"Are we ready?" Spud called out from behind the keys.
Shane gave a thumbs up from the drums, and Daniel gave a nod from the bass. The lineup had certainly suffered with their loss of Drew, but the boys were working to make amends.
"Let's go!" Shane pumped, tapping his drumsticks and coaxing the band into the intro.
Their new singer stepped up to the microphone and hung his head.
"I'm tired of being what you want me to be... Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface... I don't know what you're expecting of me, put under the pressure of walking your shoes..."
Shane chimed in with the backing vocals from behind the drums. A far cry from being their usual singer. When Drew had left, Shane was the only one who knew how to play the drums.
"Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow..."
"Every step that I take is another mistake to you..."
"Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow..."
Then Christian lifted his head in pride at the chorus.
"I've become so numb, I can't feel you there... I've become so tired, so much more aware... By becoming this all I want to do, is be more like me and be less like you...
"Can't you see that you're smothering me... Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control... 'Cause everything you thought I would be, is falling apart, right in front of you..."
Daniel hid his smile behind his long hair as he swayed with the music. A lot more people had begun showing up when they'd swapped singers, which he was sure disgruntled Shane at least a little. Maybe it was just because of who Christian was, or maybe it was honestly the sound... He didn't really care. They had more of an audience, and all that mattered was they have fun with it.
"And I know, I may end up failing too... But I know, you were just like me, with someone disappointed in you..."
Spud on the other hand, was all grins. He could tell that Christian was having fun with it, and it was a dramatic change from the brooding Shane taking centre stage. He and Christian shared some glances during the songs, and Spud was delighted whenever he smiled. Who knew this guy could sing? Drew obviously had.
Christian bowed his head at the end of the song, then smiled as their audience began clapping. He hadn't felt a rush like being on stage in such a long time.
"Thankyou," he said into the microphone, before turning to face Shane behind him.
"Well now we're gonna tone it down a bit," Shane announced, "so let's see how our tough guy goes doing a ballad, huh?"
Christian chuckled, before turning back to his microphone. He held onto it for a moment as the music began, then closed his eyes.
"Find me here, and speak to me... I want to feel you, I need to hear you..."