did they say?” Emily asked.
“Well, the fucking bassist, Acey, stood up, walked to me and put his hands on my shoulders. He looked me in the eyes and said, ‘Our plans? To rock that fucking club to its core. That’s our plan.’ Then he walked away, slapping fives with the other guys, thinking they’re oh-so-fucking-cool.”
“No story then?” Emily asked.
“No story. Unless I print that Down Silent wants to rock. I can hear Dave - my editor - now... No shit ...”
“It’s okay,” Emily said. “You said it would be tough. It’s the cover story. It’s not supposed to be easy.”
“Maybe I should sleep with the bodyguards. Both at the same time even.”
“Okay, that’s wrong.”
“Not really,” Ann said. “I need to get to Gunnar. If not... Dave will pull me off the story.”
“You’re overreacting,” Emily said. “They haven’t played yet tonight. And I know you, Ann. You’ll get your story.”
Ann put her beer bottle to her lips and took a long drink. She slammed the bottle to the bar and let out a long sigh. “Well, at least the tickets were free.”
“Not a bad night. I’m looking forward to seeing this Gunnar finally.”
“You won’t know what to think. Hell, neither will I. He’s fucking gorgeous and brilliant... and I hate him right now.”
The club started to go dark as the finishing touches were being put on the setup for Down Silent. The drums were already built, just needing to be checked for sound. A greasy looking man sat behind the kit and from the second he hit the kick drum, Emily felt it. The perfect sound. The perfect depth and tone. When the bassist hit the low e, the thickest open string on the instrument, it let out a low rumble that made Emily shiver. The guitars were tuned one at a time, then in unison, the guitar techs started playing, their gain filled sounds battling next to each other, spinning together to create a sound that had Emily standing from her barstool.
“Sounds good,” she said.
“They always sound good,” Ann said. “That’s why they’re the hottest band around. They could probably have a major recording deal right now and they won’t take it. Gunnar won’t take it. He likes the small clubs. It’s insane.”
“It’s his choice,” Emily said.
All the lights went off in the club.
The crowd came to life, louder than the previous two bands AND the bands from last night combined. One by one, shadows of men took to the stage. Emily counted four.
Four?
Was four enough?
She saw the bassist, two guitarists, and the drummer. The second guitarist stood near the bassist, leaving a spot open at the microphone.
There was five in the band.
Gunnar was the lead singer, and he wasn’t on stage yet.
The drums started to play a thump-thump beat. Then came some snare, followed by the low feedback of the lead guitar. As it squealed to life, the bass hit, it’s growl overpowering the guitar. That’s when all the instruments came together and stopped. In the couple seconds they took a break, Emily held her breath. The band came back together, leading into the first song. Lights illuminated the stage, blue and purple colliding, one white light at the empty mic.
The intro continued, leading into the first solo riff by the lead guitar and Emily recognized the song.
It was ‘Torn’, the lead off single from Down Silent’s latest album.
Emily could hear it her mind, the first line of the song, right after the instruments break again. Just as it happened, from the corner of the stage, ran Gunnar, taking the mic just as it all began...
“Yeah, I’m torn!”
And the guitar riff came back. Gunnar had beautiful dark blond hair that bounced along his wide shoulders. When he threw his head back, and began to sing again, something amazing happened.
Gunnar looked towards Emily.
No.
He looked at Emily.
He sang and Emily heard nothing.
She could only see
“Well, the fucking bassist, Acey, stood up, walked to me and put his hands on my shoulders. He looked me in the eyes and said, ‘Our plans? To rock that fucking club to its core. That’s our plan.’ Then he walked away, slapping fives with the other guys, thinking they’re oh-so-fucking-cool.”
“No story then?” Emily asked.
“No story. Unless I print that Down Silent wants to rock. I can hear Dave - my editor - now... No shit ...”
“It’s okay,” Emily said. “You said it would be tough. It’s the cover story. It’s not supposed to be easy.”
“Maybe I should sleep with the bodyguards. Both at the same time even.”
“Okay, that’s wrong.”
“Not really,” Ann said. “I need to get to Gunnar. If not... Dave will pull me off the story.”
“You’re overreacting,” Emily said. “They haven’t played yet tonight. And I know you, Ann. You’ll get your story.”
Ann put her beer bottle to her lips and took a long drink. She slammed the bottle to the bar and let out a long sigh. “Well, at least the tickets were free.”
“Not a bad night. I’m looking forward to seeing this Gunnar finally.”
“You won’t know what to think. Hell, neither will I. He’s fucking gorgeous and brilliant... and I hate him right now.”
The club started to go dark as the finishing touches were being put on the setup for Down Silent. The drums were already built, just needing to be checked for sound. A greasy looking man sat behind the kit and from the second he hit the kick drum, Emily felt it. The perfect sound. The perfect depth and tone. When the bassist hit the low e, the thickest open string on the instrument, it let out a low rumble that made Emily shiver. The guitars were tuned one at a time, then in unison, the guitar techs started playing, their gain filled sounds battling next to each other, spinning together to create a sound that had Emily standing from her barstool.
“Sounds good,” she said.
“They always sound good,” Ann said. “That’s why they’re the hottest band around. They could probably have a major recording deal right now and they won’t take it. Gunnar won’t take it. He likes the small clubs. It’s insane.”
“It’s his choice,” Emily said.
All the lights went off in the club.
The crowd came to life, louder than the previous two bands AND the bands from last night combined. One by one, shadows of men took to the stage. Emily counted four.
Four?
Was four enough?
She saw the bassist, two guitarists, and the drummer. The second guitarist stood near the bassist, leaving a spot open at the microphone.
There was five in the band.
Gunnar was the lead singer, and he wasn’t on stage yet.
The drums started to play a thump-thump beat. Then came some snare, followed by the low feedback of the lead guitar. As it squealed to life, the bass hit, it’s growl overpowering the guitar. That’s when all the instruments came together and stopped. In the couple seconds they took a break, Emily held her breath. The band came back together, leading into the first song. Lights illuminated the stage, blue and purple colliding, one white light at the empty mic.
The intro continued, leading into the first solo riff by the lead guitar and Emily recognized the song.
It was ‘Torn’, the lead off single from Down Silent’s latest album.
Emily could hear it her mind, the first line of the song, right after the instruments break again. Just as it happened, from the corner of the stage, ran Gunnar, taking the mic just as it all began...
“Yeah, I’m torn!”
And the guitar riff came back. Gunnar had beautiful dark blond hair that bounced along his wide shoulders. When he threw his head back, and began to sing again, something amazing happened.
Gunnar looked towards Emily.
No.
He looked at Emily.
He sang and Emily heard nothing.
She could only see
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