Fighting Gravity (Photo by Mark Gormus)
One of Richmond’s most beloved college bands, Fighting Gravity, is back together. The group's horn-heavy, ska-influenced style gripped young listeners throughout the ’90s and the early 2000s, earning them a devoted college following and a feature in Rolling Stone.
They performed around the world, from Tokyo to Honduras, selling hundreds of thousands of records, rocking massive crowds, and eventually signing with Mercury Records. At the end of their recording contract, Fighting Gravity drifted apart and stopped playing together. Until now. Most of the original members, including frontman Schiavone McGee, are rehearsing for a reunion at The National later this month, a process that took the band on a journey down memory lane.
“It was so much fun getting together with the guys and going through our old photo albums,” says guitarist David Triano. “We all traded pictures we had back and forth.”
Triano is also a member of 808, a quartet that plays pop songs in a reggae style. From time to time, the group has included some of the guitarist’s old friends.“808 would reach out to other former Fighting Gravity bandmates to see if they wanted to make guest appearances,” Triano says.
These mini reunions led to a full-on Fighting Gravity concert at a Virginia Beach venue earlier this year, making their show at The National the band’s second reunion concert. Triano says additional performances are possible.
“The music business is irrelevant to us now,” says Triano. “With all that stripped away, it is easy for us to just enjoy each other’s company and musical talents.” With only the music on their minds, there’s nothing left to weigh Fighting Gravity down.
Fighting Gravity performs Dec. 26 at The National at 7 p.m. $20 to $23. 708 E. Broad St. 804-612-1900 or thenationalva.com.
