Five rock bands will perform for a six-hour, all-ages festival billed as "The Skatepark Jam" at the Chesterton Moose Lodge, 602 Broadway, on April 5.

Starting time is 6 p.m., and food will be available for purchase.

The bands set to play are Smitty Warheimer, Eight Out of Ten Cats, State Park, Apollo and a band actually named, T.B.A. (a term that usually means "to be announced").

The show is a fundraiser to help the Duneland Extreme Sports organization toward getting a long-awaited skatepark built this spring to serve Duneland youth.

Bill Mullin, president of Duneland Extreme is pleased to see so many young bands getting behind this event. "Wow, I didn't know there were so many good teen-based bands in the area," Mullin said.

"These kids, like skaters, are passionate about what they do and have donated their playing, as well as helping us get the event promoted. The entire effort was arranged through their help and the good people at the Moose."

FYI: www.DunelandX.org

Music notes

* "National Tour Band" auditions will be held at Guitar Center in Hobart from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.

David Coppie, a rising new artist with a hot new national single, "To Hold You Tight," will appear at the Guitar Center (2108 East 80th St., U.S. 30) Saturday to interview potential new band members for his 2009 U.S. tour.

Coppie will appear live to evaluate and select potential bassists, drummers, keyboardists, backup vocalists for a paid U.S. tour contract, including various national radio and television spots.

Musicians who are interested should be prepared to perform at least two selections during the interview. Auditions will be scheduled on site.

For additional details, contact John Paige, Program Manager at Influence Records, at 1-800-427-9479 or visit: www.influencerecords.us.

* Congratulations to regional country favorite -- Scott DuBose of the 101 Ranch Band -- on the news that he has had to postpone a few local appearances because of being called back for audition rounds in Nashville for the new season of "Nashville Star." Naturally, he can't discuss the process.

* Regional hard and heavy rock band, Send The Dawn, has changed it's name and added a few new members. Upon drafting new guitarists Pete Scruggs (formerly with Out For Blood) and Frank Kwiatkowski (formerly of Reverse The Plague), the group is now calling itself, Doc Holiday.

Rounding out the band are the surviving STD members -- drummer Ron Kooima, singer Ed Roseberry, and bassist Scott "Tree" Hajduk." Look for Doc Holiday to make their stage debut on April 19 at the Lake Station Eagles Lodge (3634 Central Avenue) for the annual "Pit Fest" taking place from 2-10pm for all ages. $10 cost. More info: www.

myspace.com/sendthedawn

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at beatboss@aol.com.