TVD has been tagging along with Girls Rock! DC this week and sharing the Rock Star summer camp experience almost in real time.
It’s our last day of camp before Saturday’s Girls Rock! DC Camper Showcase at the 9:30 Club where our future rock stars get to show off their newly minted chops on stage at DC’s legendary venue.
Friday Schedule: The last day of camp, and we’re Getting Ready to Show the World Our Greatness. Bands are having dress rehearsal and their final band practice before the showcase, finalizing their band merch and props, and attending a workshop about body confidence and stage presence.
Band practice: The campers are working hard to fine tune their performance for Saturday. When the band Be’la Dona was here on Tuesday, a camper asked if they still had to practice their instruments. The answer: YES. All the time!
Camp Song: We begin each day and end every with the camp song. Why? Because it’s a damn good song.
Here’s the bridge – “I wake up everyday. Something is always in my way. But I will never stop. Cuz I know…. That I’m here… To ROCKKKK!” The whole camp will perform it live at the showcase tomorrow, so sing along.
Volunteer Lounge: GR!DC volunteers need a place to get regroup and recharge after spending every minute with girls aged 8 – 18.
The volunteer lounge is a safe place for volunteers to share community events, find new band members, eat and maybe say an adult word or two. Healthy snacks, always with a vegetarian & vegan-rific option, are on the daily menu.
Mustaches: Sometimes the amazing creativity of the campers inspire the volunteers. In the band art room, campers created face masks and a few of them added mustaches. So, it only makes sense that a volunteer brought a plate of vegan mustaches to the volunteer lounge.
Roadies: Keyboards, amps and drum kits … oh my! Our roadies shuffle the instruments around the camp to make sure the girls have what they need to learn and practice. And, for the first year ever, there is no elevator. It’s a labor of love.
Instructor A-Go-Go: Today’s lunch time performance was a quick set by about 20 volunteers. Some of the bands have been performing and touring for years, and other bands were created this week.
Hey, if we expect the girls to form a band in one week, we must lead by example. The newly formed band, P90Xcellent, includes a DJ, guitarist, drummer and two vocalist.
I Rock Buttons: Every evening campers are singled out and recognized in front of everyone in the Hall of Sisterhood for their hard work and awesome qualities. By the end of today, every girl will have received a button, and they all earned it.
CRASH Buttons: The CRASH DJ Crew designed and hand made buttons with their logos. Be sure to pick up a limited edition button at the Camper Showcase merch booth. We’ll also have Girls Rock! DC shirts, tote bags, sticker, buttons and guitar picks.
