“Girls Like Us: Women Musicians in the Pioneer Valley” focuses on the different experiences of male and female performers in the local music scene – and seeks to answer the question of why differences exist and persist. In our search for answers, we spoke with male and female musicians, who at times had surprisingly similar answers. For instance, it wasn’t just the girls who said they prefer playing with women as opposed to men!
The documentary explores the expectations placed on women musicians in terms of genre and talent; the agency that women have over their music in all-female bands versus co-ed bands; and why the qualifier “female” takes away from what these musicians truly are: musicians. Our film focuses on the Woman Songwriter Collective and the Institute for the Musical Arts, two communities that are giving women musicians in the Pioneer Valley a chance to show what they’ve got.
“Girls Like Us: Women Musicians in the Pioneer Valley” covers a range of opinions and stories, from rookies (Sajo Jefferson of The Radio on Mute) to rock legends (June Millington of Fanny) to the men that have played with some of the Pioneer Valley’s finest female talents. So go get your popcorn, find a comfy seat, and press “play” now.