S.Lo on April 4th, 2022

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If the football chant-alongs to Arctic Monkeys’ “505” and the Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” during intermission were any indication, Friday night’s Inhaler show (the second of two nights) at the Belasco would be a massive exhale of pent up energy after two years of pandemic restrictions. 

The Irish quartet — Elijah Hewson (singer-guitarist and Bono’s son), Robert Keating (bass), Josh Jenkinson (lead guitar) and Ryan McMahon (drums), with Louis Lambert (keyboards and synthesizer) joining the tour– were last here in L.A. in November playing the Troubadour after their headline tour of the U.K. and a run of late summer festivals there (TRNSMT, Neighbourhood Weekender, Leeds and Reading).

Their debut album, “It Won’t Always Be Like This,” hit the top of both the U.K. and Ireland’s charts upon release (via Polydor/Universal) last July. The full-length, produced by Antony Genn (Pulp, The DFA, Joe Strummer, The Mescaleros, Goo Goo Dolls, UNKLE, The Crystal Method, Sasha), includes two of their earliest singles, “My Honest Face” and the title track, with the rest written while in lockdown in their childhood homes after three years of consistent touring (they first raged here as openers for Blossoms at the Roxy in late 2019) and reflecting on the state of the world.

“…Looking at our phones over lockdown and just horror after horror… most of [‘A Night on the Floor’] is inspired by stuff we’d seen over in America,” said Hewson. “We had such a really, really special time going over there, and we all fell in love with it again when we went on tour with Blossoms. And it’s just sad to see America in that kind of state, because it symbolizes so much to us.”  “‘When It Breaks’ is us very much itching to get back to that place that we were at,” said McMahon. “It was written at a time where coronavirus was at its peak, Black Lives Matter was happening. Everything was a little bit up in arms and crazy. And so this was [Eli’s] observation on it.” Hewson added, “It’s asking if there was an end to this whole crazy scenario that we’re in, what’s going to be on the other side, and are we going to change anything?”

Many of the songs are couched in metaphors about young love and despair, with sweeping melodies moving a multi-generational crowd Friday night from teenage girls holding their phones up to boys head-bobbing to older U2 fans, all pogo’ing and singing along loudly to favorites like “My King Will Be Kind” and “Cheer Up Baby,” which is making the rounds now on L.A. radio (a Gen X’er behind the balcony VIP section remarked, breaking the latter’s moment of awed silence after ending, “That was amazing!”).

It wasn’t just the excellent lights and impeccable sound. Inhaler are an exhilarating band to watch, exposing their hearts on their sleeves (even when Hewson goes sleeveless later in the set), taking the audience with them on a cathartic ride, ultimately, of hope. The kids are not only alright. They will very possibly save our souls.

Inhaler continue on to tour through Europe (with Moscow cancelled and Kyiv, Ukraine, still on sale) and return to the States late July to play Lollapalooza in Chicago.

L.A.’s Junior Mesa opened the show backed by his full band, moving the crowd with dreamy, RnB-infused songs off “Cirque Du Freak,” released last August, and “Peace” from 2019 (both EPs out via Ricky Reed’s Nice Life Recording Co.), ending with a rousing jam and young fans yelling earnestly for singer “Juliannnn!!!”

Setlist for Inhaler: “It Won’t Always Be Like This,” “We Have to Move On,” “Slide Out the Window,” “Ice Cream Sundae,” “When It Breaks,” “A Night on the Floor,” “Who’s Your Money On? (Plastic House),” “My King Will Be Kind,” “Totally,” “In My Sleep,” “Cheer Up Baby” and “My Honest Face”

Photos also by S.Lo