What Happened to Your Club?! (Renee)

[Simon Ward]

Renee would have been greeted this night to an empty bed with a note that said, “Back later. Love you.” The night seemed to be normal. Unfortunately before she even made it to work regulars trusted with means of contacting her were blowing up the phone. “What do you mean you’re closed tonight?” “When will you be open again?” “Why aren’t you open?!” The messages came in droves. What made matters worse there was no private rental of the place on the books. So, this was a night where no one could get into her club, and there was no deposit handy.

Whether Renee arrived at the front door, which would have been unlocked for her from the inside of the club by one of her workers. If she teleported in, or took a back entrance, the second she was in view to the club’s stage hideous noises started.

Twanging noises of an electric guitar, clearly someone trying their hand at country music, a drummer and a pianist. Renee would have recognized the two awol workers behind the drum kit and piano, respectively. Leading this monstrosity of cavalcade was a very recognizable man. Simon Cross strummed away at his guitar. The trio started the second any sign of Renee showed. Singing in a very outlaw country way, a tone no one had heard before:

“Well, I don’t care if it rains or freezes. Long as I gots my Plastic Jesus, ridin’ on the dashboard in my car. Through all trials and tribulations, sent my travel through the nations, my Jesus on the car.”

Simon was singing Jello Biafra and Mojo Nixon’s “Plastic Jesus.” What made matters worse was when the chorus kicked in:

“PLASTTTIIIC JESSSUUSSSSSS. PLASTTTIIIC JESSSUUSSSSS, RIDIN’ ON THE DASHBOARD IN MY CAR!”

He dragged the two others into this song with him it seemed. Simon kept going, as the others kept playing:

“I’m afraid he’ll have to go! His magnet’s ruinin’ my radio. And if I have a wreck, he’ll leave a scar.”

The trio continued to play before Simon suddenly left a lot of feedback. If Renee was thinking of killing the power she may have wanted to reconsider because the notes going through the speakers were going through a tonal shift. Someone just wanted to catch her off guard.

Notes played as Simon worked on his black electric guitar. Dressed in a three quarter leather coat, black, with a button down workshirt of the same color, and jeans that matched everything he started to sing:

“I wanted you to knoooowww. I love the way you laauugghh. I wanna hold you hiiigh, and steal your pain awwwaayyy. I keep your photograph. I know it serves me well. I wanna hold you high, and steal your painnn. Cause I’m brooookkkeennnn. When I’m open, and I donnntt, feell likkee, I am strong enouuuggh. ‘Cause I’m brokkkeeenn, when I’m loonneesooome. And I don’t feell right, when you’re gonne away.”

Most people were familiar with Sether’s “Broken” when it featured Amy Lee. Simon was covering the original that was done solely by Seether. The pianist acted as backup piano instead of back up guitar so the sound was still unique. The shadow was lost in the song as he continued to play and sing with the other:

“The worst is overrrr now, and we can breathe agaiiin. I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away. There’s so much to learrrnn, and no one left to fiiight. I wannna hold you high, and steaall your painnn. Cause I’m brooookkkeennnn. When I’m open, and I donnntt, feell likkee, I am strong enouuuggh. ‘Cause I’m brokkkeeenn, when I’m loonneesooome. And I don’t feell right, when you’re gonne away.”

The others sang with Simon when appropriate. He was clearly lead guitar as the solo was all him. Still, they all continued to sing:

“Cause I’m brooookkkeennnn. When I’m open, and I donnntt, feell likkee, I am strong enouuuggh. ‘Cause I’m brokkkeeenn, when I’m loonneesooome. And I don’t feell right, when you’re gonne away.”

Notes danced through the speakers and in the near empty club. Simon’s eyes were on Renee. When the song was over something different happened, usually by now he got off the stage, hugged, kissed, whatever. Tonight he was staying on the stage. The drummer and pianist began to play a song together. Clearly, someone had a few tricks up their sleeve.

((OOC Note:"Plastic Jesus" by Jello Biafra and Mojo Nixon, and "Broken" by Seether, respectively. Lyrics belong to them, and their associated company))

[Renee]

Renee awoke to an empty bed, again. Simon was an early riser, well earlier than she was at the very least. She pulled herself the bed and made her way into the bathroom. A call to Simon would have to wait till she had gotten ready. Perhaps they could meet after she was done at the club and had checked on the meat shop. She quickly showered and then did her hair and makeup as she all did.

Deciding to go with one of her favorite outfits, she slipped on her white dress with the purple dots all over it. She tied the purple belt around her and slipped on her purple shoes to match. After a few snap shots wither her camera she decided she was reasonably dressed she went to the living room to grab her phone before heading to the refrigerator and took out a blood pack.

She began to drink it as she looked at her phone. She quickly spit out some of the blood as the messages were read. What the **** was going on. She quickly downed what was left of the blood pack and ported herself into her office at the club. One of the workers was in there and she seemed to of startled them as she entered.

"What the **** is going on? Why have you all not opened the club? My phone has been going off non stop all night." She did not wait for them to answer as she climbed the stairs up to the bar. She walked out from behind the bar and out towards the front door before being stopped by music.

She turned to look and saw that it was Simon. She was torn between giving him a hug and kiss and ripping him a new one for messing with her cash flow for the night. She went to talk but the music was too loud. She would have to wait for him to be finished before she would decide which way to go.

[Simon Ward]

Simon was able to see the confusion when she appeared. He hoped it was more for the first minute of playing. Nixon's "Plastic Jesus" was a really bad song. Plus it clashed with his style on multiple levels. However, after the first song he didn't stop. As the old saying went, the show must go on.

The band's beat was slow and the piano started with the bass line. Then Simon was quick to pick up the guitar before piano keys then subbed out synthesized notes in the actual version of the song. This rendition of the song was worked at half-tempo compared to the original. If Renee was a fan of 80s pop songs then she would have recognized one of The Cure's hits right away even at the slow pace. The tempo turned a three to four minute song into a nearly six minute one. He sang:

"Show me, show me, show me, how you do that triiick. The one that makes me scream, she says. The one that makes me love, she says. Through her arms around my neck. Show meeee how you do iittt, and I promise you, I promise that I'll run away with you, I'lll run away with you."

Technically Simon was covering a cover. The original was The Cure's "Just Like Heaven." However, P. Exter Blue III, aka Elijah Allman, and his band Deady did the half tempo rendition that Simon preferred. The Cure were great, legends even. However, sometimes they played songs too fast for personal tastes.

Still the band kept playing the song:

"Staving offf the dizzy edge, I kissed her face, and kissed her head. Dreamin' of all the different ways I had to make her gloowww, why are you so farrr away, she says. Won't you ever know? That I'm in love with you. That I'm in love with youuuu. Youuuuu soft and lovely, Youuuuuu lost and lonely, Youuuuu strange and angels, dancing in the deepest oceans, twisting in the water, You're just like a dream. Just like a dream."

The man was becoming a slave to the song as always. Notes danced in the air as his fingers strummed over the guitar, drum beats and piano mashed with everything else.

"Daylight licked me into shape, I must've been aaassssleep for dayssss, when moving lips, to breathe name, I opened up my eyes. I found myself aloooonne, alooonnnneee, aloonne and by the raging seaaa, stole the only girl I loved, drowned her deep inside of meeee...Youuuuu soft and lovely, lost and lonely, youuuuu just like heaven."

When this song was done Simon looked at Renee. Whether she knew this or not, this was all for her. The band breathed out for a second before the piano started up again. That was the cue of everyone else another song was up.

((OOC Note: "Just like Heaven" belongs to The Cure. Deadsy's cover of the song from their independent release prior to getting a record deal. All copyrights to them where appropriate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-OBoCFQt-Y ))

[Renee]

She had expected him to stop, like get had done so in the past, but he doesn't. He keeps going much to her surprise. She turned to a few of her employees, some of whom had a look of apology on their face, others of which were more concerned with watching the show. She waved one over of them over and they were kind enough to bring a seat for her to sit in.

"Where you in on this?" She asked over the sound of the music. Again she looked at her and mouthed the word Sorry to her before walking quickly back over to the bar with the others. She sat down in the seat that had been brought over and returned her attention back to Simon. Over thinking most of what was going on she had to wonder, why.

[Simon Ward]

Everyone was still on stage. The pianist began to play a series of notes again, and again, and again. As he did Simon tied back his hair before he came in with the guitar. His notes were distinct and very short. His part sounded very machine like. Out of all the songs played and rehearsed this was the hardest to replicate without a synthesizer, but they found a way. Nine Inch Nails made it difficult for any band to cover regardless of song.

"IIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii've becoooommmmmeeee imppossible. Holdinnnnnggg on to wheennn. When everything seemed to matter more. The twooooooooooooo of us. All used and beaten up. Watching fate, as it flows, down the path, we have chose."

Simon started to play a series of guitar notes as the chorus kicked in. He was trying to get this song right so if it meant not being the star performer in the band he was okay with that. Still he was putting his heart into the song.

"YOOOOOUUUUUUUUU AND MEEEEEEE! WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER NOOOOOWWWWW. NONE OF THEM CAN STOP US NOOOOWWW! WE WILL MAKE IT THROUGH SOMEHOOOOOWWWW. YOOOOOUUUUUUUUU AND MEEEEEEE! IF THE WORLD SHOULD BREAK IN TWO. UNTIL THE VERY END OF MEEEE. UNTIL THE VERY END OF YOUUUUUUUUU.

Awake to the souunnnnd. As they peel apart the skin. They pick and they pullllll. Trying to get their fingers iinnnn."

Together Simon and the drummer sang in unison until the latter backed off near the chorus of "We're In This Together Now:

"Well they've got to kill what we've found. Well they've got to hate what they fear. Well they've got to make it go away. Well they've got to make it disappear."

The further I fall, I will find youuuuu. As lost as I get, I willl find youuuu. The deeper the wound, I'm inside youuuuu, FOREVER AND FOREVER IM PART OF

YOOOOOUUUUUUUUU AND MEEEEEEE! WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER NOOOOOWWWWW. NONE OF THEM CAN STOP US NOOOOWWW! WE WILL MAKE IT THROUGH SOMEHOOOOOWWWW. YOOOOOUUUUUUUUU AND MEEEEEEE! IF THE WORLD SHOULD BREAK IN TWO. UNTIL THE VERY END OF MEEEE. UNTIL THE VERY END OF YOUUUUUUUUU."

As the song progress Simon's hands still worked over the guitar and moved insanely close to the microphone. Whispering the next words as the drummer and pianist played mostly with Simon's guitar sliding in here and there:

"All that we were is gone we have to hold on. When all our hope is gone we have to hold on. All that we were is gone but we can hold on."

By the time the solo kicked in Simon was clearly lost to the song. It was clear the song had made a slave of him. His hands continued to play note after note. Before suddenly screaming:

"YOOOOOUUUUUUUUU AND MEEEEEEE! WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER NOOOOOWWWWW. NONE OF THEM CAN STOP US NOOOOWWW! WE WILL MAKE IT THROUGH SOMEHOOOOOWWWW. YOOOOOUUUUUUUUU AND MEEEEEEE! EVEN AFTER EVERYTHINNNNG. YOU'RE THE QUEEENNNN, AND I'M THE KINNNGGG. NOTHING ELSE MEANNSSS ANNNNNYTTHIIIINNNNGG."

As Simon stopped the music started to die down. Simon played but the notes were clearly getting softer. The piano was taking center stage when it came to the song. As the notes got lower Simon sank to his knees until the final deep note came from the piano.

Standing up he pulled off the guitar. The man looked a little tired as he laid the instrument against the piano. If someone went to greet him backstage, Simon was nowhere to be found. Eventually the pianist picked up the instrument Simon had set aside.

The guitar started to play deep notes that echoed through the club after a few moments were spent tuning it up. Notes continued to dance in the air for a good fifty-two seconds before notes started to rumble from the drummer who had yet to leave his post despite one member of the band apparently leaving, and the other changing posts.

Notes continued to leave the instruments. A third started to play nearly twenty seconds later. A violin started to play with them. Stepping out on the other side of the stage was Simon. On his person was the stringed instrument that he strummed the bow across. Like the guitar and vocals, the man knew how to play this too. The man just kept it to himself mostly. When the violin came out it was special occasions and rare.

However, when he heard a particular song Simon knew the stringed instrument was going to make a brief public appearance. One of Apocalyptica's latest songs just felt right to perform for Renee. Little did he know within two to three days time it was going to have a bit more significance.

Still the trio continued to play "Till Death Do Us Part." Notes continued to play. Simon looked so focused on the song it allowed the pianist to actually show off as he played the guitar. Some of the wait staff still around were getting quite the show as the new guitarist was taking stage.

Moving off to the side Simon just kept his focus. If he was able to sweat the man would have been drenched. His face just read focus and concentration. Two and a half minutes ticked by before the trio all joined in with the music. Drum beats moved in the air and it drove the other two. Clearly there was a symbiotic relationship going on.

Violin and guitar were starting to blend together in the notes. Three and a half minutes past it was clear each instrument was feeding and pushing each other. As long as Simon didn't look like Jethro Tull while on stage he was happy. The man swayed a little during the song still ever the slave to the music despite the concentration he was throwing into it.

Nearly four minutes passed when. Boom-boom boom! The instruments went off before each section had to play. A moment Simon was handling a solo on the violin. His fingers kept going over the strings as his hand continued to strum. Concentration resonated off of Simon as this wasn't Simon the Showman up on stage, but Simon the Performer. His focus was on the song.

As the trio of instruments started to play each of them fell into a rhythm on the stage. The guitar was handling the deeper notes of the song. Simon was tackling the higher ones. The drummer kept the other two on beat. Each were still feed and bouncing notes off of each other. They were over five minutes into the song, and the ending looked to be nowhere in sight despite the sound of everyone building up to something.

Suddenly, the other two stopped and Simon started to play what sounded like more classical music flowed for about a minute before the others joined him again. Together this trio kept going. As notes continued to move and dance the guitarist made his way to the piano. The final notes were played on it. Dropping off the stage Simon just went to Renee and buried himself into the crux of her shoulder. Both the violin and the bow fell to the ground. A whisper left his lips, "I'm paying for the night's profits." That was all Simon said. Tonight was just about her.

((OOC Note: Both songs under copyright of Nine Inch Nails/Trent Reznor and Apocalypitca respectively. They can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9BfvPjsXXw and here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJap8x-xj-4 ))

[Renee]

Renee held him as her whispered to her. "Don't worry about it. I enjoyed the performance." She shifted to look at him before kissing him softly. She held his face in her hands "You know if you had just told me I wouldn't have to of had a heart attack or have my regulars yelling at me " She gave him a light smack on the cheek.

"What do you have planned for the rest of the evening?" She wanted to be but she could not bring herself to be. He had done something no one else had even come remotely close to. He had done something just for her.