This weekend, a group of budding young musicians will rock out to all-original songs and put on a free concert to showcase their skills. The performers are all from right here in the Las Vegas Valley.
And as News 3's Denise Rosch reports, there is a reason they waited until summer to jam.
In a city known for its entertainment choices, it's sometimes hard to get noticed. But this summer, some local Las Vegas musicians are definitely leaving their mark - ponytails, braces, girlie footwear and all.
"Girls Rock Vegas" is a musical summer camp - for girls only - ranging in age from nine to seventeen. And believe it or not, most campers had never even played before this.
Nine-year-old Jamilet Arroyo chose drums: "'Cause they're fun and really cool."
And 17-year-old Tahirra Jackson is on vocals, giving props to band mates: "We dominate. It's cool. All for chicks. We have a little girl on the keyboard who can just smash."
This is the first year the camp has been offered in Las Vegas, with kids splitting up into three bands to write and perform their original songs. Heather Rampton is the founder, who says the one-week camp is all about the journey.
"The girls have exceeded all our expectations. I teach fifth grade and I see how self-esteem plummets from third to fifth for young women - images in the media, because of their peers..."
The meaning behind the camp is not to find the next "Hannah Montana"; this is about making the girls stronger and teaching them there is nothing they can't do.
"I have a step-brother, Nick, and he says, 'You can't do that ‘cause you are a girl,'" says nine-year-old Victoria Santos. "And I say, ‘Yes, I can.'"
Denise Rosch: You're the one in the band!
Victoria: I know!
And with band names like "Flaming Skulls of Death," you do not want to call this camp "cute"; these girls are hard core, learning more in one week than most kids will all summer.
Adds Tahirra, "It doesn't matter what you look like, you can rock as hard as anybody else in here."
The bands are performing Saturday afternoon at Sam Ash Music, located on Maryland Parkway between Karen and Sahara. And while camp has wrapped for this summer, Girls Rock Vegas will start an after-school program next year.
