The Academic
Westmeath four-piece who grew up in public, playing jangly, hook-first indie rock with a knack for a chorus you learn on first listen.
Tour dates
- Rock CityTickets
- Rock City
- The Nick Rayns LCR, UEATickets
- O2 Academy GlasgowTickets
- Brighton DomeTickets
- OctagonTickets
- Cambridge Corn ExchangeTickets
- Bristol BeaconTickets
- Stockton GlobeTickets
- Engine ShedTickets
- Victoria HallTickets
- Dublin CastleTickets
- Dolans WarehouseTickets
- Black BoxTickets
- Vicar StreetTickets
- La MaroquinerieTickets
- TramshedTickets
- ScalaTickets
- Leeds Beckett Students' UnionTickets
- O2 Academy2 BirminghamTickets
- Manchester Academy 2Tickets
- TV Studio SWG3Tickets
About The Academic
The Academic is an indie rock band from Mullingar, Ireland, formed in 2013.
The Academic formed while its members were still at school in Mullingar, with Craig Fitzgerald singing and playing guitar alongside brothers Matthew and Stephen Murtagh and drummer Dean Gavin. They built a following in Ireland through steady gigging before a live video for "Bear Claws" spread widely online: the band played the song into a loop pedal and the footage was reversed, so the layers appeared to build backwards.
Their debut album, Tales from the Backseat, came out in 2018 and topped the Irish chart. The songs run on bright guitar figures, tight rhythm playing and Fitzgerald's plainly delivered vocal lines, usually arriving at a chorus inside the first minute.
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Questions about The Academic
Where is The Academic from?
The Academic is from Mullingar, Ireland.
When did The Academic form?
The Academic formed in 2013.
What was The Academic's first album?
The Academic's first album was Tales from the Backseat (2018). The latest is Sitting Pretty (2023).
Is The Academic on tour?
Yes. The Academic has 22 shows listed, from Nottingham, UK on Nov 12, 2026 to Glasgow, UK on Apr 24, 2027.
What kind of music does The Academic play?
The Academic plays indie rock and indie pop.
What festivals has The Academic played before?
The Academic has played Electric Picnic 2026.