Chapter 2: Part 1b: Hope You Guess My Name
Backstage, in the bar area. A
heated conversation gets interrupted.
"... And you know it's
gonna be good, whatever it is, am I right?" The big bass player in the
trench coat finishes his speech with enthusiasm. This seems to get the ad hoc
audience of semi inebriated people around involved, and goes some way toward
diffusing some obvious tension between the big man and the synth player. The
taller man glances around as if looking for someone.
In bursts a very broad man through the doorway. "Man! What a rush! Wow! Guys, this was the best! How are we gonna top that one! Wow!" he says, almost(?) treading on the tail of an old border collie who has been lapping up spilt beer by the doorway, who whines slightly. This stymies any hope Kyle might have had of the conversation continuing.
A goth woman moves towards the dog in the wake of the large man's passage. She holds out her hands and quietly mutters reassuring words, "Hey there fella! It's ok, don't worry" she keeps her eyes averted and lowers her hand to near its nose so it can get a sniff. She seems to be moving so she can get a hand on its collar area.
The dog backs away from the hand of the woman, ears lowered. "Whine..." and backs through the crowd to the bar, close to the tall bass player. It sits, and thumps its tail it a few times as if to check for any serious injury.
A tall, blonde and rather impressive looking woman arm in arm with the guitarist who played before Powderfinger walk up to the bar. They have their sights on the band members of Ethereal Skies, and pass through the crowded area with ease, as the attention of the audience has been somewhat distracted by the dog.
The goth girl persists in coming closer to the dog to try to catch it. "Who let the dog in here? I'm calling security" says one of the people behind the bar, who then ducks out of the tent via the back exit.
The dog keeps its collar out of reach of the girl, and (to the sudden silence of those nearby) begins to whine, bark and growl the chorus to the unnamed song after Oblivious. It then sits up as if waiting for a treat with the biggest doggy grin anyone has ever seen. Goth girl's hand hangs loosely by her side, her mouth open.
A security person opens the tent entrance to allow a young man into the bar area. "Is that your dog mate?" he says breaking the sudden silence of the room.
The blonde is dressed in a dust coloured canvas mini skirt, tight green t-shirt, fur trimmed leather jacket and ugg boots that go up to her knees. Her hair ranges down around her bum, and she gestures downwards to the Dog, look directly at the ES bass player "Well, it looks like we are not the only admirers of your performance tonight, although I am not sure that a dog would have that much discernment?"
She smiles at the bass player then kneels to look directly at the dog. "Perhaps he knows something we don't though?"
Straightening up she offers her hand to the bassist "My name's Freda."
The young man coming through the door is cute in an indistinguishable way with shoulder length blond hair and light blue eyes that have a quiet smile for all the room, he is dressed in long kakhi shorts and a faded Chemical Brothers T-shirt. A beaded necklace of seeds rests above the hollow of his throat.
He sees the border collie sitting up next to the bass player at the bar and moves away from the bouncer straight to the dog, "Hey Scurvy".
Kneeling down by the dog he runs his hands through the dog's fur and gets several welcoming licks for his trouble. He looks up at the blond woman and the bass player and smiles winningly, "Thanks for looking out for old Scurvy, hope he hasn't been any trouble, we love your music." Then he stands up and looks at the seated bass player "Especially the last song, that one could have tempt Angels from heaven," he smiles again and looking at both the blond and the bass player says, "My name's Tobias"
"Hi, I'm-" The bass player is dressed in shabby grey jeans, a black collared shirt and the somewhat unseasonal trenchcoat. He has just opened his mouth to speak to Freda when the dog and Tobias intervene. "-er, hello, Tobias. Scurvy there seems to hold a tune well. Do you think he'd agree to perform on a remix or two? Kyle here has a portable recording studio we could use, eh Kyle?" He looks around for Kyle, who appears to have sulked off to a corner of the bar where a pair of nubile Asian Goths are looking around, evidently starstruck. "OK, later then," he mutters to the growing distance between them. Turning back to the three newcomers. "Anyways, I'm Tyler. I play bass. Glad you all liked the show. You're not here for...autographs, are you?" The slight pause prompts a glance between Tyler's dark, tired eyes and those of the band's wiry singer. "Er, this is Saul. He's the frontman."
Amidst the main throng of the bar, Rudy can be heard engaged in loud conversation with someone. "You're from Powderkeg?! I love that song with the noises and the screaming and the crunchy guitar! How'zit go again? Bow! Ba-nana bow! Ba-nana bow! BA-NANA BOW! YEAH!!"
"And that's our drummer Rudy," Tyler finishes with a faint smile.
Tobias laughs and bends down to tug gently at Scurvy's ear "You never know my friend, he's a dog of many talents, and don't worry no autographs it's not my thing, although you'll get plenty of requests with more sets like that."
"Hi Saul" Tobias looks quickly at Saul and across to Rudy and then grins, "Ethereal Skies, beautiful name." He looks intensely, curiously at Tyler for a brief moment and then turns at to the blond woman to hold out his hand, "Sorry for interrupting my name's Tobias..."
Saul chuckles. "Beautiful was not exactly what we were going for, but not everyone has read Paradise Lost." he mutters.
Freda puts her hand on Tobias's shoulder "Well Tobias, my name's Freda. And I trust you recognise Fel Michelle. We were just contemplating Ethereal Skies set" She lets out explosive sigh "But I would think even ethereal skies begin to resemble a maze of isolation, paranoia, selfishness and fear when they are all you have known for far too long."
A smile dawns on her face and her eyes glow as she turns to Tyler "But something brought us all here didn't it. You know Tyler I do believe that the third track you played tonight was the first music I can remember hearing after I returned. What a coincidence!"
She stares at the two young Goth girls fawning over Rudy, and drags her eyes back over. Tyler and Saul brooding at one another, Scurvy leaning slightly against Tobias. Her eyebrows raise a few millimetres higher.
The security guy watches this exchange with rising frustration. "Excuse me, but no animals are supposed to be back here" he says to Tobias. "Also, you do not have a pass. Can you please come with me." He says, not a question. He moves over to Tobias's side to grab his arm.
Initially ignoring the security guard, Tyler inclines his head towards Freda. "Congratulations, you're the second most disturbing woman I've met recently. Perhaps the three of us could discuss our influences somewhere a bit quieter?" Somewhat enigmatically, Tyler directs this last statement to Freda, Saul, and Fel Michelle before he turns to attract the attention of the simmering security guard. "Hey... ah, mate? Don't go too rough on Tobias and the dog here. I'll be wanting to speak to them in half an hour or so. That dog's got real talent."
Tobias smiles beatifically at Tyler, Freda, Fel and the security guy. "Wow that's a pretty intense set of ideas you have. but you know ...'like the baseless fabric of this vision, the cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces, the solemn temples, the great globe itself, yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve and, like the insubstantial pageant faded, leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep...' that is the Ethereal a beautiful dream...trust Shakespeare to say it right!"
He looks at both Tyler and Freda, "But I think we might have things to say to each other, maybe we could talk?"
Saul half smiles at the young man. "Ok, you see my Milton and raise me a Shakespeare. I fold."
Tobias looks spaced for a few seconds and then turns to Tyler and says with a little bit of what could be construed as forced cheer, "That would be great Tyler, I'd love to talk to you, think we are going to have a lot to discuss, music, Scurvy, ancient dead religions maybe, important things..." he looks down at Scurvy and shuffles his feet, "They are important you know, my mentor Yves once told me that nothing that ever existed did so without a reason." then recovering his erstwhile confident self he turns to the security guard and gives a disarming smile, "No need to fly off the handle is there? We'll just wait quietly here in a corner out of the way until the musicians come back from talking shop eh?"
Turning to the girls he looks appreciatively at Freda, "Great to meet you Freda, Michelle, groovy set by the way, have fun!" and moves to step away.
The security guy takes Tobias' arm and motions for him to get the dog under control. As soon as they are ready, he begins to escort Tobias from the bar area.
Saul nods to Tyler, and walks up behind them. "Hey, guy. Here, bring that dog of yours out to the back entrance of the band area in an hour or so, and I will get our manager to leave a pass for you. Tobias, is it?" He nods to Tobias, and then absently pats Scurvy on the head. "Who is a clever dog?" he chuckles.
Under his breath he mutters to Tobias, "You will have to let me know how you did that, with the singing. Very good dog."
"Tobias can you do me a favour?" Freda calls. As Tobias turns, "Try and find Erika and Jorge - they are located at about 11 o'clock from the main stage 150 metres back - here..." she passes Tobias her jacket "Perhaps Scurvy will recognise their scent?"
"Just let them know I will be back soon. I would be rally grateful. You can't miss them, they both have accents like mine."
"Sure, here Scurvy take a whiff." Scurvy obediently sniffs the jacket. "Erika and Jorge, no problem!" turning back he lets the ruffled guard continue to lead him away he says sotto voice to the small group "Let Hercules himself do what he may, The cat will mew, and dog will have his day!" and smiles "See you later!"
With that, Tobias and Scurvy are escorted from the tent area, and back out of the backstage area.
Back in the tent, Fel Michelle is eyeing Tyler speculatively. She blurts out "That weird track... was improv, wasn't it? Not planned?".