Ladies Rock Camp 2012, February 24-26

Ladies Rock Camp 2011 happened at the right point in my life without me realizing it. As corny or cheesy as it sounds, going though the whole camp experience last year ended up being one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. My life didn’t dramatically change after camp, but there were subtle, positive changes to it that were a direct result of having gone to camp. When it came time to sign up for this year’s LRC, I did so without any hesitation.

This year was more about fun than anything else. I decided on bass, an instrument I’d never played before, and signed up to learn how to play it with a band. The pre-camp nerves were still there, but it was a different kind of nervousness. While I was psyched to learn bass, the thought of learning a completely foreign instrument over a weekend intimidated me. I probably annoyed any bassist I knew by asking if they had any tips whenever I’d run into one. Unlike last year when I signed up for keys, I didn’t have the piano lessons from my childhood to fall back on.

Bass instruction turned out to be a blast. Being among supportive instructors who were also friends helped calm any nerves as we played along to songs and practiced scales. The main advice I got from bass players was to have fun, and they were right. Realistically, I knew I wouldn’t become some amazing bass player in a day, but by the end I managed to be able to play a steady bass line that sounded halfway decent and had fun playing. I even had fun earning some pretty badass looking blisters on my fingers along the way.

Band practice was equally fun. Our band gelled together quickly and worked hard from the start. Having gone through the process before, there were certain constants I noticed when writing a song under the camp setting -- Because of the time constraints, it was best to keep things simple and listen to the band coaches who are awesome and there to help. There’s also a good chance that you may not be into or even hate the song after the first day, but it will all magically come together the next day.

On the night of the showcase our band ended up being the first out of the nine bands to play. I wasn’t thrilled with having to open the night, but I knew I’d rather get it over with sooner than later and enjoy myself the rest of the night. When it came time to play, I was handed a similar but different bass from the one that was set aside for me the night before. (There were apparently technical difficulties with the one I chose.) I quickly thought “oh fuck,” then went into autopilot mode once the song started. These series of events could’ve induced a panic attack in me, and I was happy that I kept calm mostly and powered through.

If there’s anything I take away from LRC, it’s that the camp experience is about more than music. For some, it might be about being able to step outside their comfort zone and try something completely new. For others, it might simply be about having fun and expanding their comfort zone. The music and supportive setting are just ways to help bring about those changes for the better.