For one week in July, the adolescent girls of Athens have the opportunity to learn how to rock n’ roll at the Athens Rock Camp for Girls.
On Saturday, the Athens Rock Camp for Girls is holding a benefit concert at ARTS/West to show off the skills of their campers and volunteers.
Cindy Crabb, a junior studying psychology and social justice and co-founder of the camp, said there will be three bands and two solo acts performing at the show. The camp has been around for four years with four shows being held each year.
Saturday’s show will be to raise money for the funding of the camp with donations being encouraged. There will also be information for volunteers.
Crabb said many of the girls have never performed before and while at camp the girls spend half the day in music lessons and half the day practicing. She added they are not allowed to do covers at the camp but learn to write their own songs.
“They taught us about teamwork and songwriting, as well as stage presence and how to work with equipment,” said Alana Baldwin, a previous camp member whose band Ragamuffin will be playing on Saturday.
“At camp we were watching another band perform and we decided we wanted to form a band and follow through with it,” said Baldwin, guitarist for the band. Baldwin and her grunge-punk rock bandmates are all 15 and 16 years old and enjoy performing covers as well as originals outside the camp.
Crabb said there is a strong sense of female empowerment at the camp with workshops on self-defense and social justice being offered as well.
“[The girls] perform amazing songs on heavy topics including things like Trans-awareness, supporting single moms, eating disorders, bullying and gay rights,” said •Sarah Fick, an organizer of the camp. Fick’s punk band, Furies, will perform on Saturday.
“[The girls] start off shy and awkward and timid with their instruments,” said Fick. “But by the end of the week, they are confident and singing and playing their hearts out.”
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