The academic making the grade in the uk

Indie pop favourites The Academic have been added to the bill for one of the most eagerly anticipated out door gigs in London this summer.

The Westmeath foursome, whose first single 'Different' has received rave reviews and widespread airplay, will be sharing the stage with indie rock heavyweights The Strokes and Beck next Thursday at Hyde Park. They took to Twitter yesterday to express their "delight to be on this incredible bill".

 The lads have a busy summer mapped out in front of them with festival appearances across Ireland and the UK including Sea Sessions, The Galway International Arts Festival, where they are supporting Kodaline, and the Y Not festival in Derby.

After making big inroads into the Irish music scene, it looks like the highly rated group, who hail from Killucan and Rochfortbridge, are about to do the same across the Irish Sea.

This superb accoustic version of 'Different' recorded during a visit to Today FM is well worth a view.