All volunteers, all the time at the Shwaltz

Boys and girls of all ages, clear the calendar or, at least, Saturday, Sept. 13.

The second annual Shwaltz is upon us all . . . a full day of the D-Rawk at the Memorial Park bandshell plus a bonus pre-Shwaltz party the night before at two venues in the night world that is the downtown core. The magic of the Shwaltz, a free festival for the good folk from the good folk who are all friends and volunteers working together to give this ol' lady Shwa a much-needed party and hopefully a boost.

So you want to know who's playing? They are the sons and daughters of Durham Region, many of them signed and performing and touring and it's a pleasure to have them all back home again. The envelope, please, and a drum roll.

On the 13th then, beginning at 11 a.m. the line up is: Evening Hymns, the Hokum Runners, Patrick Dorie, Bradley Boy, Micronite Filters, The Stables, CATL, Robots, Dave Schoonderbech, Thee Side Project, The Diableros, Proof Of Ghosts, the D'Urbervilles, the Mark Inside, the Recroom. Special guests include Jeff Leech, Hamilton Trading Post and Awesome Austin.

There is a launch party on Friday, Sept. 12. Jadea Kelly and bassist Arif Mirabdolbaghi of Protest The Hero are playing at Isabella's with Niki Andre and Dan Reiff. Arif (Sissy Frisk) and PTH drummer Moe Carlson (Rotbot) will then DJ at the Atria.

Also on the Saturday, there is an after party at the Atria with Anagram. DJ Pharmacist and DJ Duffy will spin at the Diesel Room upstairs.

From each according to their ability is the axiom for the Durham Rock Collective which is behind the Festival. Let me add again that these folk are volunteering. No one is getting paid for this. Nor asking to be paid. As no one at the City level thought of it and no one on a corporate level thought it commercially viable to invest, the kats of the D-Rawk, in best punk rock tradition, did it themselves, like one of those old Judy Garland/ Mickey Rooney movies. Let's put on a show!

Those involved include the Mayor Al Cole (promo), Erin Hagen (organization), Becky Choquette (stage manager), Glen Perrot (technical), Colin Medley (webmaster), Michal Majewski (graphics) and Liise Whalley without whom none of this would have happened. It was her home, The Velvet Elvis, where these ideas were hatched. Many of the musicians who are playing got their start there and those who didn't got their first gigs at the Dungeon . . . also no longer with us. I'm also involved with the bands.

The community downtown has been behind this from the start and those ponying up include the Atria Bar and Grill and Isabella's, of course, but also Pete's Open Kitchen, Earthtones and Santa Fe Salon. Other sponsors include Student Association Durham/UOIT/Trent, Alcatraz Skate and Snow, Apex Sound and Light, Springboard Music, MultiTech Graphics and Asylum Ink.

We have had support from a variety of sources such as Doug Hell, Thrill Whitey, Howling Stacey up at Chicago's and Steven Frank. Oh, and City Hall did waive the rental fees for the bandshell. Many more bands had offered to play. Imagine that -- a queue. Enough offers, in fact, that it could be two days in the park. Maybe next year. Maybe.

Donations are still accepted . . . water in particular. For updates, check www.shwaltz.com and www.durhamrock.com.

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William McGuirk is a freelance writer and longtime Oshawa resident. He can be contacted at wmacg@yahoo.com.