By DCist Contributor Emma Watters

On Monday, Comet Ping Pong hosted the first showcase of Ladies Rock! Camp benefiting Girls Rock! D.C. The camp was held this past weekend at The SEED School in Southeast DC. Five newly-formed bands played a song they each wrote given less than three days of practice. The result was a crowd-pleasing show with catchy beats and front women commanding the stage with an explosion of confidence.

The bands: Re:Create; Racin’ Chasin’; Julies and the Koshkas; Hysteria; and Authentic State presented a mix of punk, rock and funk. Authentic State’s closing number “D.C. Love” brought the show home with crowd-pleasing verses about Red Line delays and a love for Southeast.

Ladies Rock Camp is a three-day version of the Girls Rock D.C.! summer camp. No musical experience was needed to participate. In fact, camp participants were not versed in their chosen instrument (drums, electric guitar, keyboard and vocals) and showed hard work truly pays off. Girls Rock! D.C. campers reflect the confidence and spirit of their lady counterparts. In eight years no camper has refused to get on stage.