Tick-tock, tick-tock... The minute hand had quietly moved past the five o'clock mark. Night had entered its darkest and most tiring hour before dawn. The test of energy and stamina had reached its most severe stage. Predictably, the surging crowd at the Old Ironworks Bar had begun to gradually thin out.
Looking around, the venue was still filled with people, and the lively scene seemed unchanged. But if you paid close attention, you could clearly notice that the gaps between people had widened. At most, only two-thirds of the crowd remained compared to the peak hour's shoulder-to-shoulder, bustling mass. There were visible spaces, and the overall sense of space had become noticeably larger, bringing with it a slight dip in the overall mood.
Of course, considering the previous performer played peaceful and gentle country music, the calmer atmosphere was understandable.
However, being right in the middle of it, you could truly feel the subtle shift in the atmosphere.
Alice was experiencing just that.
Surrounded by the remaining crowd, Alice could feel the gradually easing atmosphere subtly starting to pick up and become more lively again. And all of this stemmed from Ronan's control. This version of Ronan felt so unfamiliar to Alice, like a stranger she was meeting for the first time tonight:
An immense light radiated from Ronan. Could this be what they called... stage presence?
"Hey hey... hey hey..."
Alice could feel the surging singing voices coming from all directions, enveloping her completely. She moved the camera lens around and could see the bustling scene at the Old Ironworks Bar. She could vaguely sense the crowd in the bar moving towards the front of the stage, and then the entire space became crowded again. Everyone could feel an inner drive, being awakened by the music.
This was the charm of a live performance.
"Calm down! Calm down!" (Note 1)
After two consecutive eight-bar phrases, Ronan, standing at the very front of the stage, began to sing out loud. He held the microphone with both hands, a smile playing on his lips. The narrative lyrics didn't contain much complex emotion, simply and directly telling their story, melting into the melody.
"They say we're too young to make a difference, but take a look around, we've been fighting so hard just to get to today, just to have our say."
Was this... about tonight?
The audience present could grasp the information they needed from the plain lyrics: they indeed didn't know this band, and they indeed didn't have high expectations for the upcoming performance. But for the band standing on the stage, tonight might be their last chance, a matter of life and death.
However, in Ronan's singing, there was no trace of sadness or bitterness. Between the well-paced drum beats, his voice moved freely. Not only was there no self-pitying despair or struggle, but it was also filled with the joy and freedom of soaring. That subtle feeling was like –
Even standing precariously on the edge of a cliff, they were still willing to open their arms and jump, truly enjoying the fleeting brilliance of life's final moments.
Young. Bold. Unrestrained. Wild.
Unconsciously, all eyes in the venue quietly focused on Ronan.
Simple and unadorned lyrics, a catchy rhythm, an easy-to-understand melody. Purely from the perspective of the song, it wasn't a particularly striking piece, at least not the kind that immediately grabbed your attention. However, Ronan's rendition and interpretation gave the melody a vibrant life force. Standing there, feeling the pulse of the music, you could sense the emotional charm radiating from within.
Live performances had such infectious power!
"If you don't swim, you'll drown, but darling, please don't move."
The style of the lyrics suddenly shifted, and you could see the band's playing pause slightly for a moment, a beat, just the duration of a rest. Then, a big smile spread across Ronan's face, tinged with a hint of smugness, as if he was very satisfied that his performance had successfully misled the entire audience.
That mischievous playfulness quietly blended into the melody, accompanied by Ronan jumping high into the air and then landing heavily on his feet, unleashing a powerful surge of energy.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Drums! Guitar! Bass! Vocals!
All the sounds merged together, like a falling galaxy, pouring out and cascading down with immense force. The surging roar vibrated in their ears, and their eardrums and hearts shook along with it. The irrepressible excitement surged with the drumbeats, and then they truly entered the band's kingdom.
"She looks so perfect standing there in my American Apparel underwear, and I know now that I'm so down."
Aha!
It was a love song! The previous lyrics immediately found a new meaning: a young couple, not favored by others, people always thought first love was like a bitter green apple, and it was very, very difficult for "high school sweethearts" to resist the torrent of life and reach the end together. But for the couple deeply in love with each other, they refused to compromise and refused to bow their heads, ready to go all out.
If you don't swim, you might drown; but if you don't take a chance, you'll only be swallowed by the lake. On the contrary, trying your best might still allow you to catch a glimmer of hope.
When he looked at her, he knew he was determined.
Listen, those were young lovebirds singing to their beloved.
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"Your lipstick stain is a work of art, I got your name tattooed in an arrow heart, and I know now that I'm so down. Hey! Hey!"
Boom!
Emotions surged, drumbeats were passionate, the rhythm was澎湃. Unknowingly, the entire audience had been drawn into the fairy tale woven by Ronan. If it were a normal situation, the audience might still need some time to warm up. But being in the middle of a wild party, just a few drumbeats could make people excited, just a few melodic notes could make them crazy. What's more, at five in the morning, their hazy and confused brains had no way to think, so they could only passively feel the surging rhythm in their blood and then jump along with it.
Jump!
Jump!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Nodding, nodding, bouncing and nodding along. Without thinking, they just blended in. The mid-tempo rhythm was incredibly friendly to the audience whose internal organs were churning and who were feeling dizzy and lightheaded. They only needed to nod gently to hit the beat, and unknowingly they started jumping along with the rhythm. They didn't even notice that Ronan on stage was jumping with his feet together, using his body movements to match the band's playing –
From Maxim's to Ollie's beats, all were concentrated in Ronan's movements, unknowingly merging into one.
And the audience on the scene could also feel this wave of enthusiasm. Their movements weren't spontaneous, but rather they felt the psychological cues from the stage. The entire audience jumped along with Ronan in unison. The beat seemed to have integrated into their blood.
Note 1: She Looks So Perfect – 5 Seconds of Summer