--- title: Meet the Band. Dimmerswitch. description: Every year across the country our Rocktoberfest musicians play to raise awareness - and critical funds - for our CoolKids. Meet Dimmerswitch image: https://thecommunity.altso.org/hubfs/IMG_9014.jpg --- Toggle navigation ![](https://thecommunity.altso.org/hubfs/Blog/icons-mobile-menu.png) [![](https://thecommunity.altso.org/hubfs/Blog/LOGO_ALTSO_White.png)](https://www.altso.org/) ![](https://thecommunity.altso.org/hubfs/Blog/icons-close.png) - [Who We Are.](https://www.altso.org/) - [Why Mobility?](https://www.altso.org/whymobility) - [Our Work.](https://www.altso.org/ourwork) - [CoolKid Stories.](https://www.altso.org/coolkids) - [Take Action.](https://www.altso.org/takeaction) - [CoolKids Club.](https://www.altso.org/ckc) - [Rocktoberfest.](https://www.altso.org/rocktoberfest) - [The Community Blog.](https://thecommunity.altso.org/) - [Donate.](https://www.altso.org/donate) - [![](https://thecommunity.altso.org/hubfs/Blog/icons-facebook.png)](https://www.facebook.com/alegtostandon) - [![](https://thecommunity.altso.org/hubfs/Blog/icons-instagram.png)](http://instagram.com/alegtostandon) - [![](https://thecommunity.altso.org/hubfs/Blog/icons-linkedin.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-leg-to-stand-on) - [![](https://thecommunity.altso.org/hubfs/Blog/icons-twitter.png)](https://twitter.com/ALegToStandOn) - [![](https://thecommunity.altso.org/hubfs/Blog/icon-vimeo.png)](https://vimeo.com/user8076691) The Community. ![](https://thecommunity.altso.org/hubfs/IMG_9014.jpg) ###### September 17, 2020 # Meet the Band. Dimmerswitch. Author: ALTSO Staff Dimmerswitch will be joining us at this year's live-streamed Rocktoberfest concert! [Register](http://www.altso.org/rocktoberfest#register), for free, to rock with them on October 21, 2021.  ---- Every year across the country our Rocktoberfest musicians Rock For Good to raise awareness - and critical funds - for our CoolKids. From now until October 22nd, we'll be highlighting the musicians who will be rocking virtually with us at this year's Rocktoberfest. Up this week: Dimmerswitch from NYC featuring Rich Walz, Mike Mavrides, Kevin Olsen, Dan Walz, Tom Polapink.   -- **How did Dimmerswitch get started? What is the inspiration behind your name?** We each played in bands in the past, and decided to start this band in order to have fun and perform mostly original songs at clubs for our friends.  The odd looking light switch (a dimmerswitch) on the wall in the studio where we used to rehearse in Williamsburg was the “inspiration” for the name, and we also loved to “switch” instruments and roles for every song.   ![IMG_1294](https://thecommunity.altso.org/hs-fs/hubfs/IMG_1294.jpg?width=3455&name=IMG_1294.jpg) *Dimmerswitch 'groupies' at Rocktoberfest-2018*   **How did you guys get involved with ALTSO?** A friend told me about ALTSO after he performed with another band.  It looked like a fun experience, and ALTSO’s purpose got us inspired to play again after several years not playing.  ALTSO means opportunity – giving Coolkids a chance to experience life’s journey in a way that would not be possible without ALTSO’s support.  We've been supporting ALTSO for four years now.   **Do you have a favorite venue to perform at?** Lakeside Lounge (in NYC).    **Does the band have any pre-Rocktoberfest (or post-Rocktoberfest) band rituals?** Panicking that we’ll be late as we drive to the Hard Rock Café with very little time to spare before show time. ![Two](https://thecommunity.altso.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Two.jpg?width=3888&name=Two.jpg) *Dimmerswitch performing at our annual Pre-Jam session at The Bitter End*   **What is the band's favorite ALTSO performance memory?** Seeing another band on the Main Stage doing an amazing version of Gerry Rafferty’s “Right Down the Line”.   **How are you preparing for this year's virtual Rocktoberfest?** Slowly but surely hoping to put together a few good tunes, maybe even one or two originals for a change.   ![ALTSO 18](https://thecommunity.altso.org/hs-fs/hubfs/ALTSO%2018.jpg?width=3984&name=ALTSO%2018.jpg) *Dimmerswitch 'groupies' at Rocktoberfest-2018*   **You can RockForGood with Dimmerswitch at our first Virtual Rocktoberfest on October 22nd.  Make a donation in honor of Dimmerswitch [here](http://www.altso.org/donate).**   **[![Register to RockForGood](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/6749729/3f383bf6-4cdb-47ba-b1f8-66d5de875c17.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/6749729/3f383bf6-4cdb-47ba-b1f8-66d5de875c17)** ### ALTSO Staff [← Back to posts](https://thecommunity.altso.org) ### Recent Posts. ### Categories. - [Our Impact: CoolKid Stories (46)](https://thecommunity.altso.org/tag/our-impact-coolkid-stories) - [Rocktoberfest (24)](https://thecommunity.altso.org/tag/rocktoberfest) - [Press Releases (19)](https://thecommunity.altso.org/tag/press-releases) - [Program Updates (19)](https://thecommunity.altso.org/tag/program-updates) - [Meet ALTSO (11)](https://thecommunity.altso.org/tag/meet-altso) - [NextGen Club (9)](https://thecommunity.altso.org/tag/nextgen-club) - [ALTSO Ambassadors (6)](https://thecommunity.altso.org/tag/altso-ambassadors) - [Fundraisers & Events (6)](https://thecommunity.altso.org/tag/fundraisers-events) - [Partnerships (4)](https://thecommunity.altso.org/tag/partnerships) - [ALTSO UK (1)](https://thecommunity.altso.org/tag/altso-uk) [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/6749729/c00edccc-f8e9-4eca-9e2a-f833082df776.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/6749729/c00edccc-f8e9-4eca-9e2a-f833082df776) [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/6749729/18f7dbf7-96d9-4b3d-8765-15c37c83997a.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/6749729/18f7dbf7-96d9-4b3d-8765-15c37c83997a) A Leg To Stand On, Inc. is a US Based 501(C)3 EIN 02-0594709 & UK Based Charity 1118048 ©2026 - - - - [About us.](https://www.altso.org/aboutus) [Financials.](https://www.altso.org/financials) [Brand Partners.](https://www.altso.org/partner) [Videos.](https://vimeo.com/user8076691) [The Community Blog.](https://thecommunity.altso.org/) [Privacy.](https://www.altso.org/aboutus#privacypolicy) [Get our emails.](https://www.altso.org/getouremails) [Contact us.](https://www.altso.org/contactus) [Donate.](https://www.altso.org/donate) ## [View our Accreditations](https://www.altso.org/aboutus#accreditations) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "ALTSO Staff", "url" : "https://thecommunity.altso.org/author/altso-staff" }, "dateModified" : "2021-08-24T16:34:03.753Z", "datePublished" : "2020-09-17T12:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Meet the Band. 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