Girls ready to rock Oakland Metro Operahouse

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Jun 24, 2009 | by Katherine Jarvis

Bands with such names as The Talking Avocados, The Closet Monsters, The Vampirish Smuthies and The Three Musketeers will be rocking the Bay Area Girls Rock Camp showcase Saturday at the Oakland Metro Operahouse.

The Bay Area Girls Rock Camp is a program for girls ages 8 to 18 and is held at the Julia Morgan School for Girls. It runs June 22 through June 26 for the first session and July 6 through July 10 for the second session.

During the five days, girls learn how to play such instruments as keyboards, guitar, bass, drums, turntables and work on their vocals.

Some of the girls come in knowing how to play, but for many, it's a new experience. In camp they form bands and practice every day, working on the music and writing a song to perform at the showcase.

Besides working with their band, they learn what it means to be a girl, said Marta Alvarez, 12, who plays bass for The Closet Monsters.

"They focus not just on music, but on your image and how you feel about yourself," she said.

Like many of the girls, Alvarez loves band practice because she gets to play music with a group of girls, usually similar in age and skill.

The drummer from The Three Musketeers, Mikaela Hammond Holland, 9, said she likes being at a camp where there aren't boys. She also likes the independence she gets, especially in songwriting.

"You're not told a song has to be this or that," she said.

The girls have space to feel comfortable and are able to express themselves creatively without the pressure of living up to certain standards or expectations, said Carey Faye-Horowitz, founding director of the Bay Area Girls Rock Camp.

"As far as girls playing music, they're generally not given the opportunity to play loud music and be as loud as they want," Faye- Horowitz said. "They can take up space and be loud."

In the rock music world, women in bands are usually singers and are often judged for their appearance rather than skills, Faye- Horowitz said, adding she wants to encourage girls to play all sorts of instruments, especially at a young age.

"The whole point of the camp is to give the girls a voice and (for them to) express themselves," she said. "Music is a great way to do it."

The girls learn about media perceptions of women, especially female musicians, as well as issues they might face, such as bullying and discrimination. Faye-Horowitz said these issues are generally not discussed enough with girls.

Faye-Horowitz first got involved with the Girls Rock Camp as a volunteer from the original camp in Portland, Ore. After last year's premiere of the camp in the Bay Area, the organization started a 10- week after-school program in the winter where girls would come once a week and follow a similar curriculum as the one featured through the summer camp, including a showcase at the program's conclusion.

Doors for the June 27 showcase open at 1 p.m. and the show starts at 2 p.m. The show costs $10.

In addition to the performances, the showcase will feature a raffle, including the grand prize of a Gretsch guitar.

The second showcase will be July 11.

Each five-day camp session costs $400, but financial aid is available. The first session, which is full, has 65 girls, the second, which is also full, has 75. For details about the Bay Area Girls Rock Camp, go to bayareagirlsrockcamp.org.The show-- What: The Bay Area Girls Rock Camp Showcase-- Where: Oakland Metro Operahouse, 630 Third St.-- When: June 27 at 2 p.m.; July 11 at 2 p.m.-- Showcase tickets: $10-- Cost for five-day session: $400 (financial available)-- Details: bayareagirlsrockcamp.org