Castlegar’s only school of rock is preparing for another summer of teaching local youth ear-blasting tunes.
Supercat Studios is offering two camps: a beginner music camp for those just learning to play and a rock and rock boot camp for those that are intermediate or advanced musicians.
“This is the alternative to the sports camps if they want something different to do,” Yanive Feiner of Supercat Studios said. “The kids have a ton of fun and gain confidence.”
The beginner camp teaches students chords and they are able to pick from a list of songs they want to learn, including Green Day, Guns N’ Roses and Metallica.
Instruments for the camp are guitar, bass, drums and singers are welcome too. All instruments are provided.
“By the end of the week they know the basics and they know how to play together as a band,” Feiner said.
Rock and roll boot camp is what Feiner refers to as “intensive.”
“That’s where they learn to be rock stars for two weeks.”
The group creates a band (with a name they choose) and choose an eight-song set list to be performed at the end of the camp.
“They also learn the fundamentals of songwriting and actual studio recording as well,” he said.
Past camps have gone on to start their own bands, such as Roy Has Fire.
“It’s all focused on team work and everyone working together as a band,” he said.
Near the end of the camp the band will go through the whole recording process and write songs as well.
Feiner said the camps have been so successful that he’s had yearly repeats and some students have stayed on to take private lessons.
Feedback has always been positive, Feiner said, especially regarding how much the students learn in such a short amount of time.
“They end up doing things that they didn’t think they’d be able to do,” he said.
Rock and roll boot camp finishes up with a show at Robson Hall on the last day of the camp.
The beginner camp runs from July 11-15, Aug. 1-5 and Aug. 8-12. Rock and roll boot camp runs from July 18-29 and Aug. 15-26. For more information visit supercatstudios.com or call 250-365-1671.