“Attention! Attention! May I have all your eyes and ears to the front of the room if only, if only for one second” frontman William Beckett sings the opening words to their classic song “Attention” as Philadelphia cheered the newly reunited The Academy Is… back to the stage ten years after their last appearance in town at the Trocadero in December of 2015.
And with that, dreams came true on a Sunday night in Philadelphia when the pop-rock and emo outfit The Academy Is… brought the “almost here” 20th anniversary tour to the Fillmore to celebrate the iconic 2005 album. The band, originally active between 2003 and 2011, most elder emo millennials had their music as the soundtrack to their middle and high school years. Their music conjures up memories of MySpace bulletins, xanga blogs, RAZR phones, and all of the spikey belts and chains you’d find at your local Hot Topic. Frontman William Beckett’s unique vocal croon is instantly recognizable and sorely missed by fans far and wide. The band briefly reunited in 2015 for a tour for the 10th anniversary of “Almost Here”, but this time, a decade later, things are different. The band has a renewed vigor, and you can immediately tell with the passion and energy they brought to the stage that this tour is different than in 2015. William brought all of his dance moves as he trotted around on stage, passionately bringing to life the songs that have been earworms to some of us for 20 years with his unmistakable, emotional croon. Flanked by original members Adam T. Siska on bass, Mike Carden on guitar, and Andy “The Butcher” Mrotek on drums, plus with the addition of seasoned scene guitarist Ian Crawford, the band has a massive sound and filled the Fillmore with energy and fans bouncing along.
Dallas-based alternative pop/rock band Little Image kicked off the night, with lead singer Jackson Simmons even making a joke about how it was ironic that they were from Dallas as the Eagles lost to the Cowboys that night. The band brought their signature blend of upbeat songs and catchy riffs to the stage to prime the audience for The Academy Is… that would soon take the stage. The audience seemed to be a fair mix between older fans and newer, younger fans. For the older fans, it’s much more than nostalgia - seeing the Academy Is… perform songs that soundtracked our lives 2 decades ago brought to life again is more than cathartic. For a lot of us who identified as “emo” two decades ago - that are now in our 30s or approaching 40, “it’s not just a phase” - TAI’s music has proved that it has staying power, along with the likes of Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance. Frontman William Beckett excitedly told the audience in between songs, proudly exclaiming that “The Academy Is… is back, and we have a new album”. The crowd cheered explosively, as it had been 18 years since their last studio release, “Fast Times at Barrington High”. For some in attendance, that’s more years than the age when some of us first discovered their music. And for the younger fans in attendance, it was their first time getting to see the emo legends, reunited after so many years away. The front barrier was full of fans who knew every single word but were just born at the time the band released their last album. This proves how multi-generational and influential The Academy Is… has become in their absence. Other pop-punk and emo bands may come and go, but “Almost Here” helped shape a generation, and Philadelphia showed up on a Sunday night to bring that point home.
After breaking the news of their new album (and another tour coming around in 2026!), William (clad in his Eagles green-accented jacket) introduced two new songs on their setlist: “Miracle” and “2005” from said upcoming album. The band even cracked out some old post-Almost Here fan favorites like “Barrington High” lead single “About a Girl” and Santi throwbacks “Neighbors” and “Seed”. After completing their performance of “Almost Here”, the band exited the stage to much applause but soon returned to treat fans to a two-song encore of “We’ve got a Big Mess On Our Hands” (as voted on by the audience!”) and the emotional ballad, “After the Last Midtown Show”. When the song was originally penned, the OG New Jersey pop punk band Midtown was long broken up, adding an air of sadness to the song. However, as many things in life come full circle, Midtown is back and reunited just like The Academy Is… So while the last Midtown show may lay ahead of us still at some point in the future, fans can rejoice in the present knowing that them and the Academy Is… have withstood the test of time to join the ranks of emo pop-punk legends still performing in 2025, and their upcoming new music is a celebration of that legacy and thier bright future that lies ahead still as a band. For a lot of fans who have ever called themselves “emo” at some point in their lives, TAI’s reunion feels like our “biblical Oasis” moment. The band will embark on another tour in early 2026 in celebration of their new album, so stay tuned in the TAI-verse to see when they’ll be back around town real soon.
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