Pull The Strings

17: rattling bass & flashing lights

{van}

While we were talking in a huddle, rating the support bands, the lights suddenly dimmed and a bass rattled the floor, creeping into my chest and drowning the quickening beat of my heart.

We were about three rows from the front and right in the middle, and despite there being some pretty tall fellas, we had a decent view when the four members sauntered on stage; Nick picking up his bass, Jamie already armed with his guitar, Matt shuffling around by the drums with his usual cheeky grin and then Alex in his new leather jacket, head down, sulky pout, grabbing the mic and holding the neck of his guitar tightly.

Before I could even comprehend what was happening, the intro to Brianstorm imploded out the speakers and a giant surge pushed everyone forward, pressing into each other.

Alex's voice was smoother and more controlled than I remembered it be on the record, all wobbly with the rhyming words, Brian and Tryin'. He was so cool but I felt like I could go for a pint with him down the local and talk about girls and the footy. I didn't know if I wanted to just be mates, have sex with him or be him. I'd try the latter. I might have a chance of getting more girls that way.

I looked to my left at Lexa. She had the biggest grin on her adorable face, cheeks tight and eyes squinting. Her hair was flying all over the place as she tipped her head from side to side while jumping along to the beat with everyone. She looked so incredibly happy. I was a little worried earlier when she was being all fidgety and quiet while we were in the queue, but she looked as if she was the having the time of her life now.

Then the lights flashed on and off impossibly quickly, black and white, and everything was moving in slow motion but the music still pumped around my body at its fast pace. When the song finished, everyone stopped jumping but the heavy atmosphere still remained.

"Hello, Manchester." Alex's voice croaked out into the mic. He sounded tired as normal but I could see a sly smile on his lips under the dim lighting.

"He's real!" Alexa shouted, looking to Benji and I excitedly. I laughed and nudged her shoulder to which she grinned at.

"Yous all good?" Alex said again, smiling at some snarky replies from the audience, "Right, here's a gooden. Still take you 'ome, yeah?"

We all screamed for no reason and they launched into it, which got everyone going. It was pretty much like watching four gods; they could have had smoke halos smelling like leather and mahogany and beer above their heads and I wouldn't have questioned it. They played song after song, from D is for Dangerous to Dancing Shoes and then two new ones called Pretty Visitors and Go-Kart which were weird but still awesome because... It's Arctic Monkeys we're talking about.

I'd been hit in the face multiple times by some burly dude next to me, Benji had some screaming teenage girls next to him and Lexa had half a pint down her front which she was being a champ about. It looked like she'd puked down her top as it was all sticky and was clinging to her bra (which I tried my best not to look at) but she carried on like it didn't bother her.

"Fuckin' hell, Manchester. Thank yous... A lot." Alex mumbled into the mic, "This is our last one now." Everyone booed, "Yeahhh, I know. It's been fun here. 'Night."

The interlocking notes to Fluorescent Adolescent filled the room, along with a sense of euphoria and carelessness that encouraged Lexa to scream at the top of her lungs, earning a few grins from the people around us and a quick glance from Jamie. She danced even at the quiet parts, and wrapped her arms around mine and Benji's necks, pulling us closer to her.

I stopped singing and watched her closely. She was more able to captivate me than the fucking Arctic Monkeys. That was near impossible yet she managed it. You wouldn't believe that this bouncing, grinning, singing teenage girl was the same as the one I walked to school with every morning, who could lose focus of the world for minutes and disappear with a sad face to return holding secrets underneath it.