Culture
Area Girls Rock Out at ARTS/West
By: Elliot Nicolson
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Saturday, July 14 marked the final performance of the second annual Athens Rock Camp for Girls at ARTS/West in Athens, Ohio.
The Athens Rock Camp for Girls is a weeklong day camp where girls aged 12–18 come together to form bands, learn instruments and write songs, then perform their original material during a public concert.
Although learning musical technique and performance are the focus of the camp, the instructors also hope to instill a message of female empowerment to the young rockers.
To help deliver this message, elective courses such as self-defense and nonviolent communication are also offered to the girls.
All-girl rock camps are becoming a trend across America, largely as a backlash to gender stereotypes that have been preconceived by society and the mainstream media, and the media’s coverage of female entertainers such as Britney Spears or Miley Cyrus.
The campers played to a full house at ARTS/West on Saturday, despite a last-minute severe thunderstorm.
All five bands performed at least one song. However, some groups found time during the week to prepare two tunes.
There was also a poetry reading and even a brief drumline. All performances were warmly received by the audience (watch a video of Papaya Riot’s “Where Silence Comes to Die”).
The Athens Rock Camp for Girls plans on returning to ARTS/West next summer. Although there is a fee to enroll, the camp largely depends on local sponsors and monetary donations to operate. For more information, visit www.athensrockcamp.com