Bands hit 'Highway to hellp'
Some of London's most cheerful play-for-charity bands are rocking Aeolian Hall for the Home County Folk Festival on Friday night.
"We want to change it up and get some notice," says London lawyer Jim Zegers, guitarist and singer with the rockabilly-minded Jimmy Zee and the Wrongfully Accused. Zegers is also chair of the Home County Folk League, a non-profit organization formed in 1973 to support the annual folk, roots and Canadiana fest in Victoria Park.
"We are into rockabilly -- we're doing Elvis, Johnny Horton, Link Wray, Chuck Berry," Zegers says of the Wrongfully Accused. Also in the Accused lineup are London lawyer Rob Farrington and London bassist Jedd House.
Joining the Zegers-fronted band at the good-natured battle of the bands are the Trinity House Band (THB), the Remotes, Duty Calls and RBC/DC. Many of the musicians donating their talents in a good-natured battle of the bands Friday have full-time jobs in the law enforcement, justice, public safety or financial fields.
Among them is Adam Bain, a London investment adviser with RBC Dominion Securities, who takes the "Angus" role in RBC/DC. "We've never played Aeolian Hall. We weren't allowed in. We were too loud for the place," Bain says. Because Friday's gig is "all for charity," Bain figures it will be fine "as long as everybody has earplugs." RBC/DC brings Bain, David "Malcolm" Kirwin, Johnny "the Needle" Traut, Bruce "Fairway" Fairles and Crazy Ed Kaszuba to the fundraiser. The part-time band is seriously good at raising money. Over about eight years of rocking for good causes, Bain estimates RBC/DC has helped raise $800,000-$900,000.
The battle of the band judges are London West MPP Chris Bentley, who is Ontario's attorney general and aboriginal affairs minister, London lawyer and UWO law and music grad Lisa Kwasek, London lawyer Gord Cudmore and London musicians Scott Szeryk and Yuri Pool.
"I won't be upset if someone else wins. It'd probably be appropriate if someone else wins. There would probably be an inquiry if I win," Zegers says of the battle.
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IF YOU GO
What: The Battle of The Bands Festival Fundraiser. London-area rock bands play to benefit the Home County Folk Festival.
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Aeolian Hall, 795 Dundas St. (at Rectory)
Details: $10. Visit homecounty.ca or aeolianhall.ca or call 519-672-7950.