No Strings Attached

Chapter 17: WhooHooo!

"I'll let you know that I have played successfully under more pressure than this! You should try performing before and for an orchestra! Where no one is better than anyone else. Everyone is exceptional and you feel like you're just not good enough. A small fish in a big pond, whereas before that experience I was a big fish in a small pond. It's funny how life works out. Maybe I ended up in this band for a reason..." Freen let her one hand swing forward slightly, not having to go very far to hook into Becca's fingers.

Freen gave her a meaningful look before Becca dropped her eyes, not quite ready to get lost in Freen just yet. It was that tug of war again between her head and her heart, only this time the earth was wet and slippery and she was moving between the two opposite poles at a rather quick and sudden pace.

Alright Sarocha, let's do this." Becca smiled with warmth and encouragement at the taller woman before her, letting her know that they were about to have a hell of a good time.

"For one night only, I present to you the new favourites on the block - The Sickstrings!" The MC shouted into the crowd as Becca and her band skipped onto the stage and took their instruments and their place. They had to start with a kicker of a song in order to grab the audience and get them hooked. They went with 'Mr Brightside' by The Killers and jammed like a peanut butter sandwich! The crowd was instantly on its feet, belting out the familiar lyrics as they bounced around in excitement.

The band kept the mood going as they transitioned into the next song, 'Sugar, we're going down' by Fall Out Boy. The sound stayed energised and the crowd was hanging on every note. The band was having the best performance of its life and they enjoyed themselves to the max. Nothing could break them in the high they were experiencing.

When the third song approached, Becca was almost out of breath, making a mental note that she would have to do more cardio. "Okay, let's slow it down for a moment. I need to catch my breath." Becca smiled at her audience as she enjoyed interacting with them. "I'll give you breath!" A guy heckled from the crowd and Becca chuckled before replying, "Do you have a vagina? Otherwise no thanks. I'd rather suffocate." Becca laughed as she heckled back. "Anyway, I have enough breath for the next song. Hope you enjoy." The band then entered into a new song that fit the mood, still permeating the whole place in the form of 'How to save a life' from The Fray. Freen expertly played the piano notes on her guitar and after a while Richie followed her on the drums. By the time the chorus played, Heng's bass guitar and Becca's rhythm guitar joined in. Becca's voice sounded both gentle and pained, reaching right into one's chest. The song was vivid enough to bring the whole bar to a standstill and once the song came to its slow end an uproarious applause broke out.

The audience had absolutely loved it. Their screaming and hooting and clapping hands shouted "We want more". It left a special kind of taste in the whole band's mouth, but especially in Becca's. She was getting a taste of what she wanted to achieve. She just wanted to grow and climb the ladder until they're filling a stadium. She could envision it in her mind's eye and lead her band as if that was the case.

Freen had her own experience as she got lost in her guitar, treating it like an extension of herself. She didn't know what it felt like to be part of a grand orchestra, but she had to wonder whether the setting made any difference. All she needed was to get lost in the music. It was the music that mattered most, regardless in what way it was obtained. For Becca it was through her vocals. For Richie it was his rhythm. And for Heng it was the vibrations that he could feel. They all merely had different ways of connecting to the music. The music was all that mattered.

The band transitioned into the next song as Becca's voice came over the the music, "Okay one more to get you hyped and then we'll take a break before we get into the rest of it!" She breathed deeply and started to sing the opening lines of 'Just the girl' by The Click Five along with the music. Becca enjoyed songs like this one as she felt like she could seduce the audience with it, pretending to mean every single word. She became everyone's girlfriend during a three to four minute song and they melted for her.