Page 1 of Something to Believe In
Chapter One
Axel leaned his elbows on the bar in the barn. Jami Hart had purchased this barn years ago and converted it into their studio with a lounge area where the band could be alone, unwind without fans and people watching them.
Their performances were so high-energy that after each one, they needed to just come back here and unwind. That was changing these days as they were getting more gigs on the road.
But being home in Blossom Springs, man, nothing felt better. He grinned and rotated his shoulders. Their stars were rising, but he was feeling it these days.
He received a firm pat on the back from Jami Hart as he rounded the bar.
"Hey, bud, how are you doing?"
"I'm good. Just thinking about things."
Jami chuckled. "Don't think too hard, man. Looks like you're gonna hurt yourself." He pulled two beers out of the cooler behind the bar.
Alex chuckled. "Fuck you." He picked up the bottle of beer Jami set in front of him, taking a long pull from the bottle.
Jami chuckled. "So really, what are you thinking about?"
Axel sighed. "I don't like the way the sets are arranged. Something's not right with it. For me, going from such a high-energy drum set from the second set right into the next grouping of high-energy songs is too much. I need something a little more low-key in between there. My shoulders are feeling the pinch. And I don't want to be a whiner or anything, but I need to do something different. Plus, the way they're set up, we end on a ballad. We should leave the crowd high-energy and excited, not ready for bed."
Jami nodded. "Okay, I agree with that. Let's rework the songs."
"Also, Mads seems to struggle with the pitch of that last song going into the next set. I think it'll work better for all of us if we change things around."
Jami nodded. "Of course, of course. If you remember, the only reason we had the songs in the order we do is because it seemed like the momentum was there. But I agree with you. I think we can change them around. And actually, that third set is the highest energy set that we have throughout the whole concert. I think we should change the entire set to be the last set. That could solve our problems right there."
Axel nodded. His heart felt good, as always, that his friend and boss was so easy to talk to, and that they could discuss things and work them out.
Tony Baluco, their former bassist turned band manager, entered the room. "Alright, you two. What's going on?"
Axel glanced at Jami, then turned to his right, where Tony perched himself on a barstool.
"We're just talking about changing the sets around a little."
Tony nodded. "That's good. Make it work for y'all. I meant what's up with Mads?"
Axel turned to look at the door to the outside. He shook his head. "I don't know. I think that jackass she's been dating texted her, and she had to leave."
Jami took a swig of his beer, but he locked his eyes on the door.
Tony shook his head and muttered something unintelligible. "Yeah, Livia mentioned something about him being a jackass."
Axel rotated his head and shoulders. Tension was setting in again, and it wasn't the drumming this time.
Tony wrapped his knuckles on the bar. "I have great news. We just got six phenomenal gigs. I mean phenomenal. Hang on to your hats, kids. This is it. We're rising to the top."
Axel chuckled, and Jami reached across the bar and shook Tony's hand. "You're doing a phenomenal job booking us, Tony."
"Thanks. I think we are all in agreement about how well things are going. We've been happy over the years doing what we did, but we all have the same vision, and that's rising to the top. Now that you and Sean are writing our songs, it's happening. These weren't hard gigs to get. And once we've completed them, I'll be looking at a six-month tour next year."
Axel slapped Tony on the back and laughed. "That's what I'm talking about."
Tony grinned as Jami slid a beer across the bar to him and then lifted his bottle. "Cheers." Then swallowed nearly half of his beer.
Jami tossed his empty bottle into the recycle bin and grabbed another from the cooler behind the bar. Jami nodded at him, and Axel lifted his empty bottle. His shoulders burned right now. He should be home soaking in the tub. He'd been soaking in Epsom salts recently. It helped with the soreness and muscle fatigue. One more beer and he'd go soak.
Jami slid the bottle across the top of the bar, and Axel nodded. "Thanks."
