The Academy Is Review

It's hard to explain the feeling of nostalgia. It's that bittersweet feeling you get when you’re yearning for something in the past. That is how I felt leaving The Academy Is show. This band has been around since the early 2000s and started their journey in Illinois. While they’ve taken a hiatus in the past, lead singer William Beckett shared that they are back and here to stay. They recently released a new album in March Almost There. This album has a different vibe to it in comparison to their older music but the 11 new songs still have the fans happily singing and dancing along. 

Regardless of which songs they were playing during their performance they had the crowd jumping up and down, swinging from side to side, and simply enjoying the moment they were in. From the people who were at the very front with the band close enough to touch, to the people all the way in the back of the room - everyone had the same energy (although some definitely had more room to jump and dance). 

It wasn’t just the audience that seemed to be enjoying themselves. The band also seemed to be having fun with it all. Sometimes there are musicians who go through the motions - understandably after who knows how many shows. The Academy Is seemed to just be having fun with it all. They engaged with the crowd, with each other, poked fun at one another. They brought a fun and light energy which added to the already great atmosphere. 

If for some reason you weren’t able to catch one of their past shows, The Academy Is will still be playing a few more with Warped Tour this summer in DC, Long Beach, and Orlando. Whether you’ve been listening to them since the early 2000s or are just discovering them now, their show feels like stepping back into a moment you forgot you missed. ‘