Let’s face it. Philly needs a lot of things, but we certainly need more music education programs. Lucky we have the ladies of Girls Rock Philly (GRP) helping to foster a generation of female rockers. Beth Warshaw-Duncan, Director of GRP, was kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to answer a few of our questions as she prepares for their very first Ladies Rock Camp this weekend (sorry ladies, registration is closed), which will culminate with a showcase on Monday, May 31st at Tritone presented by Sugar Town/Ladies Rock Philly.
The Deli: Please tell us what Girls Rock Philly is about.
Beth Warshaw-Duncan: Girls Rock Philly (GRP) is Philadelphia’s only rock n’ roll camp for girls — a week-long summer day camp serving junior rockers ages 9-17. Led by a team of all female instructors, band coaches & mentors, girls in the program learn how to play musical instruments, write songs, make their own band merchandise, discover other women in rock & finesse their on-stage jump kicks. They write original songs that they play at a showcase at the Trocadero on Saturday, August 14th & then record their original songs for a studio CD that comes out in the fall.
TD: How did Girls Rock Philly start?
BWD: I founded GRP after I volunteered at the Willie Mae Rock Camp in New York for their first two years, then decided to bring the idea of camp to Philadelphia once I saw the good it did for the girls and women each camp week.
TD: What do you want for the girls to get when they leave your camp?
BWD: All of the campers leave camp having written, played, and recorded at least one new original song with their new band, to which they own the copyrights. They can also continue to play for free using our fully-stocked practice space, either by themselves or with their bands or friends. Intangibly, the girls leave with a new network of friends to write & play songs with, or just hang out with. And they’ve discovered a lot of women they might not see in the media they consume — women who aren’t necessarily internationally famous, but are still making music & having a great time. The girls have also learned to try something new & seen themselves succeed, which is just immeasurable in how they live their lives.
TD: What made you want to start Ladies Rock Camp?
BWD: Because women are always saying that they wished they had rock camp when they were girls! We also realized how little time we spend in all-female environments & how much good they can do as a safe space, where you can drop out of your daily life & try something you’ve always wanted to try — it’s not too late!
TD: What should the ladies expect from the weekend?
BWD: Ladies should expect to have a great time! They’ll learn the basics of the instruments of their choice in a really positive atmosphere, they’ll be able to learn a bit about the music industry, and they’ll be able to write songs together & play in front of a supportive crowd. We also have some great after-parties planned after each day of playing & writing!
TD: What do you love about Philly?
BWD: That everyone has something of their own going on & it’s always worth checking out. People in this town are often amazingly willing to work together to make something awesome happen to improve their own communities.
TD: What do you hate about Philly?
BWD: The weather, mostly. And the fact that we still have an old guard here that is resistant to change in their neighborhoods, which causes some serious tension.
TD: What artists (local, national and/or international) are you currently listening to?
BWD: The latest people I’m listening to all tend to be people I know. BUT, those records stand up to anything being put out on major/national indie labels: Busses, Arc In Round, Attia Taylor (whom we all love, obviously). I’m also really looking forward to the Erykah Badu/Janelle Monae show next month.
TD: What’s the first concert that you ever attended and first album that you ever bought?
BWD: The first show I ever bought a ticket for with my own money: Jeff Buckley/Juliana Hatfield in May, 1995 at the Troc. The first album I ever bought with my own money was actually my first CD — Arrested Development.
TD: What’s your favorite thing to get at the deli?
BWD: I’m a vegetarian & am not a huge fan of sandwiches (no e-mails, please!), so I’d probably grab a Diet Coke.
– The Deli Staff