Kids In America: 80s Cover Band & Tribute Band
Six musicians.
One Iconic Decade
Zero backing tracks.
Based in Charlotte, NC and performing nationally, Kids In America is one of the nation’s top 80s cover bands, known for an authentic, dynamic, entirely live show covering ALL genres and styles of the 1980s – from pop to hair metal, new wave to hip hop, and so much more. Kids In America plays festivals, theaters, casinos, corporate events, concert halls, galas, reunions, weddings, and private parties nationwide. We’ve been doing it since 2015, and the pitch is simple: we don’t reinterpret the decade, we rebuild it. Every guitar tone, every synth patch, every vocal. We come as close to the record as six people can get it, played live in front of you.
Both male and female lead vocals, so nothing's off the table.
About Kids In America
Most tribute acts pick a lane. The 80s doesn’t allow for that. It’s the only decade where “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “Sweet Child O’ Mine” belong on the same setlist, and we are committed to providing the full, expansive catalogue of one of the best decades of music.
So Kids In America was built for range. Six pieces: electric guitar, bass guitar, keys/synth, drums/electronic percussion, and two lead vocalists at the helm. With both a male and female vocalist, we strive to unlock the entirety of the decade. Heart and Pat Benatar sit next to Bon Jovi and Journey without anything diluted, softened, or quietly skipped.
Together since 2015, out of Charlotte, NC.
A Completely Live 80s Show
No tracks.
Not "mostly live."
Nothing is coming out of a laptop. Every vocal, guitar part, synth line, bass note and drum hit happens on stage while you watch.
That’s a harder way to do this, and it’s the whole point. It’s the song, the way you remember it.
Then there’s the experience beyond the music. Multiple costume changes and era-specific props that will bring you right back to your high school days. A band that visibly enjoys each other’s company and onstage antics. And an audience we fully expect to hear from. The crowd singing the chorus louder than the PA is the target outcome, and we can’t wait for you to join us!
80s Music From Across the Decade
"Livin' on a Prayer,"
"Jessie's Girl,"
"Material Girl,"
"Sweet Child O' Mine,"
"Don't Stop Believin',"
"What About Love,"
"Hit Me with Your Best Shot,"
"Footloose"
"Girls Just Want to Have Fun."
Taking the 80s Nationwide
Kids In America has played theaters, wineries, casinos, concert halls, town squares and country clubs across the Carolinas, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, and Texas, from the Belfry Music Theatre in Lake Geneva, WI and the historic Duke Mansion in Charlotte, to the Lou Sobh Amphitheater in Georgia, a private birthday party in the Hamptons, a state fair in Arizona, a Princeton University class reunion, Childress Vineyards, a corporate conference in Boise, Idaho, and a Halloween show at the Chamonix Casino Hotel in Colorado. We’ve opened for Foreigner at the Hard Rock Cafe in Bristol, VA, and we’ve played the finish line at the Charlotte Marathon with over 15,000 in attendance.
Festival, performing arts center, casino, corporate party, wedding, 50th birthday, brewery patio – the show scales to the room, and it travels.
See Kids In America
Meet Kids In America
Six people who have spent a decade getting these songs right.
Shannon Remley
Lead Vocals
Shannon's Bio
Shannon Remley is a Charlotte, NC native and one of the lead vocalists of Kids in America. A professionally trained performer, Shannon holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
After college, she made New York City her home and built a diverse career in musical theatre. Shannon appeared in nationally touring shows, regional productions and workshops of new musicals, while also performing aboard two Disney Cruise Line ships. Outside of theatre, she worked as a voice actor for iHeartRadio and even took the field at Citi Field to perform the National Anthem for the New York Mets.
Eventually, Shannon returned to her hometown of Charlotte, where she now works full time in music and travels nationwide with Kids in America. Her combination of vocal training, theatrical experience and love of performing makes her a natural fit for a show built around the larger-than-life music and personalities of the 1980s.
And when it comes to the decade itself, Shannon is all in. Her favorite 80s essentials include Reebok high-tops, fingerless gloves, spandex, Ann Wilson’s powerhouse high belt and Cher delivering the unforgettable “Snap out of it!” in Moonstruck.
Ray Hartsfield
Lead Vocals & Guitar
Ray's Bio
Ray Hartsfield brings a unique mix of rock background, songwriting experience, and versatility to Kids in America.
Ray grew up in eastern North Carolina and began his performing career in the DIY hardcore scene, playing bass and singing in MySpace-era metalcore and post-hardcore bands. During those years, he shared bills with acts including The Devil Wears Prada, For Today, and Oh, Sleeper.
That experience sparked a deeper interest in songwriting, leading Ray to pick up both acoustic and electric guitar for writing and composition. He later performed, sang, and wrote for a variety of North Carolina bands covering genres from emo and jazz rock to progressive metal, while also performing solo shows featuring his original music.
Ray spent nearly 10 years teaching music lessons in Greenville, NC and holds a Master’s degree in English from East Carolina University.
His favorite things about the 1980s include New Coke, Pac-Man, neon-colored everything, Ozzy Osbourne’s infamous bat incident, and of course, the high note in “Take On Me.”
Roey Haviv
Bass Guitar & Synth Bass
Roey's Bio
Roey Haviv holds down the low end for Kids in America.
Originally from Jerusalem, Israel, Roey attended the Rubin Academy of Music and Dance before building a career that has included an impressive variety of bands, artists and musical styles. Along with years of live performance experience, he is an accomplished recording musician who has appeared on numerous albums as a session player.
Roey is also a songwriter and recording artist in his own right, having released four original solo albums over the course of his career.
What does he love most about the 1980s? The experimental spirit of the musicians and the fun-loving attitude of the fans. It’s a combination that fits perfectly with Kids in America’s mission of bringing the energy, creativity and excitement of the decade back to the stage.
G K Via
Lead Guitar & Vocals
GK's Bio
GK Via has been playing guitar since the age of 13, building a musical career that has included writing, recording, touring, and performing across the United States.
Originally from Virginia, GK spent years playing with a variety of bands and sharing stages with acts such as Biohazard, Black Label Society, Saliva, and Skid Row. His musical influences are just as varied, ranging from hard rock and metal to singer-songwriter music, country, pop, and beyond.
GK moved to Charlotte, NC in 2017 and quickly became part of the area’s live music scene.
For Kids in America, his broad musical background is a perfect fit for a decade that embraced everything from synth-pop and new wave to arena rock and metal.
GK’s favorite things from the 1980s include cassette tapes, hair metal, The Karate Kid, and anything pink.
Rob Bowser
Keyboards & Synths
Rob's Bio
Rob brings more than three decades of experience behind the keyboard to Kids in America, along with a lifelong passion for music and performance.
A professional pianist and music educator, he has spent more than 15 years performing professionally in live bands, churches, private events and full-scale productions. His career has also included performing alongside touring independent artists, several of whom have achieved Billboard chart success.
Rob has spent much of his musical life teaching as well, working one-on-one with students to develop their abilities and confidence as musicians. Whether he’s performing, teaching or recreating the signature sounds of a classic recording, music has always been at the center of what he does.
The 1980s are an especially fun fit for a keyboard player. Rob’s favorite things from the decade include Transformers, shell-toe Adidas and, naturally, the explosion of synthesizers that helped define the sound of the era.
Mike Graci
Drums & Electronic Percussion
Mike's Bio
For Mike Graci, playing music has never been a phase or a side project. It has been a lifelong pursuit.
Mike first became fascinated with drums at age 12 after seeing a drum kit belonging to a friend’s older brother. He immediately began taking lessons and spent more than a decade studying and developing his craft. He joined his first bands at 16 and began teaching drums just three years later.
While earning his bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Long Island University, Mike continued performing and teaching, including work with Long Island Drum Center and Farmingdale Music Center. He never really stopped. Over the course of his adult life, he has averaged more than 100 live performances per year.
After moving to Charlotte, NC with his wife and two daughters, Mike spent five years playing percussion for the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats. When that chapter came to an end, he turned his attention toward creating his own tribute acts.
Kids in America became one of those projects. Built around a six-piece lineup with multiple lead vocalists, the band grew into much more than a single tribute show. More than a decade later, Mike and his bandmates continue bringing the music, fun and larger-than-life energy of the 1980s to audiences around the country.
Upcoming Kids In America Shows
Book our high-energy, 80s cover band for your next event.
Call us to create a setlist tailored to your audience's favorites.
Experience the best of New Wave, Pop, Dance, Rock, and Hair Metal.
Kids In America is the complete experience, so be prepared for an ultra-high-energy show and a really good time!
Book Kids In America
Tell us about your event! The date, the city, the room, the crowd, and we’ll tell you exactly what we’d bring. Festivals, theaters, casinos, corporate events, weddings and private parties, anywhere in the country.
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Want a Different Decade?
We also do the 70s, the 90s and Y2K.
