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are you high? wot chandeliers? Green Man, asshole. hardly any lights.
My head drops back between my shoulders. Apparently Xan’s not the lost one. But I am definitely in the right fucking place.
Me
FUUUUCCCCK. Green Dragon. East Street. get over here. fucking amazing band playing
Xan
Tosser, on our way
I grin at my phone. “Looks like you were right, Mick. Should have been at the Green Man. But it sounds like country rock is not what they thought. They’re coming over here.”
The band starts in on covering our most famous and popular song, “Up in Smoke,” and I look up. Fuck, that kid’s good. Not karaoke, not trying to imitate, being totally himself, and the band adding their own flavour. I stand, grinning at the stage. He loses the shirt and the girls lose their shit, screams ramping up a few more decibels. Dark blond hair with lighter blond tips flying around the stage.
“Reminds me of you a few years ago,” Mick says as he puts a drink in my hand, smirking at me.
“Cheeky fucker,” I reply. “But yeah, might even be better. He doesn’t look that old. I didn’t get going ‘til I was at least twenty-two. He looks younger than that.”
“Eighteenish I’d say,” Mick states, staring up at the stage.
I look to the left of the stage and see a bit of a VIP area, with food and drink and the legendary green chandeliers emitting a low atmospheric light. I notice a couple of industry types from our competitors being served liberally with beers. I’m hidden from view at the minute, but know once Xan and the others get here our cover will be blown.
To be honest, I’m a bit annoyed with Kenny and Will. They’re supposed to be scouting for bands, and I’m not sure why they’re dragging us to a fucking country rock band when this lot are killing it here. With no one from our label in sight.
I notice a huge guy talking animatedly to Howard from Street Music. The guy looks familiar, but I can’t place him. His head is shaved and he’s got the biggest beard I’ve seen in a while, loads of tats, and muscles—looks more like security than a band manager. I watch as another industry guy sidles up and starts a conversation with another dark-haired man of similar height, but way less muscular. Same tats though. And they look alike even from my viewpoint. The smaller man is prettier, looks younger and angelic. Probably brothers, and obviously connected to the band.
“Fucking Green Man, idiot, not Green Dragon,” Xan shouts in my ear. I grin at him.
“Country rock not cutting it, Xan? You should be glad I got it wrong ‘cos this lot are good. Real good.” I nod towards the VIP area, and he stiffens when he sees the reps from the other labels.
“Well fuck, how did you miss this lot, Will?” He gestures towards the stage where the boys are now battering out a Stereophonics cover with mega energy.
“We didn’t,” Will says. “We know about them, but thought they were a bit young.”
I snort and gesture towards the stage and wild crowd, where the lead singer and both guitarists are now shirtless. “Don’t think they’re bothered!”
“No,” he huffs, rubbing his hand down his face, “they don’t look it.”
“Let’s get over there and see who we need to talk to.” Xan starts to move towards the VIP area and we all follow.
Chapter
Four
EVIE
The boys are leaning into their last few songs and their cover of Stereophonics’ “Local Boy in the Photograph” kicks into full gear. I smile from the side of the stage. James knows I love the Stereophonics. He catches my eye and smiles back, jabbing a finger at me as he continues to bounce around the stage.
Jude, appears beside me again, bumps shoulders with me and mouthing, “Madness,” at me.
I grin at him like a loon. They’re playing like men possessed tonight. I bop along at the side of the stage, enjoying the moment with Brown as we dance together. He spins me around and dips me down in a total ballroom move, sending my baseball cap bearing the band logo, which I’ve somehow managed to hang onto all evening, backwards, my hair tumbling out behind me. Grinning like a madman, Jude flips me back up and tugs my cap down again. I break into more laughter as James shouts out to the bar manager for his favourite song. Turning with the crowd, we salute him as he waves and takes a bow.
Glancing towards the darkened VIP area, I notice six men approaching it with purpose. Two smack of security, but I don’t recognise them, so assume they must be with the guys who look like models and rock stars. What is it with these music people? Do you have to have model looks to be allowed to work? I shake my head and crack a wry smile looking out onto the stage at my boys. Definitely!
B4d Intel starts on their final song, “Tongue Tied” by Grouplove. Jude and I go a bit mental jumping around with the rest of the crowd, caught up in the music and roaring the boys on to the finish. The lights sync with the song and the music pulses through the bar.
“Thank you, London, our lovely hometown. See you all again real soon!” James shouts into the mic. All the guys come together at the front of the stage, waving and clapping at the crowd who are screaming and shouting their name. They’re hugging each other and I’m sure Bucky is already mentally picking through the underwear that has found its way onto the stage. He’s grinning like a Cheshire cat and pointing at various women who are enthusiastically shouting back.
