TAILOR-MADE FOR THE LIVERPOOL STAGE | SCOUSHALER REACHES ARENA STATUS
LIVE REVIEW | INHALER, M&S BANK ARENA, LIVERPOOL, 11/10/2025 By Keira Knox
2025 marks two years since I saw Dublin 4-piece, Inhaler at Liverpool’s 800 capacity venue, the O2 Academy. I vividly remember turning to my mate and saying, “wouldn’t it be so cool if they played the arena one day, then we can say we’ve been their since the start”, she, like most others, gave me a look that I know all too well. Saturday night, however, proved them all wrong, in front of 11,000 fans Inhaler walked out onto the arena stage for a night of celebration for one of Ireland’s most enthralling bands.
Two equally formidable support acts kicked off a night of high energy. The Bandits reunited for the first time in 20 years to provide support, many fans will recognise one of their members as Inhaler’s manager, Gary, who promised to reunite the band if Inhaler were to ever perform at the arena. Fans were able to catch an early glimpse of Ryan McMahon and Josh Jenkinson as they took to the stage to play with The Bandits. Glaswegian indie-rockers, The Snuts, provided an upbeat display that captivated the Liverpool crowd.
Fans’ favourite singles and older songs were skilfully interspersed with new ones from the album Open Wide in the setlist. The title track from their most recent album brought the house down, and the audience went wild as they raised their arms in unison with the lyrics, creating an unparalleled sight.
A flawless performance full of precise musicianship, the band effortlessly dived into powerful delivery of tracks such as ‘Dublin In Ecstasy’ and ‘Eddie In The darkness’. While many bands reach arena fame and lose touch with their fans, Inhaler will never let that happen. The magic of their live performances lies in the engagement and participation of the crowd.
Elijah Hewson justifiably ranks among the top ten most captivating frontmen in today’s music scene. With an air of calm assurance, Hewson confidently moves around the stage, clearly aware of who he is performing for. His contact with the audience is truly mesmerising. He descends into the pit to sing the chorus alongside his devoted followers, introducing new music to the audience in a way that only they could comprehend.
Hewson pleaded with the Liverpool audience to “go easy” on them as they debuted the unreleased song ‘Hole In The Ground’ live, adding to the evening’s pleasant surprises. It was the ideal spot for them to try out their new material. On ‘Love Will Get You There,’ Robert Keating and Hewson wisely let a young fan called Joel play rhythm guitar. Despite Hewson’s apparent disorientation without his instrument, the band harmonised brilliantly with the unexpected musician, delivering a superb performance.
The crowd, young and old, sang along in perfect harmony to ‘My Honest Face,’ the song that catapulted Inhaler to fame. As the band stepped out for the encore Hewson thanked the crowd for staying until the very end. Closing the show with tracks like ‘It Won’t Always Be Like this’ and ‘Your House’ a euphoric feeling swirled around the arena. A city that isn’t theirs has certainly claimed them as one of their own, united by the music and lyricism they produce. The Liverpool stage was tailor-made for this band.
