The Academic 15/10/19

Lights dimmed, a smoke machine started billowing, and 800 people lurched forwards in hopes of getting a closer look at The Academic. Four boys on the crossroads of teens and twenties entered the stage, with three quarters of the band in formal attire and frontman Craig Fitzgerald in a white t-shirt, jeans and a black denim jacket. You wouldn't expect anything else from an Indie band.

As the opening bars of the Irish quartets single Superlike began, the crowd went wild and a pit opened up, of course, directly in front of me. And as always, I jumped right in. “You alright London?” the crowd were asked, and responded with screams and dripping faces.

A photograph of The Academic, taken by myself

They began the set as they intended to go on, with high energy songs from their 2018 album Tales From The Backseat, such as Mixtape 2003 and Fake ID. They kept the energetic vibe rolling, making a mosh pit bounce with every song played.

The midsection remained full of enthusiasm, with the band making it clear to the audience how happy they were to be there. Classics such as Bite My Tongue and Why Can’t We Be Friends made the floor of the nightclub quite literally shake as hundreds of teens bounced up and down to the rhythm, with thrilled, content faces. Lyrics that are hardly more than teenage concepts of love made voices grow wearier as the set continued. Though, it's not like it stopped anyone from screaming the words.

“This is the best Birthday I’ve ever had” Fitzgerald claimed, after the room of youths sang an excited rendition of Happy Birthday along with the other members of the band just before the closing songs. Renditions of Girlfriend, Bear Claws and Different saw the set off, and the crowd piled out, reminiscing and smiling after a gig to remember.