LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: THE ACADEMIC AT KOKO, LONDON 20/02/26
On February 20th 2026, London’s KOKO was packed as Irish indie-rock band The Academic delivered a high-energy set. The group formed in Ireland in 2013, when school friends Craig Fitzgerald (vocals/guitar), Dean Gavin (drums), and brothers Matthew (guitar) and Stephen Murtagh (bass) came together. They released their debut single ‘Different‘ in 2015, paving the way for their 2018 released debut album ‘Tales From The Backseat‘, which reached number one on the Irish charts.
The night was kicked off by AmiiFy, known for his blend of indie rock, pop and R&B. AmiiFy, whose real name is David Tolu Akinrinmade, recalled seeing American singer-songwriter Sombr at KOKO recently before sharing a story about a woman who had complained that he was standing in her spot at the concert that night. He playfully concluded the story with „I’m on stage now“, clearly a full circle moment for the singer. He performed a cover of ‘Iris‘, telling the audience that many indie musicians look up to the band, before kicking off a sing-along with the crowd, who was clearly familiar with the hit song. His set balanced energetic moments and raw emotions with plenty of slower, soulful tracks. As the venue lit up for his last song, he called out „It’s been an amazing night. Hope to see you guys soon!“
Up next were Keyside, a British indie band from Liverpool known for their high-energy performances. The quartet, made up of Dan Parker (vocalist), Ben Cassidy (guitar), Max Gibson (bass) and Oisin McAvoy (drums), reminded of bands like The Stone Roses or The Smiths, their sound feeling both nostalgic yet refreshingly modern at the same time. Their set, packed with solid indie tunes as well as a bunch of new songs, suited The Academic’s indie rock aesthetic perfectly. The audience seemed fully on board as well, with many fans in the crowd singing along and dancing. They closed their set with ‘Angeline‘, their 2023 release that tells the story of a woman battling her own demons while struggling to provide for her family.
Next up were The Academic. An Irish flag was hanging over an amp at the back of the stage, a simple but clear sign of how proud the band is of their roots. The energy was high from the start: fans in the front row were pressed against the barrier but still jumping and dancing, shouting back every lyric and hanging on to every word. Fitzgerald seems to be a natural showman, rarely standing still on stage even with a guitar in hand.
The songs are catchy, packed with lots of guitar solos and moments that highlight the tight connection between the bandmates. The fact that they began as school friends can be seen in their effortless connection on stage, which makes the show feel more personal and genuine. At one point during the set, Fitzgerald talked about breaking his arm last Christmas and mentioned how grateful he was to be back on stage. ‘‘Thanks for filling this place up. We’re happy to be back in London“ he shouted out, leading straight into ‘Easy On The Eyes‘, released in 2024.
Their set felt both nostalgic yet full of energy, with the crowd invested from the front row up to the back oft he balcony. They shared that they’re currently working on new material and even performed multiple new songs during the night. Fitzgerald joked that they’ve written so many new tracks they might as well call it an album: ‘‘It’s a collection of songs but we’ll figure it out“. This felt like a full-circle moment after their February 2025 announcement, when they postponed their UK and European tour to finish their next album before going back on the road, ‘‘We promise this is all leading to something bigger, and when we do return, it‘ll be worth the wait“ they wrote on socials at the time, and their night at the KOKO clearly lived up to that promise.
The mix of old favourites and fresh material proved the wait worthwhile. Any fans in attendance who had been affected by the 2025 tour being postponed were clearly not disappointed. The new songs blended in seamlessly between older favourites, signalling the band is ready to move into a new era without loosing the spark that made people fall for them in the first place.
Throughout the night lead singer Fitzgerald leaned heavily into crowd interactions, constantly engaging with the audience and showing off his charisma as a frontman. The band also reminisced about their history with the venue, sharing that the first time they played KOKO was on Fitzgerald’s birthday years ago. ‘‘We’ll be back very soon with a whole tour and a new album“ he promised before they finished their set with ‘Bear Claws‘ from their 2018 debut. The song still carries the same energy it had in 2018, but now it’s delivered with a confidence that the band has built over the last eight years.
As the lights came up, it was clear that this night at KOKO felt more like a triumphant return and a statement of where the band stands now – 13 years after they were formed: more confident and ambitious than ever. The Academic delivered a show that honoured both their past and breakout hits while making it clear that their story is far from being over by also throwing in new tracks. The upcoming album and the promised upcoming tour will prove that the band is turning last year‘s postponed plans into something bigger and better. It is clear that The Academic are clearly closing one chapter as they are stepping boldly into the next one.
Words and photos by Nadine Goetz
