GuiTara

🎵~37

🎶Now your song is on repeat and I'm dancing on to your heartbeat ~ Clean Bandit feat. Zara Larsson

●Tara Afua Henrie●

The drive to Originally Afro-Mex's new venue was relatively short.

We arrived in less than thirty minutes, pulling into a spacious parking lot that was already bustling with activity. Construction workers were scattered around, moving materials, and giving instructions. The place was clearly a work in progress, but even in its unfinished state, I could tell it was going to be impressive.

As soon as we stepped out of the van, Pam turned to us with an excited grin. "Welcome to the new Originally Afro-Mex!"

Her excitement reminded me of the first day she brought me to the restaurant. It was just a couple of months back, but it already felt like ages.

We looked around, taking in the sight of the sprawling lot. It was at least three times the size of the old location's parking area, which made sense given that it would soon host a full-blown concert.

"This is where the magic is going to happen," Pam said, waving her arm around to indicate the entire area. "We're planning on setting up a large stage over there," she pointed to a far corner of the lot, "with the audience filling up this entire space. We'll have food stalls along the perimeter and plenty of seating in the middle. The event planners are figuring out the exact layout, but trust me, it's going to be epic."

Eden looked around, already envisioning the concert. "This place is huge. We could probably fit a thousand people here."

"That's the goal," Pam said with a nod. "We're expecting a big turnout, especially with you guys headlining."

Jax walked over to the spot Pam had indicated for the stage. "Are you planning on having just one stage, or will there be other smaller setups around?"

"Just one main stage," Pam replied, moving closer to him. "We want all the attention focused on the performances, but we'll have some smaller interactive zones—like meet-and-greet spots and photo booths—scattered around to keep things interesting during intermissions."

"What about the acoustics?" Luca asked. "This is an open space, so sound management will be crucial."

Pam nodded. "Yeah, we've got a top-notch sound engineering team on board. They're going to install a sound system that'll ensure the music carries well without getting distorted. We're also setting up sound barriers to manage any noise bleed, so the quality should be fantastic no matter where you're standing."

I took a deep breath, imagining the lot filled with people, music pumping through the speakers, and the energy of the crowd. It definitely was going to be a night to remember. "Guess you weren't kidding when you said you were pulling out all the stops."

"You know it," my sister nodded with a laugh. "C'mon, let's go inside." She led us towards the entrance of the building. "I want to show you what we've been working on in here."

The exterior of the new restaurant was sleek and modern, a huge contrast to the cosy, traditional vibe of the old venue. The glass doors reflected the sunlight, giving off brand-new vibes. The restaurant name on top of the building was concealed beneath a large, white tarp, securely fastened at the edges to keep it in place. Despite the cover, the bold outline of the letters was faintly visible through the material.