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I drive this time, and ever since the last time they kidnapped me that lead me to an existential crisis. Neither of them has mentioned it if they’ve noticed, which I’m ok with not explaining.
Piloting the vehicle onto the highway, Cedar explains that this venue is a smaller setting than normal. It’s a cozier experience, less crowded, less chaos, and perfect for someone’s first concert.
My first.
I don’t know how or why, maybe because I listen to older music, but I’ve never been to a show before and that was reason number two for Cedar picking tonight’s show as our celebration.
Reason number one being that she loves this band …
We listen to a few of As Above’s newer songs, and I can’t say that I hate it. It’s got more of a soul base than a scream-in-your-face beat and it’s more my speed, so I allow the excitement tobuild as we pull into the parking garage a block from the bar and unload from the car to start the trek.
Cedar gets us in the door easily, thanks to the tickets on her phone and the flirty bouncer stationed at the entrance. I follow their lead as nerves cause a sheen of sweat on my palms and a tingle in my fingertips.
“Get us some drinks!” Cedar shouts to Aurora who nods in response and drags me to the bar along the back wall of the venue. She orders something for us, and Cedar pops back up next to me before the bartender can get the cups out to us.
“Fuck is that?” I ask, flipping the shirt that now hangs over her shoulder.
“What? It’s tradition!” She holds onto the material, leaning away from me to get the thing out of my grasp. “No touchy! I get one from every show I go to.”
“Jesus, that must mean your closet is full.”
“You’re not wrong.” She laughs and nods to the bartender that offers up colored shots to each of us.
We shoot the drinks as the next round is made, these ones sipping drinks, and make our way into the crowd in search of our seats that I know aren’t really seats. The floor in front of the stage is mostly open, with only a few standing tables around the edge of the space. Cedar leads us up front to one of the tables when a familiar voice calls out
“Hey ladies!” Jonathon pushes through the growing crowd and meets us at our table.
“Hey!” Aurora greets quicker than the rest of us but shakes it off with a dazzling smile.
“Glad you could make it.” I shoot my sister a look when she mean mugs me, but smile for Jonathon. He says something to her that makes her giggle and touch his arm, but quickly addresses us.
“You guys ready to hear Wonderer?” I scrunch up my nose and turn to Cedar who rolls her eyes and shakes her head.
“Opener for As Above.” She explains to just me but plays nice with him. “I’m definitely curious!” Cedar has to shout over the music that begins, the lights dimming so that only a single beam illuminates the small stage.
Wonderer is just a guy with a deep voice and a saxophone. The music he plays is smooth, reminiscent of older tunes, and has me spending the time swaying to the beat with my eyes closed. I eat up the melodies, even more so when he covers a song I know to get some noise from the crowd. Elated, I sip my drink and pull out my phone to take pictures. I turn the lens on my sisters as one pretends not to flirt with the new guy and the other sways to the beat. Cedar would never admit it, but she likes this kind of music almost as much as I do.
It’s calming …
“So, I want to give a quick thank you to As Above.” The crowd goes wild at the mention of the headliner, so much so that Wonderer has to pause with a chuckle. “I’ve been a fan since day one, it’s a true pleasure to meet these guys and play for them.” Again, the crowd cheers. I clap in agreeance, the aura in the place contagious. “Without further adieu …” He pauses, gesturing to the side stage. “AS ABOVE!”
Lights drop, the stage is black, and a single cord is played out as the floor fills in with even more people.
The noise becomes almost deafening, including the two women at my table that lose their ever-loving minds. I shake my head with a smile but turn my phone camera back on them. I’d rather see their reactions.
I’m not disappointed when the lights come back up and my sisters are bathed in green. They scream, hop, and clap in excitement, all of which I capture on video. My chest expands with pride and excitement for these two, my face aching from allthe smiles as the note carries out and slams into the beginning of a song.
“Good morning!” A deep voice booms into the mic. “We’re As Above!” Cedar turns to me and makes a face I capture, then she shakes me with a squeal.
“You gotta watch!” She shouts as the music picks up, wrapping an arm around me. I oblige her and turn my sight to the stage as lyrics begin pouring out of a voice that sounds familiar. The thing larger than it appeared when it was just one guy, screens illuminate on either side of the stage, lights flashing and highlighting each member of the band.
My eyes wander, taking in the sight of a guitarist on our side of the stage, playing to the crowd, singing along to the song. He holds the instrument up, banging his head to the beat, and just vibing along.
The euphoria spreads like wildfire across the room, not a single stilled soul in the crowd, including me. I bob to the beat, Cedar dancing against me making it impossible not to move along with her.
But when the camera pans, my sight moves back to the screens and my heart stops.
“Oh my God.” I freeze, my eyes lying to me right now as clearly as the singer screams into the microphone.
