Last night Inhaler returned to Brisbane playing The Tivoli (5 June).
There's a line of fans stretching all the way down the street and around the block. Full house. Mostly young ones, too – teens and early 20-somethings buzzing with excitement, and maybe even first-gig anticipation; and yes, some of us older rockers came along too.Die-hard fans had handmade signs, glitter makeup; even a couple of fashion cowboy hats (I kid you not) make for proper popstar worship vibes. Inside, the energy's thicker than a double-shot espresso on a Monday morning.
Three-piece Sydney outfit Biig Time open the night: Johnny Took (vocals, guitar - and member of DMA's), his brother Matty Took (guitar), and an unnamed drummer laying it down.
Blasting out the gate with 'Chugging Pills', they're met with a pack of punters belting every lyric like they've been waiting for this all week. "Time's a motherf...er when you're going crazy!" echoes across the floor as arms fly up in recognition.
The front rows are going hard, bodies bouncing like they're already at the headline set. Even up the back, there's movement – heads nodding, drinks sloshing, lyrics mouthed with passion. They follow with 'Gets Better With You' and 'Easy'; Johnny introduces himself and his brother, throwing in a plug for their debut record, '200K'. The crowd laps it up.
Biig Time - image © Yejin Cho
'No Way' into 'Cattle In The Market' is leaning into that shoegaze nostalgia, all dreamy and retro in the best way. 'Bigger Than Nothing' hits like a secret anthem – friends dancing with friends and even random strangers dancing like old mates – and closer 'It's You' seals the deal. Biig Time might be new, but this crowd already reckon they're the real thing.
After a short break, the lights drop and Inhaler take the stage to a deafening roar. Elijah Hewson (vocals, guitar), Josh Jenkinson (lead guitar), Robert Keating (bass), and Ryan McMahon (drums) roll in just a few minutes off time, but no one's caring.
They launch straight into the title track 'Open Wide'. They're wasting no time setting the tone: big, shimmering, urgent. The crowd goes absolute nuts. People jumping, hugging their mates, hands flung skyward like they've just been baptised in reverb.
Following with 'Dublin In Ecstasy', it's clear the band's home turf still lives deep in their bones. Punters scream like they're standing in a stadium, not a heritage-listed Brisbane theatre, as Hewson gets down and personal with his fans on the front barrier. Did someone faint (jokes).
Behind them, more fans are surging forward, desperate to get a few inches closer. You can feel the floor moving under your boots. 'Eddie In The Darkness' and 'Even Though' keep the momentum red hot.
Inhaler - image © Yejin Cho
Then comes 'When It Breaks' and suddenly the crowd's screaming every damn word louder than the band. Hewson's pacing, throwing grins to the pit. The barrier has arms raising to the beat of the music, heads being thrown around on necks and mouths gaping as they scream the words. It's that kind of night. Even on the mezzanine level people are on their feet, bouncing in time.
A surprise drop into a One Direction cover – 'Little Things' – and the room melts. Phones are out. Everyone's singing like they're auditioning for 'The Voice'. Except me. The entire joint's lit up with shaky torchlights and shaky teenage voices, off-key but all heart.
Next up is 'Who's Your Money On? (Plastic House)', the band snapping it back into gear delivering it with precision polish and punch. Then, during 'My King Will Be Kind', all four blue spots are locking on Hewson like a divine spotlight moment, giving him the floor – and bloody hell, he's earning it.
His vocals are soaring clean, with a velvety ache that's cutting straight through the room. No noise, no flash, just that voice laid bare, and it's the kind of moment that shuts people up – in awe. Even the rowdy ones are still for this.
Pointing to all corners of the venue Hewson tells us: "Thanks for coming out," and while he doesn't need to prompt a sing-along – cos the crowd already knows what to do – he does, but only if we want to, before launching into 'X Ray'.
Inhaler - image © Yejin Cho
The Tiv erupts, the kind of scream you'd expect from a stadium full of teenies. Lyric lines with swear words get the loudest sing-alongs because let's face it, Aussies love a good expletive in a hook. Mates locking arms and shouting lyrics right into each other's faces like it's their last hurrah.
Leaning into heavier tones, guitars grind through 'Love Will Get You There'. The floor's alive again and I make a mad dash up to the mezzanine and feel like a sausage dog on a trampoline cos the floor is being bounced so hard. Bodies jumping in sync, limbs flailing, no one holding back.
Then comes 'Just To Keep You Satisfied', with Hewson stalking the edge of the stage to be closer to the barrier - it's intimate with a few hearts no doubt breaking in the mosh pit. 'My Honest Face' kicks off like a bolt of lightning. Hewson's wrestling with a misbehaving mic stand but doesn't miss a beat.
This one's the crowd's cue to lose it entirely, a proper indie mosh moment. Someone's on someone else's shoulders, sweat flying, security edging closer. They disappear briefly, but no one's falling for the fakeout.
Inhaler - image © Yejin Cho
Returning for an encore, they bring 'Billy (Yeah Yeah Yeah', then 'It Won't Always Be Like This', which triggers a fresh surge of manic screaming. That chorus? It's like a tidal wave of joy. Deafening. You have couples yelling it at each other, groups of mates howling the hook skyward, and tears from a girl by the rail who looks like her life's just been made.
Final number comes as 'Your House'. The pulsing beat of McMahon's drums locking in like a heartbeat, reverence hanging thick in the air. It's quiet, powerful, and no one's ready for it to end. A few voices sing the melody even as the band's walking off. "Thank you, Brisbane," comes the final wave – and just like that, they're gone.
If you're wondering, yes; Hewson's got the voice. While his dad sang to save the world, Elijah's singing like he just wants to get the party started. Less saving-the-whales, more snog-behind-the-bike-sheds energy – and honestly, we're all here for it.
More photos from the concert.
