Chapter 27
CHAPTER 27
M usic thumped through the speakers, offering bass pulses setting their heart rates to the same pounding beat.
A neon light flashed at the back of the stage, and the letters formed a name in silver lights. Dylan.
The crowd screamed.
A spotlight turned on, highlighting Dylan, revealing that he was already on the stage. That made the crowd scream louder. He stood, his feet shoulder-width apart, his hands clenched at his sides, his face turned down, in a rock star pose. A guitar hung from a strap on his shoulder.
Mallory’s heart thudded in her chest. How was this so effective? Was it his talent, his charisma, or merely the power of the setup? She should start her book signings like this. All darkness, then she could appear in the shadows holding a pen. Ha.
Jenny grabbed her arm and did a small jump. Along with their screaming, fans surged to their feet.
A second light turned on. Kane. Kane appeared in a pose mirroring Dylan’s.
More screams.
Bax. Bax appeared center stage. Standing microphones rose from the floor along the front of the stage. Louder screams.
Tae. Tae held drumsticks in his hand.
Jumbo screens, placed to the left and right of the stage, lit up, showing a close-up of center stage. Ear-ringing screams sounded within the stadium.
Rain.
Sunny rotated her arms overhead, then made falling rain with her fingers down to her sides. The crowd was doing the same as they screamed his name. Mallory copied the motion.
Rain appeared before a set of keyboards.
There was a heavy lull as the screams reached new heights and the neon lights at the back of the stage flashed on again, displaying the band name: Tempo Rain. Screams were deafening at this point, in the best concert way.
Dylan stepped forward and was the first to reach a mic. His voice opened the song, taking control of the mood, powering through the screams.
The notes slipped past her defenses into her pounding heart. She could feel his voice in her chest. Mallory raised her light stick high, its silver-blue glow merging into the dazzling spectacle of lights. This was crazy fun.
The other musicians fed into the song, one by one, joining with their instruments and voices. The combined sound intensified every note with pitch-perfect harmonies and driving, multilayered beats.
The show held her in its thrall with music, dancing, games, and the guys joking with the crowd. The sheer talent wove a spell around the audience and heightened the energy of everyone around her, and the band kept them in that keyed-up state until the last song faded away.
How had she not been to one of their concerts before? The show ended with a wave, a darkened stage, and screams from the audience that led to a single song encore.
It seemed as if five minutes had passed, with only occasional glimpses of Dylan. Though in reality, it had been an hour of ear-ringing bliss. “I can’t believe how good they are live,” Mallory said, her throat slightly raw from singing and screaming along the whole time. She rubbed her throat with her hand. “Their performances must take a lot out of them.”
Sunny and Jenny looked proud, but Sunny also had a slight frown. “I’m glad the show went off without a major issue.”
The show had been perfection in Mallory’s eyes, from the lighting to the sound to the talent. “Was there even a minor one?”
Sunny nodded. “A few problems backstage with wardrobe. Nothing we couldn’t sort.”
The guys had worn tight jeans, t-shirts, and jackets with jagged edge patches from other cities. What had gone wrong with them?
“Yeah, and it’s a shame they couldn’t hint at even one new song.” Jenny winced. “The pressure for them to release their next hit is crazy.”
Yeah. She got that. She’d love to hear one of their new songs. And she was merely one among a billion.
The love of their fans was hugely rewarding, but also a tremendous weight. Not to mention the rumors the media threw out. Bloggers had all the guys pegged as on edge and blocked as if they hadn’t just traveled the world last spring and summer, setting astronomical records.
At least she had the privilege of knowing Dylan was writing music. He simply needed time and space to finish.
Jenny shook her head. “They’ll get there. They always do.” She bumped Mallory’s shoulder. “Glad you came?”
Mallory hadn’t been to a concert that sucked her in so completely in a while. Glad was too weak a word; thrilled, electrified, and captivated were more fitting. “Yeah, but you’ve turned me into a mad Tempo .” Tempo was the name of the band’s fandom.
Sunny made a check sign in the air, making them laugh. “I have a present to officially initiate you into the fandom.”
Mallory held out her hands. Jenny bounced up on her toes, watching closely, while around them fans exited down the steps.
“Now that I know you won’t sell this for a million dollars, I can put it in your possession.” She handed Mallory a laminated card on a black lanyard.
The front of the card read, Backstage Pass.