One of my favourite things about music festivals is that it gives you the opportunity to explore the different stages and hear bands that you may have never
One of my favourite things about music festivals is that it gives you the opportunity to explore the different stages and hear bands that you may have never heard of before. Some will be good, some will be bad, but some will be quite brilliant.
This year at the Benicassim music festival I saw The Academic play, a band I knew nothing about before heading to the festival. However, they soon became one of my favourite acts seen at the festival with some cracking songs that are forever playing on repeat in my head.
This young four piece indie band from the small county town of Mullingar in Ireland are still in their teenage years, having formed the band whilst in their early teens in 2012. Since forming they have been building a strong reputation through the various gigs they have been doing up and down the country and the future certainly looks bright.
Only two months ago were they signed to Global Publishing, who is the UK’s leading independent music publisher with the likes of Ellie Goulding, LMFAO and The Vaccines also signed to them. Set to take the band worldwide, The Academic are currently Ireland’s most exciting band.
Summer tour and UK show
The Academic are already playing some exciting gigs. This summer they have been touring round various music festivals, including Benicassim, leading to an ever increasing fan base as more and more people are given the opportunity to listen to their music. They have already played with The Pixies, Kodaline, The Strypes and played Longitude festival too.
They recently announced the date of their first ever UK show which will be at Club NME Koko in London on the 3rd October of this year (tickets on sale now).
The band consists of Craig Fitzgerald on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Matt Murtagh on lead guitar, Stephen Murtagh on bass guitar and Dean Gavin on drums. With a soft indie rock sound their music was perfect to chill out and dance to in the Spanish sun at Benicassim.
With infectious guitar melodies and easy to sing along to lyrics their songs are quite memorable and great to listen to over and over again.
Their first official single ‘Bear Claws’ made an impact in the Irish alternative charts and is certainly the best song they have produced so far. Immediately opening with a pleasant and catchy guitar rhythm you are immediately hooked. As it builds and builds it gets better and better, and you will be singing ‘Eh! Oh! I never let you go!’ hours after you listened to the song.
With a five song EP due for release this autumn, If The Academic keep producing songs like this they are certainly going to go far!
What do you think of our Band of the Week? Let us know in the comments below!
