Good music, good costumes, and good energy – Inhaler gave us everything you’d need from a concert, and more.
Arguably the best indicator of a concert’s success is how enthusiastically a crowd is able to join in with the live performance, and on Halloween at the O2 Forum Kentish Town, Inhaler may as well have been the crowd’s back-up stage band.
Any lingering cold from queuing outside for hours on end was immediately forgotten as soon as the openers, Seb Lowe, took over the stage. Blending political commentary with lyrical brilliance, and even adding a splash of violin for good measure, they were truly an opening act to be remembered. Their masterful performance of popular tracks including ‘Ode to Britannia’ and ‘I Fell In Love With a Talking Head’ ensured they were able to leave the stage with more fans than when they first arrived.
Inhaler wasted no time getting the crowd riled up. As soon as they stepped onto the stage, the opening notes of ‘These Are The Days’ were immediately drowned out by screams of excitement. The lively, upbeat instrumentals supported by bittersweet lyricism served as a reminder to the audience of why they fell in love with this band in the first place - being able to connect to thousands of strangers simply by transcribing one’s experiences into music is a skill that Elijah Hewson has undoubtedly perfected.
The setlist for the night featured a mixture of songs from the debut album It Won’t Always Be Like This, as well as the latest release, and namesake for the tour, Cuts & Bruises. The dedication of the audience was evident in the way every word was sung back at the band throughout the night, no matter how old or niche the songs were. Slower songs such as ‘My King Will Be Kind’, ‘Valentine’ and ‘If You’re Gonna Break My Heart’ allowed the talents of guitarist Josh Jenkinson, bassist Robert Keating, and drummer Ryan McMahon to shine through. While Elijah worked to turn these songs into a call-and-response with the audience, encouraging them to scream-sing his most iconic lyrics back at him, the rest of the band remained consistent in their performance, creating a steady foundation for us all to build our excitement upon.
When the band disappeared off stage after an incredible performance of ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’, the crowd immediately demanded an encore. Though the wait for it had been longer than expected, it was undeniably worth it - Inhaler had gotten into the spirit of the evening and came back on stage in their Halloween costumes to perform hits ‘Just To Keep You Satisfied’ and ‘My Honest Face’. This simple act lent an element of individuality to the night, and undoubtedly made it a concert to remember for all. Above all, this concert is testament not only to Inhaler’s artistry, but also their dedication to their fans, a quality that will allow their live shows to thrill audiences for years to come.
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