Arts & Entertainment

Marietta Rock Band to Play Live During Grammy Awards Expo

Almost Kings, which was formed in 2008 and has played over 200 live solo shows, beat out more than 916 other unsigned acts for the opportunity to play during the Grammy awards expo.

An independent rock band from has hit it big. Almost Kings was named the winner of the From Your Garage to Grammy Live contest, a fan-driven, month-long Facebook promotion that gave the band with the most votes an opportunity to play a live, online streaming performance during the Grammy awards expo in Los Angeles.

Formed in 2008 and comprised of a group of friends and musicians from and Sprayberry high schools, Almost Kings has gained a reputation as one of the hottest, most energetic and sought-after live acts touring the club, venue and festival circuit today, according to a news release.

The band's Facebook lists its members as: Boze, vocals; Ryan Yunker, guitars and vocals; Kevin Compton, drums; and Danny Helms, bass and vocals.

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Almost Kings' sound can be described as "Linkin Park meets Beastie Boys on steroids, with Eminem as the frontman," according to the release.

The 54th annual Grammy awards televised event will air Feb. 12 on CBS at 8 p.m. Almost Kings' live performance will accompany a litany of online and interactive events the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which presents the Grammy awards each year to the best in the music business, is pushing during this year’s expo. 

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“We’ve been very anxious but very patient over the course of the contest,” said Almost Kings general manager Alejandro Simmonds in the press release. “And man we’re so thankful to all our fans and everyone who voted for us and believed in us from the get-go. Now we just gotta’ put together some killer sets and blow everybody’s brains out!”

Voted "Best New Rock Act Out Of Atlanta in 2011" by Creative Loafing readers, the band has developed an underground following from touring across the lower 48.

Almost Kings released its self-produced debut album Filthy Nice in February 2009 followed by its Club Rock EP in February 2011.

With 200-plus live solo shows behind them to date, Almost Kings has shared the stage with national acts, including Avenged Sevenfold, Korn, Disturbed, 3 Doors Down, Rehab, Saving Abel, Alien Ant Farm, Yelawolf, Stone Sour, Sevendust, Drowning Pool, Theory of a Deadman, Everlast, Ludacris, b.o.b., Molly Hatchet, Fuel, Taproot and many more. 

Almost Kings was nominated for the Garage to Grammy by a fan in early December and beat out more than 916 other unsigned acts selected regionally by contest organizers from across the country, Simmonds said in the release.

Contest participants on the Facebook social media network were required to access the Grammy awards official page. Once there they could search the nominee bands from a dialogue box and vote up to 10 times each day.

Simmonds hopes the international exposure will lead to gaining new fans and broader touring opportunities, according to the news release.

Upon their return to Atlanta from Los Angeles, Almost Kings will play live at Wild Bills in Duluth on Feb. 18.


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