Leeds marks the first 2023 show before the band embark on a three-month tour of the UK, America and Europe.
Now it's not often that a city like Leeds gets to experience that opening night buzz, and the night before the official launch of new album Cuts & Bruises no less, so we more than made the most of it.
For those unfamiliar with the Irish rock band, there's a lot to love about the four-piece.
Consisting of Elijah Hewson, son of the U2 star Bono, bassist Robert Keating, guitarist Josh Jenkinson and drummer Ryan McMahon, the band have been together since 2012 (with Jenkinson joining in 2015) and rose to fame after releasing their first EP It Won't Always Be Like This when the four-piece came fifth in the BBC’s Sound Of… poll, an annual survey that asks critics and industry figures who is the most promising new talent.
There's perhaps no greater praise than that of fellow singers, but Inhaler really do take this to the next level. With a wealth of superstars to choose from like Noel Gallagher, who compared them to an "early U2" (like father like son?); Elton John, who described the band as "f**king amazing" and no less than Yorkshire's own Arctic Monkeys, who have the band signed as their support act for their upcoming tour across Europe.
Inhaler debuted three songs in Leeds. / Image: The Hoot Leeds
Kicking off the tour in Leeds
Opening with These Are The Days, a welcome choice from their upcoming album Cuts & Bruises, chants of 'turn up the music / black out the lights' brought the Academy to life from the very first riff.
Next up was My Honest Face, a crowdpleaser that's been played no less than 220 times by the Irish rock band and Love Will Get You There, before the crowd was treated live debuts of Just To Keep You Satisfied and So Far, So Good, each of which are due to be released on the band's latest album at midnight.
Lead singer Elijah did admit to the crowd that 'there might be a few mistakes', but the new tunes flowed effortlessly from the four-piece rock band, like they'd always been a part of the setlist.
Every song felt well rehearsed, and with two studio albums and ten singles to choose from, Inhaler continued the night, finding rhythm with a combination of new tunes, and fan favourites from their first 2021 album and previous singles.
My King Will Be Kind brought up the house lights and cheers from the crowd bringing a passionate sing-a-long before another live debut brought Valentine to life for the very first time.
BBC Radio 1 teased at a live version of the band's most popular hit, Love Will Get You There, as well as a rendition of Miley Cyrus' Flowers, last month, and the cool charisma showcased on air from the band was just as present in front of the live audience in Leeds as the countdown to the new album release.
Bringing the city just shy of a non-stop 90 minute performance, Inhaler continued to bring tunes, disappearing after Cheer Up Baby only to return for an encore dressed down in a vest and pink fluffy cowboy hat (well, it lasted at least two verses).
The show closed with If You're Gonna Break My Heart and the song that started it all, It Won't Always Be Like This, leaving Leeds counting down the hours until Cuts & Bruises makes its way on to Spotify and into our record stores.
Lead singer Eli returned for the encore in a pink cowboy hat. / Image: The Hoot Leeds
2023 Tour Dates
You can catch Inhaler on tour across the UK and Ireland over the coming weeks in the following cities.
Friday 17 February - Newcastle, NX (SOLD OUT)
Saturday 18 February - Liverpool, Uni Mountford Hall (SOLD OUT)
Monday 20 February - Norwich, The Nick Rayns LCR
Tuesday 21 February - Cardiff Uni, The Great Hall
Thursday 23 February - Nottingham, Rock City
Friday 24 February - Birmingham, O2 Academy
Saturday 25 February - Bristol, O2 Academy (SOLD OUT)
Friday 19 May - Manchester, O2 Victoria Warehouse
Saturday 20 May - London, O2 Academy Brixton
Monday 5 June - Liverpool, O2 Academy 2
Tuesday 6 June - Sheffield, The Leadmill
Tuesday 15 June - Galway, Monroes
For those that missed out on a night of non-stop dance anthems and heavy guitar riffs, Inhaler will be back for summer, performing atLeeds Festivalover the bank holiday weekend, as well as making an appearance with the likes of Sam Fender and Arctic Monkeys at some seriously exciting open-air summertime gigs.
Feature Image - The Hoot Leeds
News
Bradford man, 20, jailed after admitting to 36 child sex offences
A 20-year-old man from Bradford has been sentenced to time in prison this week after admitting to numerous child sex offences.
Following an investigation initially by West Mercia and Lancashire Police, Kasey Fitton, aged 20 of Amundsen Avenue in Bradford, was arrested in February 2025 on suspicion of engaging in sexual communication with four children residing outside of West Yorkshire Police force area.
An investigation was then launched by Bradford Safeguarding Unit, who went on to uncover large-scale sexual offending against children.
In February 2026, Fitton was charged with 16 counts of sexual communication with a child and 20 counts of making/possession of indecent images of children - with police confirming that five child victims have been identified.
At Bradford Crown Court, Fitton admitted to all 36 counts, and then earlier this week (7 September), he was jailed for seven and a half years, plus a five year extension on licence. He will also be required to sign the sex offenders register for life, and he has been given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 15 years.
Speaking following the sentencing this week, Detective Superintendent Alan Weekes of Bradford District Police, described Fitton as a 'very dangerous individual to children'.
"There are further investigations ongoing and we would appeal to anyone who may have been a victim to come forward to us," DSI Weekes said.
"We are keen to speak to anyone who interacted with the Snapchat accounts Kaseyfitton23, Kaseyfitton24 and MyCroft110.
"We take all reports of this nature extremely seriously and they are treated with sensitivity. We have specially trained officers who will guide you through the process and do everything we can to get justice."
Featured Image - West Yorkshire Police
News
History has never been this fun – Operation Mincemeat at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House | Review
Declan Kelly
Don’t judge a book by its cover... or in this case, a musical by its posters.
Going in completely blind, I really didn’t know what to expect from Operation Mincemeat. In fact, after the first number, I found myself thinking, I’m not sure this is quite my cup of tea.
How wrong I was.
Watching Tuesday night’s performance at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House, I was quickly proven wrong about what I thought a musical needed to be. There are no huge sets, endless costume changes, or hundreds of performers filling the stage. Instead, Operation Mincemeat delivers a genuinely funny, surprisingly heart-warming story with just five performers, while somehow teaching you a bit of history along the way.
If I had to sum this show up in two words? Belly laughter.
Based on the real-life British intelligence operation during the Second World War, the musical follows the unlikely group tasked with convincing Hitler that the Allies were planning to invade Greece rather than Sicily.
And honestly, if you didn’t already know it actually happened, you’d probably think someone had made it up. That ridiculousness is exactly what makes the show work. The comedy comes thick and fast, with characters, accents, and personalities constantly changing as the five-strong cast jump between roles.
And this is where the production really impressed me.The multi-roling is incredibly slick. A pair of glasses, a change in voice or a small shift in posture can completely transform a character, and somehow it never feels like a gimmick. Instead, it becomes part of the magic of the production. It’s a brilliant example of how much can be achieved on stage without throwing money at elaborate sets or costumes.
Credit: Matt CrockettCredit: Matt Crockett
But underneath all the comedy is where Operation Mincemeat really surprised me.
One of the standout performances for me came from Christian Andrews as Hester Leggatt. During ‘Roses’, Andrews completely captivates the audience while portraying an older woman writing about the experience of wives waiting for their loved ones away at war.
What makes the moment so effective is its simplicity. With little more than a pair of glasses, Andrews transforms into Hester, but there is never any sense that the character is being played for laughs. Instead, there is real care and respect in the performance.
Andrews captures the loneliness, vulnerability, and uncertainty of a woman whose life has been put on hold while her partner is away fighting. After so much laughter, the sudden change in tone really lands. For me, it was one of the clearest examples of the craftsmanship behind the show. Both the writing and performance manage to find genuine emotion without losing the production’s personality.
The music follows the same balance, moving between big, energetic numbers and quieter moments that give the characters room to breathe. It never feels like songs have been added simply because this happens to be a musical; they actually help tell the story.
And despite being based on a historical event, it never feels like a history lesson.
Operation Mincemeat at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House / Credit: Matt Crockett
In fact, I left the theatre wanting to find out more about the real Operation Mincemeat, which is probably the biggest compliment I can give it and definitely will be watching the film very soon.
If you’re heading to the theatre expecting huge dance numbers, powerhouse ballads and elaborate sets, then this might not be the show for you. But if you want something different, something that will have you laughing at one of the strangest stories in British history while leaving you amazed at just how slick a production can be with only five cast members, then this is absolutely worth seeing.
What I initially thought wasn’t my cup of tea ended up being one of the biggest surprises of the evening.
Funny, clever, completely bonkers at times and unexpectedly moving, Operation Mincemeat proves you don’t need a massive production to make a big impression. I have seen a lot of theatre productions in my life, but I have never seen anything as slick as this production, and that is pure talent at its finest.
Sometimes, all you need is a ridiculous true story, five brilliant performers and a whole lot of belly laughs.
Sophie Smith -
17th February 2023 
