SOUND
Chapter 9 of Senses
The intercom buzzed. "Seven thirty, everyone," came the voice.
Jim stood up and faced the band. "All right everyone," he said, "here's where you earn your pay. No speeches, no prayers, just play the best fucking music you can. Everyone got their headsets on? Good.
"I love you guys."
"Absofuckinglutely," A.J. added.
The group of ten joined hands in a circle, and were silent for a moment. The silence was broken by Nazz Gleason, who said, "Let's rock."
The musicians broke out of their dressing room, with Jim leading them through the catacombs of backstage. They could hear a muffled roar that was getting louder. "House lights just went down," Jim said.
Each musician gained a technician holding a flashlight. When they hit the blackness of the stage, the applause became even louder. The musicians picked up their instruments and got into place, then the road technicians left the stage.
Jim sat at the piano on stage left, and spoke into his headset microphone. "One...two...three..." four was silent, as Scott David turned on the external sound for his microphone, so that the audience could hear. On the downbeat a spotlight shone on Jim as he hit an A minor ninth chord.
There was cheering as Jim played a mellow, improvised jazz tune. Most people in the audience were seeing him on a keyboard for the first time live, as he played strictly guitar when Blue Shift toured.
Jim finally held an E chord, and Phil started a rock drum beat. After four bars the horn section played a now familiar lick as the band launched into "Oh Michelle". The stage lights came on.
Jim belted out the vocals, sounding more soulful live than on the album. He brought the audience into the point of view of the song, confronting the woman of the song with her own somewhat unconventional desires. There was no right or wrong, just a picture painted in music.
The song ended with a strong guitar riff that A.J. used to open the song "Razor's Edge". A.J.'s voice was gritty, with a sexual edge as he sung about a woman who uses sex as a weapon. A.J. played the guitar solo as a come on to the audience, and Carrie, also on guitar, did the same. The shared glances between the two told the audience they were having fun. The glances told the band that sex would be had later.
The band segued into "Short Time Love", with Jim leaving the piano to sing solo. He spotted Karen's seat in the front row and personalized the song to her. The song had emotion to it, and the audience clapped along as the song built. Afterwards, Jim introduced the band as a twelve string guitar was brought out. He then introduced the next song as a song about excess. He let the drums start, then played A minor seventh to D major with an added second and an F sharp bass; the opening chords to "Cross-examination". The rest of the band joined in and they played the newest single from the album.
On the last chord Jim sat the guitar down and walked to the piano, playing the introduction to "Mystery To Me". A.J. had an eerie glow to him as he sang, thanks to some well-placed floor lights by Scott's team.
The band followed this song with "The Blame", Jim again leaving his keyboards behind, letting A.J. play them instead. When the keyboard solo was being played by Billy McCall, Jim picked up a guitar to add a part not on the album.
The song ended on solo guitar, being played by Jim. He played the opening riff to "Hitchhiker" and the rest of the band joined in. When the song ended, the band put their instruments down and A.J. walked to center stage. Jim went to his piano.
"Good evening Los Angeles!" A.J. shouted. "How you doing tonight?"
The crowd roared favorably.
"Good to be playing in the hometown!"
The crowd reacted enthusiastically.
"Now I want to talk to you tonight about critics."
The crowd booed agreeably.
"Now, now, be kind. They need to make a living too. One thing they have been criticizing is the length of our songs. Well, fuck them."
Jim played the opening notes to "Close Your Eyes" on the piano. "Knew that was coming?" he asked as the audience went wild. Phil joined on drums, then Billy on second keyboards. John Kilinger played the bass riff, then A.J. and Carrie joined in on guitars. Much to the surprise of the audience, the band played a longer version of the song than was on the album. Although it was an unusual concept, the audience received it well.
A video screen dropped down as Jim and A.J. left the stage. The picture on the screen followed the two men through the backstage catacombs, to a door that led to the outdoors on a bright sunny day. The video was the band's way of getting the song "Here We Go Again" played while they took a quick break.
When the video screen lifted, Jim was on the stage alone, with his twelve string guitar, which he used to play a solo version of "Reunion". Afterwards A.J. took the stage to play solo versions of "Segovia" and "Cry To Me". Jim rejoined him and the two played "The Cynic".
The rest of the band returned while A.J. picked up his electric guitar and Jim ran to the drum kit. From there they launched a two drummer version of "Complete Control". Jim stayed on drums to play the solo in "Miracles".
Jim returned to the piano when the band played "Won't Give You Up". He saw Karen in the front row applaud wildly as the song began. From there the band segued into "All I Ask Of You/Musical Fantasy". That was followed with "Maybe I Love You".
The rest of the band left the stage while Jim remained at the piano, playing the piano sonata he called "Jasmine". He followed that with a solo version of "Somebody's Mind".
The horn section played a quartet written by Nazz Gleason, and built it into the rock tune "Confirmation". The rock and roll form continued with "Why Don't We" and "Focus", and finally ended on the song "Felecia".
The band ended the set with "Runaway/Thought", which faded down to Jim alone on the piano before the stage fell dark.
The applause was deafening as Jim left the stage.
Jim was greeted by A.J. backstage. "Good job," A.J. said.
"Indeed it was," Jim replied, "and it ain't over yet."
The band returned to the stage for the encore, and Jim addressed the crowd from his piano. "You sure know how to embarrass a guy," he said. The crowd roared.
"I could get used to this," A.J. piped in.
"Well, we're going to do something different for you all tonight. We'd like to play on oldie written by two guys named John and Paul." With that he launched into "You Never Give Me Your Money".
The band, for the next fifteen minutes, played all of the remaining music on side two of the Beatles' "Abbey Road". When the three-way guitar solo leading into "The End" was played, Jim ran into the audience on the left while A.J. ran into the audience on the right. Carrie played the third guitar from center stage, and all three guitarists played extended solos. At the last solo the lights went down, and everyone came to center stage to sing the ending of "The End" a Capella.
As the applause rose the band bowed.
"Thank you! We love you all! Good night!" The band ran back to the dressing room; the show was over.
A.J. and Carrie hit the shower together first, while Jim met with Paul Cynic backstage.
"The Blue Shift album should hit the stores in about four weeks," Paul said. "They've decided that 'Wake Up Amy' will be the first single."
"Lee will be pleased," Jim responded.
"Good show. Especially the Beatles bit."
"Thanks."
Jim hit the shower and was greeted by Karen afterwards.
"What did you think?" Jim asked.
"Fun," Karen replied. "Wouldn't have missed it."
"Good. Drive you home?"
"Didn't you arrive in a limo?"
"Yes, but I really don't need it."
"Let's take the limo home. Let's have sex in the back seat."
Jim raised an eyebrow. "Getting ready for tomorrow?" he asked.
"What do you think?" Karen returned.
"You want to fuck in front of an unsuspecting limo driver?"
"Behind actually, and why not? It'll be good practice."
Jim shook his head in amazement. Just when he thought he had Karen figured our she threw new kinks into the structure.
"Well?" Karen asked.
"You're on," Jim replied.