Authors: Anna Carey
‘You go,’ said Alice. ‘I’ll wait here and guard our stuff.’
‘Are you sure?’ said Cass.
Alice said she was, so Cass and I grabbed our jackets and headed outside. We passed Bike Boy on the way and he raised his hand in greeting. I sort of waved back, and then turned to Cass.
‘That’s why she doesn’t want to leave,’ I said. ‘Bike Boy! His band haven’t played yet.’
‘So they haven’t,’ said Cass. ‘Hmmm. What do you think? I’d quite like to see what they’re like, but I really want a Dairy Milk.’
‘We’ll see what they’re like later,’ I said. ‘Come on, let’s go.’
It was nice to get out of the dark, stuffy Knitting Factory. We got some sandwiches and chocolate and strolled lazily in the sun back towards the venue.
‘Did you ever think, when this term started, that just a few months later we’d be getting ready for our first gig?’ said Cass.
‘I really didn’t,’ I said. I threw my bag of sandwiches into the air and caught it again.
‘You know, I’m sorry about being so unenthusiastic when we were starting the band,’ said Cass. ‘I was just worried that we’d be crap and it would just be depressing. But we’re not.’
‘And even if we were a bit crap,’ I said, ‘which we’re not, of course, I think it would still be fun. Wouldn’t it?’
‘Yeah, probably,’ said Cass. ‘Come on, we’d better go back. I don’t think Alice wants to sit there gazing at Bike Boy on her own for too long.’
So we hurried back into the venue. As soon as we walked into the main part of the venue, we looked at the stage and there was Bike Boy, playing a bass and singing in a rather dramatic and gloomy fashion. We made our way through the crowd to Alice, who was looking at the stage with a strange expression on her face.
‘Are you okay?’ I said. ‘We got you a sandwich.’
‘Are you looking at him with love or are you wondering why he’s making those weird faces?’ said Cass. ‘And singing in that peculiar booming voice?’
‘Hmm,’ said Alice. ‘A bit of both. Maybe. What sandwich did you get me?’
‘Egg and bacon,’ I said. ‘What’s his band like?’ Because
Bike Boy had stopped playing the bass and singing in a deep voice and had said, ‘Thanks very much,’ to Veronica in his normal one. His band’s soundcheck was over.
‘They’re quite good, actually,’ said Alice. ‘But … well, it’s like he’s in a play. He sings as though he was acting a character. It’s quite cool, though, I think. And he’s wearing a great suit!’
We all looked at Bike Boy with confusion. He did look quite good in the suit. But how did a boy our age have a suit like that?
‘Hey,’ said an unfamiliar voice. We looked around and the lead singer of Bad Monkey was smiling at us in a shy way. ‘Just wanted to say it’s nice to see some more girls in the competition. We entered last year and we were the only ones! You sounded good, too.’
‘So did you,’ said Cass.
The girl’s name was Liz and she told us she and the rest of the band went to school together at a mixed school on the southside. She was very nice and said that at last year’s Battle of the Bands they were all so scared that the bass player, Katie, threw up just before they went on stage.
‘In the toilet, though,’ she added. ‘Not, like, on the steps.’
Liz was lovely. She stayed chatting with us for a few minutes (we told her that we’d only been together for just over a month and she seemed pretty impressed) until we heard someone call her name. It was Katie, the pukey bassist. ‘Sorry to interrupt,’ she called. ‘But we need to check a few things.’
‘Coming!’ said Liz. She turned back to us. ‘Best of luck!’
‘Same to you,’ I said. And off she went to her band. One of them was holding up a guitar and looking worried. I heard her say ‘It just won’t stay in tune …’
‘Well, if we win I hope they come second,’ said Cass.
‘I think it’ll be the other way round,’ I said. ‘If we’re lucky.’
The last band (they weren’t bad apart from when the lead singer did a very bad rap in the middle that didn’t really go with the rest of the song) finished their
soundcheck
and Veronica got up on the stage.
‘Okay, everyone,’ she said. ‘You all sound great, and you’ve been very patient. Now, we’re going to open the doors in a minute, but before we do, I just need to tell you that we’ve printed out the running order so you can see when you’re going to be on stage – it’s over there at the
sound desk. It’s basically in reverse order to the soundcheck, so if you soundchecked first, you’ll perform last, and the other way around. And the first band – that’s you, Flash Harry – will be on in about twenty minutes. Okay? Best of luck, everyone!’
‘Eeek,’ said Cass. ‘This is it.’
The lights in the main part of the hall dimmed slightly and the lights on the stage got brighter. Even though none of the audience had arrived yet, the atmosphere changed. Everyone looked a bit jittery. The bar opened – it wasn’t selling any alcohol, of course – and people started hanging around it, shakily knocking back soft drinks. I saw one boy surreptitiously take a can of beer out of his bag as the first few members of the audience trickled into the hall.
Cass and Alice and I just sort of hovered around near our stuff as more and more people came through the doors.
‘Oh God, it’s starting to fill up,’ said Alice.
‘Ugh, I just wish it would start,’ said Cass. ‘I hate this hanging around.’
‘Me too,’ I said. Then I saw some familiar faces in the crowd near the door. ‘Hey, look – it’s Ellie and Emma!’ I waved furiously and they came over.
‘Wow, look at you!’ said Emma. ‘You all look very rock and roll.’
‘I don’t know if I feel it,’ said Cass.
‘Well, as long as we can act it, that’s all that counts,’ said Alice. What has got into her lately? She is a fount of wisdom. Then she froze. ‘Bex, don’t look around, but Vanessa just walked in. Maybe if we don’t move, she won’t see us.’
But it was too late.
‘Rebecca, hi!’ shrieked Vanessa. I risked a glance in the direction of the shriek and saw that she was heading straight towards us with what I could only describe as an entourage. She was, of course, accompanied by Caroline, her faithful sidekick, but she also had two adults who looked like they were in their thirties. They also looked, as Cass said later, ‘haunted. Like they’d witnessed something horrible and unmentionable.’
‘Oh my God,’ whispered Cass. ‘Who is that old man? Can he be her boyfriend?’
‘Surely not,’ I said. ‘We’d have heard all about that.’ By now Vanessa was upon us. She was wearing a tiny little dress which looked like it had been painted on, and a pair
of heels so high I’m amazed she could walk so fast. Quite a contrast to her usual fluffy boots. She was also wearing more make-up than me, Cass and Alice put together.
‘How are you?’ she cried, grabbing me and planting air kisses in the general direction of each of my cheeks.
‘I’m fine,’ I said. ‘I have to get on a stage and play some songs soon, though, so …’
But Vanessa, as usual, wasn’t listening.
‘Robbie, Sarah, this is my friend Rebecca, the girl I was telling you about,’ she said.
The man, Robbie, extended a hand. I shook it. ‘Hi, Rebecca, good to meet you,’ he said. He had an English accent.
‘Hi,’ I said. ‘Um, I think I should tell you …’
‘This is Sarah,’ said Vanessa, shoving the woman in my direction.
‘Hi, Rebecca, Vanessa has told us all about you,’ said Sarah with a tired smile. ‘She says your mother is the author Rosie Carberry, is that true?’
‘Well, yes,’ I said. ‘but …’
‘Yeah, I read about her new teen book. That’s great, that’s doing really well. She’s a big name in teen fiction
now. And how long have you and Vanessa been friends?’
‘We’ve been in the same class since we started secondary school last year,’ I said. ‘But to be honest …’
Vanessa butted in. ‘I don’t know what I’d do without Becca,’ she said. ‘We’re like sisters, aren’t we, Becca?’
‘Becca?’ said Cass.
‘And this is Becca’s band,’ Vanessa went on. ‘They’re all going to play at my party.’
‘Of course,’ said Robbie. ‘We can’t wait to see you. It sounds like you’re going to be the highlight of Vanessa’s big birthday bash.’
Cass, Alice and I looked at each other in wonder.
‘You’re from the TV show?’ said Alice.
‘Yes, we’re the researchers,’ said Sarah. ‘Didn’t Vanessa tell you? We’re over for the weekend, to interview her about her party. It sounds like it’ll be … spectacular.’
‘It certainly does,’ said Cass.
‘I’ve just ordered a pink crane,’ said Vanessa proudly. ‘I’m going to be lowered into the marquee on a throne.’
Robbie looked at Sarah. ‘I think I need a drink,’ he said. ‘Do you need a drink?’
‘Yes,’ said Sarah fervently. ‘Come on Vanessa, Caroline
– we’ll get you a coke. Good luck, girls.’
‘See you later, Becca!’ said Vanessa, and they all marched off. The rest of us just stared at each other.
‘I don’t believe it,’ I said. ‘I don’t believe after everything I said, she’s actually told a TV company that I’m her best mate and that we’re going to play at her ridiculous party.’
‘Wow, she really can’t accept reality, can she?’ said Ellie. ‘And neither can those TV people if they think they’re going to get any alcohol at that bar.’ She looked around. ‘Oh, hi, Rebecca’s sister.’
‘Hello, Rebecca’s friend,’ said Rachel. She had arrived with her friend Jenny, who gave us a friendly smile. ‘Who on earth was that girl?’
‘That was Vanessa Finn,’ I said wearily.
‘Oh, the mad one,’ said Rachel. ‘Right, what time are you on?’
‘Second last,’ said Cass.
‘Okay,’ said Rachel. ‘So Jenny and I have time to go off and get a drink somewhere.’
‘I suppose so,’ I said.
‘Don’t worry, we’re not going to miss you,’ she said. ‘We’ll be back in half an hour.’
‘We definitely will,’ said Jenny. ‘It’s just the thought of sitting through loads of kids – I mean, other bands. See you later!’
And off they ponced. I stared after them.
‘Oh well, she’s here in spirit,’ said Cass. ‘And you know she’ll come back in time to see us.’
‘Yeah, I know,’ I said. And I did. She wouldn’t have bothered turning up at all if she wasn’t going to see us play. ‘I’m just jealous because she can escape for a while.’
‘Oh, look, some more of the class are here,’ said Alice. ‘Oh my God, it looks like all of our class is here.’
And sure enough, a big gang of our classmates had just come through the door. I saw Anne O’Hara and Jessie and – oh yes – Karen Rodgers. And almost everyone else.
‘Why on earth is Karen here?’ I said. ‘She doesn’t even like me!’
‘She’s just looking for ammunition,’ sighed Cass.
‘Wow,’ said Alice. ‘I didn’t think so many would turn up. They’re all coming this way.’
Suddenly I couldn’t bear the thought of having to talk to loads of people at once.
‘I’m going to the loo,’ I said, and ran off. Luckily the
bathrooms were in the opposite direction to the entrance. Once I was in there I sat in a stall and tried to do the deep breathing exercises Ellie taught us last year (her mum is very into deep-breathing exercises, unsurprisingly). When I felt a bit better I headed out, and I was half way across the hall when someone said, ‘Hey,’ and tapped my shoulder. I turned around and there was Paperboy, looking gorgeous. And tall. Oh, he’s so tall.
‘Hey,’ I said. I hoped I didn’t look as awe-struck as I felt.
‘You look – are you all set for the gig?’ said Paperboy.
‘Sort of,’ I said. ‘Half my class from school has just turned up.’
‘So, do you know when you’re on?’ said Paperboy.
‘Yes, second last,’ I said. ‘I’m not sure if that’s good or not. I mean, I wouldn’t want to be on first, but it’s going to be a long wait.’
‘You really don’t want to be on first,’ said a stranger’s voice. The lead singer of the last band who’d soundchecked, Flash Harry, was standing next to Paperboy looking a bit sick. ‘Hi, I’m Johnny,’ he said.
‘Hi,’ I said. ‘Um, you were very good in the soundcheck.’
‘I dunno,’ said Johnny. ‘I’m starting to think the rap bit isn’t a good idea.’
I could have told him that, but I didn’t.
‘You’ll be fine,’ said Paperboy.
Then the stage was illuminated in a flash of pink light and Veronica walked into the middle of it.
‘It’s starting!’ I said. ‘I’d better go back …’
‘Good luck,’ said Paperboy with a smile.
‘Yeah,’ said Johnny, looking very unwell. ‘Good luck.’
‘Same to you!’ I said, and ran off. I reached my gang just as Veronica took the mike.
‘Hi, everyone, I’m Veronica Flaherty, and welcome to this year’s Knitting Factory Battle of the Bands!’ said Veronica. The audience whooped and cheered. ‘We’ve got some very talented bands for you this afternoon from all over Dublin.’
Someone in the crowd shouted, ‘And Wicklow!’ Then another shouted ‘And Meath!’
Veronica laughed. ‘Sorry, we’ve got people from all over the country. The winner will receive a weekend’s worth of studio time in the Knitting Factory studio, complete with a sound engineer who will help you record and
mix some tracks. The runner-up will get Tower Records vouchers. So there’s a lot to play for! And without further ado, I’d like to welcome the first band to the stage. Please give a warm welcome to … Flash Harry!’ The crowd roared.
‘That’s Paperboy’s friend!’ I whispered to Alice, as Johnny and his bandmates made their way onto the stage. Johnny still didn’t look very happy as the band started to play. They weren’t bad, though. Johnny seemed to cheer up as the song went on, and his rapping bit didn’t sound too terrible. I had the feeling they were going to drop the hip-hop element from their music in the future, though. We cheered loudly when they finished. As they left the stage and the next band started taking their stuff up to it, our classmates crowded around us. I couldn’t believe so many had shown up. In fact, I was surprised Mrs Harrington wasn’t there. For a horrible moment I wondered if she actually was, but she wasn’t. Karen and Alison were, though, which was bad enough.
‘So Rebecca,’ said Karen in her usual smarmy voice. ‘I can’t wait to see your little girl band. At least I know what to expect from reading the book.’