker and MasterMind Facilitator with a passion for live music. You can follow him on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. His Podcast RockStar Today helps musicians quit their day jobs with out-of-the-box advice from Ted Talk Speakers, Best Selling Authors and other interesting Entrepreneurs and Creatives. He created the Rock Star Today Music Business Jam Session for musicians. Randal is a collector of signed vinyl, cassettes and CDs.
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