[Morning Assembly Chant: S-G-R-R-C are you gonna rock with me?]
I started out by visiting the Beginning Guitar session and had a great time just observing the girls as they tuned their guitars, finished their lesson on power chords and ran through a couple of rip roaring versions of Louie, Louie. One of my favorite parts of the morning was when a camper asked if they could turn on their distortion. Of course, being at a rock camp the only acceptable answer to that question is a resounding YES. In addition to power chords, these girls were taught an important lesson on communication and how it’s the foundation of making or breaking a band. Not only does this lesson apply to rock but also relationships, friendships and life.
[Beginning Guitar]
After hanging out with the soon to be guitar goddesses I made my way over to the Advanced Drum Instruction class. As I walked in the girls were learning the importance of stretching before playing. Who knew you’d receive a health lesson at a rock camp? They were also learning different variations of paradiddles, which as someone who once had a drum set, and every intention of learning to play said drum set but never did, was completely impressed. I also enjoyed the way the lessons were taught. Two drum sets were setup in a mirror image of each other on stage and each girl faced off to each other and was charged with doing a Simon Says game on the drum set.
[Do as I do]
When the sessions concluded the girls had a camp-style buffet lunch and then workshops on recording, print making and more. I attended the DIY Zine workshop and observed the girls getting to use their creative skills with no strings attached. The camp produces a zine every year to pass out at the camper’s graduation and sell at the showcase the last day of camp to support the camps costs the following year. In a weird twist of fate one of the campers interviewed me, the interviewer, to be included in the zine.
[Zine making 101]
After the workshops concluded the girls broke into groups for their daily band practices. Each band is charged with either learning a cover song or writing a song and performing the song at the end of camp showcase. The band I got the opportunity to observe was Vampire Squid. They chose to do their own song and it was interesting to observe the songwriting process, the scribbling possible lyrics on scratch paper to rewriting it several times on other pieces of paper to actually see the song develop with a drum beat and a chord transition or two.
[Songwriting session]
I was unable to attend the showcase but I know deep in my heart that they all rocked out and had a fun time doing it. This camp, along with others that belong to the Girls Rock Camp Alliance, help girls to find themselves. The camp teaches the importance of expression, communication, celebration, friendship, empowerment and everything in between. I must admit that I’m a bit jealous of the experience these girls had that one hot week in Tennessee at such a young age, but at the same time I feel like I got the opportunity too — just a few years later. Better late than never.
[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/4119536[/vimeo]
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