'Up-and-coming' bands to help raise funds for philanthropy event

Two rising bands will play at Phi Gamma Delta fraternity's philanthropy event today. \nBeginning at 4 p.m., King Konga will take the stage, to be followed by Fighting Gravity. \nKing Konga, originally from Mississippi, has opened at shows for Vertical Horizon and Sister Hazel. Fighting Gravity, from Virginia, has opened at shows for Aerosmith, Dave Matthews Band and the Pat McGee Band.\nJunior Greg Berman, one of the Fijis in charge of the event, gave the bands rave reviews. \n"We've got two bands that are up-and-coming bands," Berman said. \nBerman said his house is excited to contribute to the fun of Little 500 week and that the party will be dry. He said this will help show students that parties can be fun without alcohol.\n"We wanted to throw a party that would still be fun, yet be able to be dry," Berman said, "yet also raise money for a good cause and show how parties can possibly be in the future."\nTickets for the show are $5 and available to anyone, with all proceeds going to the Lance Armstrong Cancer Foundation. \nBerman said this is the first annual installment of this specific philanthropy and that he looks forward to seeing it continue in the future. \nKing Konga is described on its Web site, www.kingkonga.com, as, "semi-funky, semi-world beat, acoustic-oriented groove artists." The band is comprised of Steve Cook on the bass, Dan Hannon on the guitar and vocals, Tony Lymon playing percussion and Skeeto on the drums. \nFighting Gravity is composed of Michael Boyd on the drums, Schiavone McGee on vocals, David Peterson playing bass, Rich Stine on the guitar, Kevin Tyser on the saxophone and John Utley playing trombone, congas, flute and trumpet. The band's Web site, www.fightinggravity.com, says it is "deeply indebted to the influences of reggae, ska and the 2-Tone movement"