The SGRRC Showcase

The Showcase coincided with a visit from my best friend, Hope, and her man, Wells. I had to choose between bringing the monkeys or bringing Hope--and then going out for drinks. I was actually very torn, but went with the latter for purely selfish reasons.

Once we got to the Gibson I immediately felt guilty for leaving them home. The show had been moved inside due to the heat and the place was swarming with little girls and boys we know from school, derby, rock-n-romp, and the playground. (Once I had a beer and several uninterrupted conversations with my adult friends, I felt a little less guilty.)

The Showcase was emceed by Doc Walker (a.k.a. Doc Derby) who also announces at the roller derby bouts. He's a musician, has daughters, and is great at making off the cuff remarks, so he was a perfect fit.

The lights were low, the place was packed, and you could feel the buzz in the air. There was no actual backstage, so campers were milling about all dolled up and you could tell that they were PUMPED. And NERVOUS as hell. We couldn't wait for the show to get started!

First up was Squirrel vs. Ferret who sang an original song called "Frozen Sorrows." Two of my zinesters were on guitar and the lead singer had a great smile on her face the whole time she was up there. I seriously got goosebumps and almost started balling!


The Country Gals were next and featured a zinester on guitar. EVERYONE had been talking about The Country Gals all week. They were the youngest band--each girl is about ten--and they wrote a song called "Daddy Buy Me a Dancing Horse." They all made shirts with horses on them and the girl on vocals, Kierstan, came out in pigtails and said, "Daddy, come here!" before she started the song. She hopped up and down the whole time she sang. At one point she stopped and took three or four big breaths. It was so damn cute it hurt. I still have the tune stuck in my head...


Loveless was next, featuring a zinester on keyboards. Their song, "Broken Prince Charming," was great and the lead singer had a really unique voice. Her mom was jumping up and down in the audience screaming, "That's my daughter! That's my daughter!" It was hilarious. I can't wait to do that to Satchel and/or Jiro someday.


Warren and I were definitely getting choked up and missing the monkeys. Next up was Forgotten Blue with Flannery Harper on keyboards. She is the daughter of some good friends of ours who just happened to be standing next to us. I went back and forth from Flannery to her mom and tried to imagine the feeling. Flannery looked so grown up and cool. I had seen her throughout the week and did my best to be friendly without embarrassing her.


Next up was Jessi's band, the Klassix, who did an original song in the style of the Sherrell's. Check out their sweet outfits!


There was an intermission next which kind of sucked because everyone was really getting into the music. I took the opportunity to go around the room and find some of my girls so I could tell them how much they rocked. I might have scared them with my enthusiasm! They were all probably a little freaked out to begin with. I really wanted to hug them and never let go, but I refrained.

I was really glad that Hope was with me since we went to high school and camp together. We both just looked at each other, shook our heads, and wondered what our lives would have been like had we had Rock-n-Roll camp rather than Girl Scout camp! (I did have to admit that learning how to canoe came in handy...) Not that either one of us thought that we would have turned into rock stars or anything, but damn, just imagine the self-esteem boost that these girls were getting up on there on stage.

After the intermission/love fest/fit of nostalgia, the songwriting class came up and performed a song they wrote. It, of course, rocked.

Next up was the Killer Cuties who did a cover of The Beatles' song "Help."


The Shadez did a cover of "Wake Me Up When September Ends" by Green day.


Ravad 74 ended the show with their very catchy and very well done original song "Unsinkable." When I'm not singing "Daddy daddy buy me a dancing horse," I'm singing "I'm unsinkable/No one can bring me down/I'm unsinkable/I don't want you around."



Now, these girls really knew how to rock. Granted they were the oldest girls and one of the members, Audra Brown, already has an album out, but damn. Just look at their sweet fashion! If they don't become rock stars, I have no doubt they will at least join the roller derby!


It was a really awesome show and an amazing experience overall. You really just had to be there. I'm so excited about the future of SGRRC and cannot wait until next year. I've got to find a way to take the whole week off so I won't have to miss a minute!