Since 1976, world-renowned Irish rock band U2 has been performing and releasing music, earning their spot amidst the great rock bands of the world. Besides their best-selling albums, considered to be some of the best selling albums of all time, U2 has also contributed greatly to different philanthropies worldwide, with lead singer Bono and bass guitarist Adam Clayton performing in Band Aid to help raise awareness and money for the Ethiopian famine. They are now performing in residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, offering a new jaw-dropping way of experiencing live music. Both the band and its members have topped multiple “best of” lists and defined what alternative rock music really is.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q Hewson, the third child of global celebrity Bono, has become known for just more than his unique name and appearing on the cover of U2’s “Songs of Experience.” In 2012, Hewson, along with current bandmates Robert Keating and Ryan McMahon (guitarist Josh Jenkinson would join a couple of years later in 2015) formed their very own band, Inhaler, in Dublin, Ireland. Their debut single, “I Want You,” hit streaming services in 2017, a couple years after the band’s formation. Their first album “It Won’t Always Be Like This” was released in 2021. 

Perhaps some of their success could be attributed to Bono, but Inhaler quickly began to build a reputation for themselves away from being the band with Bono’s son. Inhaler has opened for notable bands and artists such as Pearl Jam, Harry Styles, Sam Fender and most recently, Arctic Monkeys. Eleven months after the end of their first world tour last November, Inhaler announced a select few dates to play in some American cities this October and November, with Cleveland being one of these stops. 

As a big Inhaler fan myself (my dad is a big U2 fan; it is only natural), I found myself with a ticket the day they announced the tour back in the spring and got to attend their show at the House of Blues on Oct. 22 with some of my friends. I have a feeling they are going to be big, and being able to experience this band in a small setting was one I won’t forget. Our parents have U2 and I am thrilled to have Inhaler. 

With only two albums and a few singles, Inhaler does not have a discography quite as large as U2’s. Nevertheless, they debuted some new songs including their new single “Your House,” which was released on Oct. 29, along with some that will be released with their upcoming third album “Open Wide” coming in February 2025. I got to hear my all-time favorite “Dublin In Ecstasy” live. If that song sounds earth-shattering on Spotify, it sounds even better in person. Inhaler also performed some of their popular songs like “My Honest Face” and “These Are the Days.” 

This little Irish rock band isn’t so little anymore, continuing to harness more and more attraction every day. I can see much success in their future, and recommending Inhaler to my friends will be something I can confidently attest to doing after hearing them live. So I leave you with this: consider checking out Bono’s son’s band and if you “don’t have the time” to do so, “Strange Time To Be Alive” is only a minute long.