That Thing You Do! (Multiband Fan Fic)

Chapter 45 - Bands

Katie's P.O.V

"Whoa..." I looked at the stage.
"We're playing on that?" Eddie asked the gov.
"Ye-P." Gov smiled, standing on my left, Eddie on my right.
"How many will be out there?" I asked, looking at the empty auditorium.
We stood on stage left. There were some roadies setting up the stage, putting the drumkit together, and setting up the back drops. Brian Johnson was talking to a guy, as he was setting up a mic stand, on stage right.

"We're talking in the thousands for AC/DC, you guys will probably get half. A lot of folk prefer to come when the headliners take to the stage." Gov responded.
"Whoa..." The sound of Stevie's lighter coming to life behind me.
"Yeah. Whoa..." I nodded. I can't do this...

"Phillip, my ol' son!" Brian Johnson called out, looking this way.
There was a thud behind me. Eddie and I looked back, seeing Stevie lying on the floor. Dylan looked unsure as to what happened.
Gov laughed and walked over to Brian.
"You OK?!" We helped my cousin up.
"It's Brian Johnson..." He stared at the man, arm around my neck for support.
"Yeah. He's more British then I thought... His voice I mean." I looked at Eddie. "I wasn't expecting that accent to be so strong."
Eddie nodded, understanding. "Wish Maria was here. She loves AC/DC."
"Didn't know that..." Dylan smiled at him.
"Yeah, three posters - the big ones. All the vinyl, all live albums, all CDs, even a couple on cassette. Seen them live four times!" Eddie told us. "I went with her three of those times."
"Oh, y'ah? Who were wi'h 'er on thah fourth time?" Stevie nudged Eddie.
We all laughed.
"Her cousin is also a fan, and got the tickets on her birthday, inviting Maria to go with her." Eddie explained.
"Mhmm... 'cousin'." Stevie smiled at me, doing air quotes.
I nudged him, and Dylan cleared his throat, nodding to the front of us.
Gov and Brian Johnson were walking this way.

"The newest recruits! I've 'eard a lot about you lot. How are ya?" Brian smiled at us.
"We're great. Thank you for letting us on the tour! It's really great to meet you, Mr Johnson." Eddie jumped to it.
"Ah, just call us Brian, alright!" Brian laughed, shaking Eddie's hand.
"Right. I'm Eddie Riot." Eddie smiled.
"Your real name?" Brian asked him.
"You better believe it. He's killer. Bass." Gov chipped in.
"Alright. And you are?" Brian turned to Stevie next.
"Stevie King..." Stevie stared at him, with a goofy smile.
"Stevie's our drummer. A fan of yours, also. I'm Dylan Chaser. Rhythm guitar." Dylan came forwards, standing between Stevie and Eddie.
"Right, nice to meet you both!" Brian smiled, shaking Dylan's hand as well.
"This is Monroe." Gov then pointed me out.
"I've heard a lot about you!" Brian smiled, nodding to me.
"I deny everything." Was the first thing that came to my mind.
The guys all laughed and Brian shook my hand.
"I look forward to your show." He smiled at me.
"Thanks. Lookin' forward to yours too." I smiled. I'm not a fan of AC/DC, but I had to be polite.

"And this is Todd. Lead singer." Gov passed the attention onto... Well, Dylan's the dickhead friend, but Todd's no better, so lets go with... twat. Todd the twat! Dylan the dickhead.
"Pleasure. I caught you guys on your last tour. Very impressive!" Todd smiled, shaking Brian's hand.
"Glad you agree, son." Brian smiled. "I'll let you kids get used to the stage. Phillip will get you to grips. This is an upgrade from those small venues, 'ey?" Brian smiled at us.
"Yes, massive change." Eddie nodded, smiling, looking around the stage.
"Phillip?" Dylan asked.
Stevie and I snorted.
"They call me the gov'nor, now, Brian." Gov confessed.
"Gov'nor?" Brian smiled, making it sound magnificent with his accent. "I like it! You'll be getting all that now, this tour!" Brian nudged the gov. "See you later, kids!"
"Thanks, Brian. We'll see you later!" Dylan smiled, looking at the gov.
"Laugh it up." Gov gave Dylan the middle finger. "Come on, take to the stage!"

We all laughed, walking onto the stage.
Stevie ran up to the drumkit, going as far as standing on the stool. He looked out at the auditorium and smiled, nodding to himself, taking his drumsticks in hand, making the cross with them.
Todd started talking to the gov, walking downstage.
Eddie and Dylan hung with me, on stage left, but on the stage, not backstage.

"It's bigger then I thought it was going to be..." I confessed.
"Yeah. We need to change some things up, I reckon..." Dylan put his left arm over my shoulders, putting himself in between me and Eddie.
"What if Todd goes downstage, and us three lined up, just behind him... That way we can run, spin, jump, and whatever..." Eddie suggested.
"Rolli-pollies?" I suggested.
"Three..." Dylan moved his arm. "Two..." We spaced out. "One..."
We all walked forward fast and took a roll, landing back up mid stage.
"I'm going back, Dylan take your side." I suggested.

Dylan and I did our rolls to our respected areas. Eddie looked at us both, either side of him and nodded.
"Maybe a couple of steps forward." He suggested.
We nodded at him and each took two steps forward.
I saw a guy hanging on stage left, through the corner of my eye. I looked over at him. Tall with long blonde hair, a black scarf around his head. His blue jeans were ripped, and he wasn't wearing a shirt, but he wore black cowboy boots. He was like... If Dylan had a twin...
He was leaning back on an amp, arms crossed, watching us, smirking. He was impressed.

"Monroe! Tornado!" Eddie called to me.
I looked over at him and nodded.
I approached, going low, doing a roll, Dylan jumped over me, and Eddie counted his steps, as he needed his guitar. I'd duck under the neck of his bass, Dylan would jump over it, all whiles playing our instruments.

I smiled, coming to a stand.
"Awesome!" Stevie called out to us, sat at the drums.
"What's it like up there, man?" Dylan asked him, dusting himself off.
Dylan's twin was nodding, really impressed.
"Awesome! Come look!" Stevie waved him up.
Dylan ran up the few steps and joined Stevie behind the drums. "Wicked..."
"Impressive... You do that as you play?" The cowboy approached.
"Yeah." I nodded at him.
"You guys are gonna go far... I'm Alec Spencer. I play bass in Hell Hounds. I didn't chose the name!" He smiled at us.
"You related to Jani Lane? You look a hell of a lot like 'im!" Eddie asked.
"Man, I wish. I'm honoured you say that! I'm an only child, from Houston, Texas." Alec smiled at us.
"I'm Monroe. This is Eddie." I introduced us. "Hell Hounds isn't that bad."
"It is. I like your guy's name. Janie's Gun." Alec shook Eddie's hand in greeting.
"Thanks. Monroe came up with it." Eddie nodded to me, stood on his right.
"Stevie inspired it. Our drummer." I pointed out Stevie. "And that's Dylan. Main song writer, rhythm guitarist."
"Nice. Your uh... Lead singers a bit..." Alec looked over at Todd.
The gov ran a hand over his face, but acted calm, as Todd was talking.
"He's a twat, but knows how to sing." I chimed in.
"That works." Alec laughed.