I know Carol from local orchestras, playing violin, then from a successful outing with her rock band, IT Grrrls, in that APS band comp at Smiths over recent years, and now as an author, in a similar theme, of her book, a retrospective of life as woman in IT. And they all came together at her book launch, well attended, at Smiths. First up a reading of how she was disappointed with a meeting of women in IT in Europe where the managerial types got the better of the IT matters. I remember her walking out in another situation, so she has guts and determination and I'm surprised what an effective act of resistance or protest it can be. It creates discussion; it gathers persons in agreement; it creates alternatives. Then her band performed, all 12 songs that they have under their rehearsal belt, again outspoken and inviting with a huge dollop of joy. They take infectious pop or punk songs and reword them for their women-in-IT concerns, but this is not offensive; rather it invites fellow-travellers and revels in its calls and humous. IT Grrrls is 6-piece, essentially violin, tenor, two vocals, guitar, bass, drums, even a keytar, with members moving between instruments. Carol also threw in two raps; not sure they were in the originals. Think songs of the like of Bangles, Madonna, Kylie, Stefani, Winehouse, Lauper and you can imagine the joy of lyrics like Girls just wanna write code or rhymes to MS Teams. Plenty of laughter amongst the dance and harmonies over a resolute back line. Just goes to show that girls (of any age ... and boys) just wanna have fun.
Carol Wapshire (violin, rap, author) launched her book, How to be an IT Grrrl, and presented her band, IT Grrrls, at Smiths.
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