The Academic is an indie rock band from Westmeath, Ireland. In support of their debut album, Tales from the Backseat, the band embarked on their first United States headline tour. The band claimed they had no idea how the tour was going to go and did not know what to expect, but they were overwhelmed with the support they received at the live shows and with the album! The tour went so well, The Academic will be returning in late May to support The Kooks!
I was able to see The Academic at their San Francisco show during their headline tour in North America. The Academic played at the Brick and Mortar Music Hall with their opening act, The Stolen.
I was pleasantly surprised by the Brick and Mortar Music Hall as this was my first time seeing a band here. It is a very intimate venue with areas to sit and relax at the bar. The decor and sound system were two other great qualities the venue had to offer.
After the opening act, The Academic came out to perform a 13 song setlist. Throughout their performance, the band interacted with the audience and thanked everyone for coming to the show!
Every song sounded great as the sound system at the Brick and Mortar Music Hall is spectacular and the singer, Craig Fitzgerald has amazing vocals! Not only were the vocals spectacular, but the band sounded great together. The guitar was definitely an awesome addition to Fitzgerald's vocals.
Another great moment during The Academic's performance was their dedication to Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries. The Academic played a fantastic cover of the fellow Irish band's song Linger in honor of O'Riordan's passing.
The band also did a great job performing their hit song Mixtape 2003, Bear Claws, Why Can't We Be Friends?, andDifferent. The Academic's EP single, Thought I Told You was another great song live! On top of putting on a great show, the band met and hung out with fans after their show!
I would definitely recommend checking out the band's debut album, Tales from the Backseat and seeing the band live on their tour with The Kooks!