When I stepped onto the crowded balcony at D.C. music venue the 9:30 Club around noon on Saturday August 15, Pie in Your Face was already in place to rock out. As each of the girls in the band was introduced, the crowd of more than 500 supporters yelled and clapped. The girls began their contribution to the music world while the audience cheered and danced around.
Pie in your Face is just one of the 10 girl bands and two DJ teams that rocked the house as part of the Girls Rock! DC showcase. Each band, made up of girls age 8 to 18, performed one original song or DJ set that they had created and rehearsed as part of a week-long rock camp.
Aside from band practice the girls also attended workshops and courses on everything from self defense to song writing. For older girls, an hour-long session called Bookin’ and the Biz taught them how to get gigs and promote themselves.
In the mornings campers had lessons on their chosen instrument: bass, guitar, drums, keyboard, voice, or DJing. Some of the girls had never picked up an instrument before the camp. During the showcase, band coaches and camp volunteers bounced around and mouthed the words to each song in the wings of the stage.
Throughout the afternoon the 9:30 Club stage was full of colorful tutus, leggings, and big hair. The girls really got into the rock-star role, reaching down into the audience to slap a few high fives before strutting off stage.
One of the most memorable scenes, though, was the second DJ set. Girls and camp volunteers crowded the stage as the needle dropped on the first song. One small girl with long blonde hair and a huge grin, who looked so much like Olive from Little Miss Sunshine, grabbed the mic and yelled, “Everybody clap your hands.” Everybody clapped along, but no one had as much energy as the girl center stage. If anyone was looking for proof of the empowering impact of rock camp, I can’t think of a better example.
After the show I walked around talking with the girls about the camp and the showcase. Many of the girls seemed to have enjoyed band practice and the showcase the best. One girl said, “My favorite part was throwing our hats into the audience because it was original, and it made us feel like rock stars!” Anyone who had the chance to see these girls in action can’t really argue with that.
