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.