Make no mistake, these girls can rock.
Even though they only formed their bands at the beginning of the week. Even though half of them never played a musical instrument before. Even though the conventional wisdom suggests a measure of virtuosity is needed before forming a band and playing in front of a large, live audience.
Despite all of that, 19 girls in Girls Rock Camp Guelph have learned some basic chops on standard rock and roll instruments, put together four bands between them, wrote at least one original song for each band, and are now ready to perform.
“It’s been a really amazing week,” said Maeve Konyer, 13, a singer in the absolute beginner band Violet Ice.
The group rehearsed their original tune in the library of John McCrae Public School on Friday, in preparation for Saturday night’s Girls Rock Camp final performance. It happens from 7-8 p.m. in the school's auditorium. The more audience members, the better.
“Everyone has been very supportive,” Konyer, a singer, said. “And all the teachers are just so talented, and can show you so many different things, things that you maybe couldn’t learn otherwise.”
The fact that she and the other girls are now in bands is “kind of amazing,” she added. “I never thought this much could happen in a week. And we came out with a pretty decent song.”
Sara Bortolon-Vettor is one of the musician facilitators of Girls Rock Camp, along with Steph Yates, Emma Bortolon-Vettor and Alanna Gurr.
Bortolon-Vettor said there were 10 girls at last year’s camp, so the number nearly doubled this year. There were seven returnees from last year. The camp kicked off on Monday with karaoke, and proved to be a great ice-breaker and a fun approach to team building.
“We have had just a lot of love from Guelph,” she said, explaining that organizations like the Neighbourhood Support Coalition helped spread the word and find the camp great space to work in at John McCrae Public. Upper Grand District School Board has also been very supportive of the camp.
A pair of fundraisers leading up to camp were well supported by the community, she added. And a number of local, accomplished musicians came out to the camp and played their music, showing the girls the many different approaches to making music.
“Everyone’s been pretty incredible,” Bortolon-Vettor said.
Throughout the week, one of the most impressive things has been seeing how the girls “really embraced being themselves,” she said. “And their level of confidence has been really remarkable, too. Together we have created this incredible space for them to be empowered.”
The object of the camp is to get girls into bands, and to get that done as quickly as possible. Instruments are put in their hands, a range of rudimentary skills are taught, and they are off to jammin'.
Saturday’s 7 p.m. performance is a pay-what-you-can. All four bands will perform their tunes. And those bands are, Violet Ice, Evil Kids, Polar Pineapple, and Rockets. Last year’s final camp performance drew an audience of 120. They are expecting more this year.
John McCrae Public is at 189 Water Street.
