Chương 85: tours.
February 15.
A music tour can be a pivotal event for an artist's appeal, but Billy's tour is a concert of global masters. The first date is in Los Angeles in front of 50,000 people, with the guest singer being No Doubt. It's a minor agreement between the bands and a way to create tension between Billy and Gwen Stefani, who agreed simply to gain some recognition. The promise is that she'll go with him to Las Vegas, a place almost synonymous with sin.
- Tomorrow we'll be playing in front of 50,000 people, Billy, - commented Connor, always a bit nervous before these concerts. Even when the spotlight was on Billy, he couldn't help but feel a slight fear. His hands trembled, and calm only came when he played the drums.
-Relax, you'll do fine, - Billy said, yawning. The jetlag from the trip had left him exhausted for two days, getting up at noon and adjusting to the new time zone.
-I hate how you mention things so casually, - Connor grumbled from his seat. Both were watching Cartoon Network, and eating sweets and junk food.
-Look at it this way, man. It's not the first time. We've rehearsed the songs, and you've practiced with sugar eggs alone. We already have the playlist order. You just need to play according to the plan, - Billy said.
-Yeah, like in Liverpool last semester when you decided to sing 'Yoouth natión' when it wasn't listed. You even started singing before we were on stage, - Connor said with some resentment. The production team had pushed them for the slow response since the star decided to change at the last minute.
-I see your point. I'm sorry, I felt like singing that song. The audience was asking for it, and I gave several signals. I just need to be explicit now. Don't forget, tomorrow we'll start with 'Breaking the Habit' (Linkin Park), 'Here Without You' (3 Doors Down), 'Daydreamin' (Lupe Fiasco), 'Vertigo' (U2), 'This Fire' (Franz Ferdinand), and 'Incomplete' (Backstreet Boys), - Billy said.
He thought internally about singing 'If You're Gone' (Matchbox Twenty), maybe 'Clocks', 2001 single, which was one of the best songs of the year.
-I don't believe you, - Connor said, smiling at Billy's pensive look. - Right now, you're thinking of changing everything. You're impulsive and spontaneous, and that makes me nervous. -
-How's school going? Any progress with graduation? - Billy asked.
-I'm doing well. I think this is the year I can pass tenth grade. I hope to do well in eleventh grade and finish once and for all. I heard they're adding an extra grade, so it's better if I graduate immediately, - Connor commented.
The two young men talked until past midnight when they turned off the lights. Billy's day was highly controlled by two simple tasks: the first was to give rhythm to the exercise he couldn't do in England. A small press tour to engage his fans in controlled environments was next. Just coming down resulted in a sea of photos; thousands of people were circulating, all wanting a glimpse of Billy Carson.
It was curious how the band's name ended up focusing on one person. A name for the band was something unprecedented.
The next day, drinking a glass of water, the concert was set to last two and a half hours, with No Doubt opening. It was shaping up to be one of the year's stellar concerts.
There was Gwen in the lobby, before the big concert.
-Nice to see you, Gwen, - Billy commented to the charming blonde, who took his breath away. Billy didn't know, but there was something about older women that attracted him. It was a mere sign of desire for him. Connor, his confidant, said it was something about wanting what he didn't have.
-Billy Carson, you were amazing at the Grammys, - Gwen Stefani commented, giving Billy a cautious look.
-Nothing special, I was just doing my job, - Billy replied.
As he organized his thoughts, he observed the woman. Her tank top revealed her glorious neck, so appetizing. The cameras started buzzing, capturing every moment. Taking something out of context was their specialty, and Billy's control kept everything afloat.
-Answer the questions calmly, - commented the interview coordinator. Only the main faces were expected. New York was slated to invite another chosen artist, but those dates were already reserved for a record label group under contract, Paramore. An alternative rock band with a fresh debut album, possibly collaborating with Avril Lavigne.
The fiery and flamboyant Hayley Williams would be on the scene.
-This week, you are expected to break the record as the youngest person in history to attract over a million people to concerts, - commented the interviewer. It wasn't a question but a prompt for a statement.
-We'll do it. I hope to surpass the record in two years. I'll have such a massive tour that countries will be calling my phone to come and sing. I'm already planning my next album; it'll be something enchanting, going from less to more. This will be a happy album with some sad undertones, - Billy commented.
-How is your songwriting process? I see ambivalence, rhythms, and diverse notes in your albums, - asked a news reporter from the corner, holding a Channel 4 flyer and extending a microphone. As he made the gesture, the cameras flashed wildly.
Billy smiled, as he had practiced many times in front of the mirror and with an image specialist.
-I have this inner voice that whispers songs to me depending on my mood. When I'm in a good mood, all the songs head in one direction—to blow the minds of those who listen to me. I desire the fervor of everyone. I've reached a point where I can sing the way I like, - Billy said.
Gwen Stefani felt somewhat sidelined; even with her beauty, she was overlooked. That was the power of stardom. She now understood why Billy didn't go out in public; it was the kind of life that didn't allow for solitude.
-What led to the decision to have three dates in Las Vegas? - asked another reporter.
-The money, - Billy smiled. It was a sarcastic but truthful answer that made everyone laugh.
-I think that's all. I hope you tune in to my concert; it will be magnificent. Thank you all for coming. I hope we continue to understand each other in such a unique way, - Billy concluded, ending the scene and leaving some with unasked questions as whispers spread.
-I don't understand why I participated, - said Gwen, following the team that led them to the exit, heading to the bus that would take them to the concert. Everything was planned, and the best brands were all managed by Warner.
HBO, which would broadcast the concert live, received just under a million subscriptions for the weekend yesterday, with expected pay-per-view increases in the coming hours.
-Your face, and profile, now published by your band, was agreed upon by your record label, or so I understand, -Billy commented, keeping pace, outside the cameras. When he was out of the spotlight, he sighed; receiving attention wasn't always pleasant.
-See you tonight, - Billy said, kissing her on the cheek and boarding the bus. He said it quietly, as they both wished to escape together from the moment they met.
***
People on the scene couldn't stop sighing.
A long line stretched down the street. Traffic was backed up for hours, and people were asking, --What's going on? -
-It's the Billy Carson concert, - the crowd responded.
A very precise event organizer managed to sell 70,000 tickets.
-I heard they'll be recording an album and promoting it in three months, - commented a driver, discussing the topic with passengers in the car.
-I don't know about this singer. Is he very famous? -
-Are you kidding? He's the rock star of America, - they replied.
...
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