It must have been a pinch-me moment for Zach Scott. The pandemic was just drawing to a close when the Chicago LD got a direct Instagram message from guitarist Mike Carden, a founding member of The Academy Is. Like many in his generation, Scott had come of age in the early 2000s listening to the iconic band’s alt rock hits like “About a Girl.”
On this day, the band was dusting off their instruments and getting ready to tour. Despite charting multiple times, the band had never had a light show before. Carden was eager to see what lighting could do with their music. Scott sent over a couple of videos, and just like that, in the summer of 2022, he was lighting some shows for The Academy Is.
One show soon led to another, and by the fall of 2025, Scott was touring with the legendary quartet. He talked to us about how they’ve been busily and happily merging light and music ever since.
The Academy Is had already achieved legendary status before you hooked up with them. Their songs were a coming-of-age soundtrack for a lot of people. What were your impressions of the band before you started working with them?
“This was the first genre of music I connected with growing up! The Academy Is was on my MP3 player throughout middle school and high school. I played in a few different bands and originally set out to be a drummer playing this type of music. The genre and scene always resonated with me and continues to do so today.”
How has working for the band changed your impressions of the?
“As I morphed my dream from playing on stage to being a lighting technician and eventually a designer, the genre of music stayed the same, and I set my sights on working with rock and roll bands as the main priority.
“Having the opportunity to work with a band that I grew up listening to has been a dream in its own and I’m extremely grateful to be able to work with The Academy. They are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met and are very into the visual aspect of their show which always makes me feel even more connected to them. Working with a band that I love rather than just being a fan allows me to stretch my creative abilities to the fullest extent. Sure, it’s always nice to work with notable artists, but when it’s music that I naturally love, I can give 110-percent to my work, and none of it feels like a task.”
You and the band are both from Chicago. How has this played into your relationship?
“Some of the band members still live in Chicago, and that definitely extends our relationship when we’re not doing shows. The ability to meet up outside of work and just hang out as friends is something I’m very grateful for. When we’re on the road, it never feels like a job with this band, rather a reunion to play the music that shaped us into the people we have become today”.
You are having a very extensive 20th Anniversary tour with two dozen stops across North America. What is life like on the road with the band?
“Being on the road with these guys always feels like a boys’ trip. They go out of their way to make sure we’re doing family activities on days off. A normal show day starts with load-in around 10 AM, and everything always feels relaxing about this part. Our crew is extremely dialed in, allowing us to have a lot of fun doing what we love while bringing a truck’s worth of gear into a venue.
“Load-ins can have pressure a lot of the time, but we all always have each other’s backs and are ready to step in to help one another. Once soundcheck starts, things get even more relaxed to where it feels like hanging out at band practice in a basement. Plenty of jokes and laughs. After soundcheck, we usually handle personal tasks and go out to dinner as a group, which is a tribute to how family-driven the dudes are. Right before showtime, we all get this adrenaline rush, and there is nothing better than feeling that around family. Our hour and a half set typically feels like 20 minutes once the show is over, and I’m always bummed. I would truly love to play for four hours every night if we could!”
You talked about the band being tuned in to visuals. How involved do they get in lighting decisions?
“The band is all about a visual experience to complement the music. Mike Carden (Guitar) loves to get on phone calls and toss ideas around whenever we can. This is usually how the start of the design process occurs. He shares ideas from things he has seen, and we slowly morph that into what the design becomes. It truly is a couple of chefs cooking and creating new recipes to share with people. As far as programming goes, they leave me to my creative outlet and trust that what I’m delivering is always at the highest caliber. Every once and awhile someone will have a note on color or a mood, but for the most part, they are always happy with what I bring to the table.”
How would you describe the kind of looks you create to best reflect the music and persona of this band?
“Dynamic is the best word to describe the show. High-intensity visuals during the big moments and moody, dark visuals during the emotional moments. The overall product is lighting that always goes with the music and feels like part of the show. “
What is the most rewarding show you’ve done with The Academy?
The most rewarding show I’ve done with them is a tie between headlining Riot Fest twice and the show with Fall Out Boy at Chicago Wrigley Field. I’ve worked production for Riot Fest almost every year since 2013 and always dreamed of coming in with an artist to headline someday. Wrigley Field was also extremely special, as I used to go to baseball games there as a kid.”
