Kam Franklin (The Suffers), Jackie Venson & Sailor Poon Play Festive Fest

During a call with Madison Whitaker, the Girls Rock Austin Program Director drives around town delivering meals as part of the nonprofit’s offshoot program to battle local food insecurity.

She spent the last year also delivering instruments, mics, and whatever else campers needed for Girls Rock’s main focus – empowering girls, trans, and non-binary youth to play music.

“We believe that if you are a camper or a family that wants to send your kid to camp, we’re going to do whatever it takes to get you there, no matter what financial situation,” says the musician/educator. ”Do they need instruments? No problem. That’s what this fundraiser is for, so more kids can further their music education, join bands, make friends, and make cool art.”

This Sunday at the Mohawk, from 2 to 10pm, the first-ever “Festive Fest” fundraises for the organization to continue both efforts. The momentous lineup leads with acclaimed Austin guitar great Jackie Venson, Kam Franklin of Houston place-making soul ensemble the Suffers, and provocative punk troupe Sailor Poon (featuring Whitaker on guitar).

Executive Director Jamie Bahr plays with longtime all-women rockers Danger*Cakes and queer Americana band Brand New Key. Earlier this year, the Chronicle featured Quentin Arispe of Quentin & the Past Lives’ “through line of epic vocal moments,” and called Rajinee’s music video for “Catcall & Response" a “flick-off fantasy.” Sheverb, the Dead Coats, Burns, and DJ Beats of Burden also join.

Tickets start at $30, with the online form allowing further donations to Girls Rock Austin. The event will also feature local craft vendors, a light show by Underground Light Orchestra, and a raffle – with an overall goal of raising $20,000.

Funds support the Esme Barrera Unlimited Possibilities Fund, which provides full scholarships to campers who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it. During Girls Rock Austin programs, kiddos ages 8-17 form bands and write original songs while being mentored by Austin women and LGBTQ musicians. They also learn about a number of other impressive topics, which Whitaker rattles off:

“How to create loops, record their instruments and voices, write lyrics, and song structure. Once they complete the song, we have a music video workshop. We’ve integrated other [topics] like stage presence, gear recognition, mindfulness, and self-care. We also have an anti-racism workshop, Black music history workshop, and queer and trans music history workshop.”

The group’s after-school and summer camp programming pivoted to digital in 2020, but they hope to return in-person next year.

“We had kids as young as eight that were recording their parts while toggling between the Zoom room, and the Google Doc where people are writing lyrics, and the Soundtrap – which is our collaborative digital audio workstation – in another tab. They were kicking butt,” recalls Whitaker.

During the pandemic, Girls Rock also launched Operation Lunch Box in partnership with Keep Austin Together, a Travis County-supported emergency food access network, and the Cook’s Nook. The program accepts applications for both volunteers and those in need at www.girlsrockaustin.org/operation-lunch-box. In October, the group met the milestone of over 100,000 prepared meals delivered.

“At first it was just musician families, but once we had the winter disaster in February, we opened it up to anyone in the area,” says Whitaker. “Today is baked fish with broccoli and brown rice. It’s all really healthy and tasty, because everyone deserves to eat.”

Watch a music video from a recent Girls Rock Austin band below: