Standing beside the stairs leading up to the stage, Ronan gently clenched his fists, then opened them, then clenched them again, repeating the same motion. He was trying to calm his wildly beating heart, but it wasn't working. The thumping in his chest not only didn't slow down but actually sped up, almost making Ronan doubt what he'd just said:
Is it really that hard for a heart to burst?
The pounding was so intense and fierce that it made him breathless, his surging veins feeling like they could really explode at any moment.
The emotions of nervousness and excitement completely took over his mind, so much so that he barely registered Cathy leaving the stage. He only remembered quickly nodding in acknowledgment before they brushed past each other.
Ronan had originally hoped to tell Cathy in person that her performance was fantastic and that she should keep going. But his chaotic brain completely forgot, and Ronan followed Ollie's footsteps, step by step, up the stairs to the stage.
Phew.
He let out a soft breath. The moment his feet were on the stage, he could actually feel the slightly textured wooden floor worn smooth by countless pairs of shoes, boots, and sneakers. He could really feel the creaking sounds the floorboards made. It was like Ronan had been healed. The anxiety and unease magically disappeared, and even his mind cleared up again.
Creak.
He pressed down lightly with the ball of his foot. The slightly dented floorboard gave him a sense of solidness, which made the corners of Ronan's mouth turn up in a smile.
"Good evening, Old Blacksmith Bar, we are the Day King band."
Without any hesitation or formalities, Ronan spoke loudly into the microphone, a confident and vibrant energy bursting from deep within his throat.
This sharp and assertive Ronan was so different from how he usually was in everyday life. The image Alice captured through the camera lens made a look of surprise and unexpectedness flash in her eyes.
Then, Alice saw a light ignite in Ronan's eyes, a fleeting glimmer that instantly lit up the entire stage.
"First off, let's give a round of applause to Cathy Musgraves. I loved her performance. You can feel the weight of the soul in her singing and melodies. That's why we're so fascinated by music, and that's why we're here tonight. We're all feeling our way forward in the dark, waiting for a ray of sunshine to appear."
Cathy, who was just about to leave, couldn't help but pause slightly, turning back to look towards the stage.
From a polite and respectful standpoint, every performer would thank the previous one. But the voice coming through the microphone had a genuine quality to it, along with the weight of the simple words themselves, pressing gently on Cathy's heart.
She simply turned around completely, standing still and looking towards the stage, a faint anticipation growing within her, ready to see what kind of band this was.
And the guy didn't disappoint.
"Secondly, before you start wondering who these nobodies on stage are and then just turn away without a second thought, let's get right into the performance. Let's communicate through music and unleash some more energy. It's already five in the morning, just hang in there a little longer, dawn is coming. Maybe, just maybe, the sunshine we've been waiting for is finally on its way."
Heh.
A low chuckle rippled through the Old Blacksmith Bar because Ronan had indeed hit the nail on the head.
When the Day King band took the stage, a lot of people in the audience were confused. Plus, with it being five in the morning, their energy and stamina were already fading. So, feeling puzzled, they were getting ready to leave, either to go out for a smoke or take a quick break before coming back, just to catch their breath.
But they were immediately caught off guard by Ronan's words. Their steps and movements involuntarily slowed down, and after realizing what he said, laughter started to spread.
Moreover, Cathy noticed that Ronan's words created a clever connection, going from sunshine to sunshine, truly linking reality and the stage. In just a few words, he successfully grabbed hold of the party atmosphere in the Old Blacksmith Bar, which was on the verge of dying down but hadn't completely faded away.
Cathy's eyes flickered slightly, showing a hint of curiosity.
It was just this brief moment of pause and adjustment when Ollie's drumbeat dropped, and the Day King's performance officially began!
Bang bang!
Two drumbeats served as the intro, followed by the sound of an electric guitar slicing through the air, drawing back the curtain. A classic retro strumming melody from the eighties flowed out. The tempo wasn't fast, just a medium pace. If it were during the peak time, the audience would definitely show strong dissatisfaction with this kind of rhythm. But at five in the morning, the exhausted audience could actually relax a bit and gently sway their bodies to the beat.
Hitting the beat with their bodies.
Bang bang, clap.
Bang bang, clap.
The simple and easy-to-follow four-beat rhythm allowed everyone in the audience to keep up. Exchanging glances, the audience could sense the performers' clever arrangement, smartly understanding their psychological state. The unhurried retro rhythm always felt familiar, making it easy to get swept up in it.
At the same time, all four members of the band began to hum:
"Hey-eh... hey-hey... hey-eh... eh-eh..."
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No lyrics, just humming sounds, swaying gently to the melody and rhythm. The lead singer, standing in the center of the stage, dragged the microphone stand to the front, stepped onto the light box, and looked directly at the audience. His tall figure had a commanding presence, and gazes involuntarily focused on him. However, the lead singer wore a faint smile, warm and bright like a ray of light dispelling the surrounding emerald green stage lights, guiding the audience forward in the darkness.
No actions, no calls to action, no guidance, but the lead singer's every move showed incredible charisma. Then, the audience in the venue couldn't help but hum along to the band's rhythm and melody.
"Hey-eh... hey-hey... hey-eh... eh-eh..."
Very, very basic chords, not difficult at all, but catchy and easy to remember. The soft melody from the electric guitar and drums allowed the audience to completely immerse themselves in the music. Without even realizing it, their steps stopped where they were – still facing the direction they were about to leave, but their eyes were now fixed on the stage.
Let's just watch a bit longer.
Pop rock is often criticized for being shallow and repetitive, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's bad. In fact, it often means it's popular and catchy, easily allowing listeners to get lost in the music and sing along. Truly great pop rock can become a classic too.
The problem is, making a truly great pop rock song isn't that easy.
At this moment, the Day King band used the simplest and most basic chords to successfully bring the atmosphere of the venue into their rhythm. It has to be said that Ronan played a significant role in this.
From the moment they came on stage to the start of the performance, everything was under Ronan's control.
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