SUSSEX BAND IN NATIONAL FINAL OF INDY MUSIC AWARDS

A five-piece band from Sussex has beat competition from 40,000 unsigned rivals to reach the national finals of the Indy Music Awards. The AKA Band has been short listed for a top award in the Best Pop Rock Act category of the awards to be held at the Clapham Grand on May 15.

News that the band had reached the final came just days after The AKA Band supported Nineties Britpop Band Ocean Colour Scene in Lincoln. A crowd of 2,500 packed into The Engine Shed at the University of Lincoln to hear the group after they won a competition held by Moyst Unsigned. Now The AKA Band is hoping to win the acclaimed award at the London ceremony which will be hosted by Virgin Radio DJ Greg Burns. The Indy Music Awards are designed to recognize the best live acts to have performed on one of London's 60 top independent venues, voted for by venues themselves and promoters.

The AKA Band has also had more than 25,000 hits on the music website My Space and coverage in NME, MoJo and Rhythm magazine. Lead singer Kym Allen said: 'We are very excited about the Indy Awards. Just being nominated has given the band a tremendous buzz and we are hoping to go all the way and come home with the award. 'Performing is what we want to do and getting recognition like this makes all the hours of practicing well worth it.' Executive Officer for the Indy Music Awards, Jeremy Glover, said: 'We are blown away by the incredibly high standard of the short listed acts which just goes to show how much untapped talent there is out there.'

For More information on the band please visit www.myspace.com/thebandcalledaka