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.

In the grand, red-lit embrace of Camden’s KOKO, Deaf Havana delivered a set that walked a fine line between the familiar and the new. Balancing nostalgia with evolution, the Norfolk-born band revisited the anthems that built their reputation while confidently showcasing material from their newest record We’re Never Getting Out, proving they are still redefining what it means to grow without losing sight of where they’ve come from.