The Academy Is...

I know we have a few Fueled By Ramen/Decaydance fans around the forums so I thought I'd create a thread on one of my favourite bands ever - The Academy Is. For of those of you who don't know, they are an indie rock/pop punk band made up of William Beckett (vocals), Adam T. Siska (bass), Michael Guy Chislet (guitar), The Butcher (drums) and Mike Carden (guitar). Their latest album, Fast Times at Barrington High is coming out on August 19. For a taste of their new album, you can download "About A Girl" from iTunes or see their music video for "Summer Hair = Forever Young" here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cd-ZOgeA3Y). Also, they will be touring Australia and New Zealand this month with Panic at the Disco and Cobra Starship. I will most certainly be attending. :D

So any more fans out there?

Almost Here>Santi in my opinion. I'm still not sure how I feel about Fast Times... I love Down and Out quite a bit. It ends up on almost all the CDs I make for my friends for birthdays or when they ask for new things to listen to.

I only have Almost Here and their EP, and actually haven't even heard any of their newer stuff. Which is weird because I used to love them, so I might have to check that out.
If you haven't seen them in concert yet, they're very good live. That's actually how I first heard them when they were opening for someone else in this little club. I was very impressed. Although I was disappointed to find that William has kind of a toxic personality.. but Adam's a sweetheart!

Almost Here>Santi in my opinion. I'm still not sure how I feel about Fast Times... I love Down and Out quite a bit. It ends up on almost all the CDs I make for my friends for birthdays or when they ask for new things to listen to.
I honestly don't know which is a better album out of Almost Here and Santi. Almost Here is the album that got me into them and is simply amazing but Santi completely blew me away when it came out. Overall, I think Almost Here has more of my favourite songs on it and there are a few on Santi that I actually don't like that much so I guess Almost Here is my favourite. As for Fast Times At Barrington High...I was really confused when I first got it because it sounds quite poppy for TAI. But I really have grown to love it. I suppose all bands have to change eventually and this is just TAI growing. I think I would have been more disappointed if they'd given us something that sounds exactly the same as their old stuff so new is good. :tu:

I absolutely agree about "Down and Out". That and "Slow Down" are my favourites from their first album.

I only have Almost Here and their EP, and actually haven't even heard any of their newer stuff. Which is weird because I used to love them, so I might have to check that out.
You should definitely check out some of their newer stuff. :) Especially Santi if you liked their first album.

If you haven't seen them in concert yet, they're very good live. That's actually how I first heard them when they were opening for someone else in this little club. I was very impressed. Although I was disappointed to find that William has kind of a toxic personality.. but Adam's a sweetheart!
I'm seeing them in like (*counts*) four days!!! :clap: I'm really excited! What do you mean by William having a toxic personality? I mean, I've never met him but I've always thought he is lovely. :D Haha and I think Adam is awesome too. Probably my favourite member of the band, apart from Will. I can't wait to see them live. They are seriously one of my favourite bands ever so it's really great that they're coming all the way to New Zealand. We don't get many great bands here often.

I'm seeing them in like (*counts*) four days!!! :clap: I'm really excited! What do you mean by William having a toxic personality? I mean, I've never met him but I've always thought he is lovely. :D Haha and I think Adam is awesome too. Probably my favourite member of the band, apart from Will. I can't wait to see them live. They are seriously one of my favourite bands ever so it's really great that they're coming all the way to New Zealand. We don't get many great bands here often.
Maybe "toxic personality" was too strong, I mean he did sign my shoe which was nice of him (I used to make all my fave bands do that.. I can't believe how many people actually let me step on them :lol:) He's just a little bit arrogant. Well... a lot bit.. but I'm not trying to be best friends with him or anything so as long as he keeps putting on great performaces it's all good :).
You're going to have SO much fun at the show! Let us know how it goes.

Maybe "toxic personality" was too strong, I mean he did sign my shoe which was nice of him (I used to make all my fave bands do that.. I can't believe how many people actually let me step on them :lol:) He's just a little bit arrogant. Well... a lot bit.. but I'm not trying to be best friends with him or anything so as long as he keeps putting on great performaces it's all good :).
You're going to have SO much fun at the show! Let us know how it goes.
Lol signing your shoe - makes me think of Guy Ripley :lol: (anyone who watches TAI TV should get this :D). I didn't get to meet William sadly so I can't say if agree with you or not but I still would do anything to meet him. He's absolutely amazing, IMO. :love:

But yeah the show was wicked! They played with Cobra Starship and Panic at the Disco but they totally blew the other two bands out the water, in my opinion. They were like, a million times better live than on their records which I didn't think was possible until I heard it for myself. William is such an amazing performer, I totally couldn't take my eyes off him. :love: They were all brilliant. Panic was the main act of the night so they only played eight songs: Neighbors, Slow Down, Summer Hair = Forever Young, Everything We Had, We've Got A Big Mess On Our Hands, The Phrase That Pays, About A Girl and Checkmarks. But several of my favourite songs were there so it was great. :tu: Bill actually jumped off of the stage at one point and came right up to the barrier. I was right up near the front of the mosh but I was too close to the right of the stage so I didn't get to touch him. :( But the show was so totally awesome, so that disappointment was soon forgotten.

Their music has gotten me through some tough times so they mean a lot to me; I honestly can't even describe what it felt like seeing them live. Bill said on his blog that they're going to come back again someday and I so hope they do because nothing would stop me from seeing them live again! :D

Has anyone else seen them live? What did you guys think? Sometimes I totally wish I lived in the US just so I would get more opportunities to see more bands like them live...:lol:

I can't believe they were opening for Panic.. I think TAI is so much better, especially in concert, they should've been the main act! But I'm glad you got to see them, that must've been great. I miss them now! I've been listening to more of their new stuff and I'm liking it a lot. I can't believe I forgot about them for so long. I definitely plan on seeing them they next time they play around here.

I can't believe they were opening for Panic.. I think TAI is so much better, especially in concert, they should've been the main act! But I'm glad you got to see them, that must've been great. I miss them now! I've been listening to more of their new stuff and I'm liking it a lot. I can't believe I forgot about them for so long. I definitely plan on seeing them they next time they play around here.
I kind of wish they had been the main act because then we would have gotten a longer set list but I suppose it's only fair enough that Panic was the main act of the night because they are a lot more popular (here in NZ, at least). All three bands were brilliant but TAI was the best for me.
That's cool that you've been listening to them again. :) What have you listened to so far? What songs do you like best?
Yeah I'd totally kill to see them again. :D

I kind of wish they had been the main act because then we would have gotten a longer set list but I suppose it's only fair enough that Panic was the main act of the night because they are a lot more popular (here in NZ, at least). All three bands were brilliant but TAI was the best for me.
That's cool that you've been listening to them again. :) What have you listened to so far? What songs do you like best?
Yeah I'd totally kill to see them again. :D
Yeah I've actually never been able to see them as the main act. I *might* get to see them next month, but they're coming here on a wednesday night, which is a problem because I have a class thursday morning. Hopefully it'll work out.
I've been listening to a few things from Santi. My immediate favorite was Neighbors because it's so catchy, and I also like Same Blood, and then Everything We Had is a nice change of pace from all the upbeat stuff.
I want to download some more songs (and thanks to my little "iTunes Genius" sidebar I get to see all the songs I'm missing in order by how popular they are. So convenient!)

Yeah I've actually never been able to see them as the main act. I *might* get to see them next month, but they're coming here on a wednesday night, which is a problem because I have a class thursday morning. Hopefully it'll work out.
I hope it works out too. You'll have to let me know if you do make it - I'd be interested to hear your verdict on what some of their newer songs sound like live. We only got to hear About A Girl and Summer Hair = Forever Young from their latest album here. It had only been out a few days then.

I've been listening to a few things from Santi. My immediate favorite was Neighbors because it's so catchy, and I also like Same Blood, and then Everything We Had is a nice change of pace from all the upbeat stuff.
Neighbors is one of my favourites too - I know what you mean about it being catchy. I remember when I first got the album that was an instant favourite for me too. I love the other two songs you mentioned as well. Same Blood had a really nice message to it and Everything We Had is such a sad but beautiful song. It can even bring a tear to my eye at times. Before the show, I was worried about what the song might sound like live but it was brilliant!

I want to download some more songs (and thanks to my little "iTunes Genius" sidebar I get to see all the songs I'm missing in order by how popular they are. So convenient!)
Haha I love the Genius sidebar as well. It took me a while to download it because I didn't know what it was but now I can't live without it! :D

The Academy Is... is an amazing band. I love how their songs kind of inspire a sense of happiness inside you. If I'm down or want to be in a hypo type of mood I'll listen to their songs. At the moment I'm really digging their song "I'm Yours Tonight".