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Arts & Entertainment

Grant-Winning Band, A Farewell to Kings, Wows the Movement Venue

Inspired by everyday life, local teens share their music with Loganville.

“Our only fear was that the crowd would not receive us well. However, we did not allow that to deter us from pouring our hearts and souls out on the stage that night,” Tanzim Milkey, a senior at and teen band member, said of a recent performance of A Farewell to Kings at the in Loganville. “We totally rocked the house.”

The Movement Venue is a live teen music venue run by Christians in the MOVE Ministries at in Loganville. All genres of music can be heard at the Movement Venue - not just gospel.

A Farewell to Kings is garnering attention from teens throughout Gwinnett and Walton Counties along with recognition in the form of a grant from the Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation.

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"The members were awarded the grant based on their exemplary academic achievements, their musical discipline and the creativity and relevance of their music, which resonates with both teens and adults," said Ned Lane, who has been working with the band throughout this school year.

The $1,000 grant, presented to Milkey, Luke Richerson and Mateo Villa – all seniors at the Gwinnett School of Math, Science and Technology - made it possible for AFK to professionally record tracks for their upcoming EP, “A Crash Course in Desperation," at Lava Room Recordings.

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The band was able to pull in the balance of their members - James Norton, Jacob Mauceri and Ben Asher - for the recording experience.

“The experience of working in Lava Room Recordings with real musicians, who know the business and know what music should sound like, really expanded my musical horizons and encouraged me to not only become a better musician but also pursue a career behind the scenes,” said Norton, who has been accepted into the music recording program at Grayson Tech next year.

A Farewell to Kings is a self-described “pop-punk/alt rock” band based in Gwinnett County. With a growing fan base that appreciates their distinct sound and the well-written lyrics, A Farewell to Kings is working to maintain their originality while also paying homage to their favorite artists. 

“You know the crowd is into you when they already know the lyrics and can sing along when you play,” said Milkey.

Popular among the students at GSMST, Brookwood, Parkview and Grayson high schools, A Farewell to Kings is becoming a much requested and  regular act at venues such as the Boneyard in Lawrenceville and the Movement Venue.

“We are teenagers making music about life, love and everything in between.”

You can find the band on Facebook or on Myspace

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