Live at the Limelight

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Stephen McCauley with fresh new live music.

The best new Irish music presented live on stage at the Limelight, Belfast, by Stephen McCauley.

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Live at the Limelight: Series 1: The Academic

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Episode 5

The Academic

Series 1

BBC Radio Ulster - Live at the Limelight, Series 1, The Academic

Irish indie rock group The Academic perform hits from their two number one albums.

Hugely successful Irish indie rock group The Academic perform hits from their two number one albums live in concert at iconic music venue The Limelight, in Belfast.


With millions upon millions of online streams and two Number 1 albums on the Irish album charts, The Academic are rising stars on the international music scene. 

From Killucan, County Westmeath, the Indie rock band was formed at St Joseph's Secondary School, Rochfortbridge where members Craig Fitzgerald, Dean Gavin, and brothers Matthew and Stephen Murtagh were all attending. 

They were inspired by 2000's retro-rock, such as The Strokes , Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Vampire Weekend. Earlier influences include Talking Heads, New Order and Elvis Costello.

Their debut studio album, Tales from the Backseat, released in 2018, entered the Irish Albums Chart at number one. It was subsequently nominated for Album of the Year at the Choice Music Prize in Jan 2019. 

They signed to major label, Capitol Records, in 2020 and released their second studio album, Sitting Pretty, in 2023. This also entered the official Irish Albums Chart at number one. 

Upon finishing their U.S. headliner tour to promote the album, they opened for Louis Tomlinson, formerly of One Direction, on the North America leg of his 'Faith in the Future' solo World Tour

This programme features highlights from The Academic’s hour long set recorded on Mon 4th March, 2024, in front of a live audience. 

It was their first live show here in 2024 before their 'Easy On The Eyes' tour across Europe and the UK in April/May.

This was part of three nights of recordings for the Live At The Limelight series. Other artists include And So I Watch You From Afar, Dani Larkin, Gareth Dunlop, Chubby Cat, Brooke Scullion, Mount Palomar and Trú.

You can catch the first four episodes on BBC Sounds.

Presenter: Stephen McCauley
Content Editor: Carole O'Kane
Producer: Feargal O'Kane


Live at the Limelight: Series 1

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