Gaby Book 25 Only Five Minutes by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2019 Madeline Bell After all the excitement of the last few weeks culminating in the trip to Austria, surely Gaby can get back to some sort of 'normal'? Well it wouldn't be Gaby if it was that simple would it?

 
We were using the Apollinaris Ezyup erected over on the bahnhof car park as a sort of 'green room', just as well the way the wind was blowing about.

"Nearly time, everyone okay?” Stefan asked.

I added my own nodding head to the others affirmative grunts. I suppose 'ready' is a vague enough notion, whether its singing, racing or doing an exam I certainly always have a nag in my head that I could've done more. That said, you can only do so much, and one abbreviated run through todays set, we only actually sang the new additions, would have to suffice.

Dad poked his head into the mobile gazebo, "Time.”
"Right, lets do it,” Stefan enthused leading the way.

The others followed leaving yours truly as Lily last.

"You okay kiddo,” Dad asked, "You look a bit on edge.”
"A few butterflies,” I allowed as he sealed up the tent.
"I'm sure you'll be fine, its not like you haven't done it before is it?”

Yeah, this is so like the Rheinhalle!
 
We followed the others across to the Kabin, the garden now transformed into a mini outdoor venue – thankfully the weather is dry and bright even if that wind is perishing. The others made their way to the stage and quickly plugged stuff in. Roman Meissinger, our volunteer MC, checked his mic and started his spiel.

"Guten Abend, welcome to Connies Kabin and our first Kinderhaus concert. In a moment I'll pass you over to the band but I'll say a few words regarding the Kinderhaus first.”

I didn't hear anymore as I needed to get ready for my entrance, take my coat off and so on. The church bells announced one o'clock and I heard the guys start the set intro, Animal starting on the drums then the others joining at short intervals. Its an old trick to quieten the audience, who by the time Stefan launched into his twiddly guitar solo, were ready to rock, well listen at any rate.

"Hello everyone,” Stefan greeted, "We are BlauHase,” there was a little cheer, "And we're proud to be here this afternoon supporting such a worthwhile cause so on behalf of the guys and me, thanks for coming along and supporting the efforts of the Kabin girls.”

There was a polite round of applause before Stefan pulled his instrument back in front of him.

"We'll be doing a mixture of familiar and new material, to get things started and to introduce the final member of the band, we'll start with something Queen recorded almost thirty years ago.”
 
With the intro done, the playing started and the singing began.

'Bicycle, bicycle, bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle, bicycle, bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like.'
Stefan's slightly raspy solo voice floated across the garden space which got a good cheer, he went on with the next stanza which was my cue to join the others on the stage.

"And here she is everyone, our own bicycle rider, Erdbeer!” Stefan called out as I started the next chorus from the side of the temporary platfoorm. I think there was a bit of a cheer as I strutted onto the stage but I was in the zone now.

'So forget all your duties, oh yeah
Fat bottomed girls, they'll be riding today
So look out for those beauties, oh yeah
On your marks, get set, go
Bicycle race, bicycle race, bicycle race
Bicycle, bicycle, bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle, bicycle, bicycle, bicycle
bicycle race.'

And so it began.
 
Stefan had been not just tweaking what was in the set but the order it came, song themes segued one into the next, after Bicycle Race it was Run to the hills and so on, they didn't so much tell a story as much as introduced a nice flow to things. Sometimes the music flowed continuously, at other points either Stefan or myself would introduce the next number, which helps when the pace changes and gives everyone a short respite.
 
We were over halfway though, it only seemed like a few minutes, when it was time to debut Stefan's new song, straight after Ing wen do.

"Phew, so are you all enjoying yourselves?” I called out.

In true concert style there was some mumbling in reply.

"I can't hear you,” I warbled, "Are you enjoying yourselves?”

Of course this time I got the cheering and whooping that we were after.

"So,” I huffed, "A slight change in pace, a new song that Stefan and the guys have been working on, you get to hear it first today, Angels and Demons.”

A few people cheered as I waited for Stefan's signal, then I started the litany that precedes the singing element.

Changeling
The flesh
Necromancy
Your ashes
No tomorrow
Love?
Says Azrael
Lucifer and Gabriel
Host and the Holy Ghost
Dust
Superstitions
Voices.'

The music picked up and I prepared myself to start the actual singing bit.

'Little girl kneels at the foot of the bed;
Angels and demons play in her head.
She carries them around wherever she goes,
She puts on a brave face but somehow it shows.

A spaceship descends, the demon spreads his wings,
Says he's here to be Earth's friend again.
Little girl cries at the foot of the bed,
Wondering what it is that plays in her head.'

Its quite a long number, that's just as well, it would be quite hard on the voice to sing six minutes of high octane lyrics. Into the last few lines then.

'Who knows?
It shows
Who knows?
It shows...
Who knows?1'

by the cheering, whistling and so on, I think they enjoyed it.

 
A & D wasn't all raspy but Vampire Slayer, another Blauhase original certainly is, thankfully I'm not needed on that so I could slink to the side of the stage for a quick sip of lemonade – really lemonade, whilst Stefan and the guys rasped through the demon lyrics. Of course, I have to earn my keep, next up it was Luftballons, which despite the gloomy message within is always a crowd pleaser.

"Well we are almost done,” I panted as the cheering hoard abated, "To thank you for your support today, we've reworked more classic Queen for you.”

I composed myself and took a deep breath as Animal counted us in.

'I've paid my dues
Time after time
I've done my sentence
But committed no crime
And bad mistakes
I've made a few
I've had my share of sand kicked in my face
But I've come through

You are the champions, my friends...”'2
 
Well that concluded the main set, just the encore now.

"You want more?” Stefan asked our audience.
"More! Yeah! Bo Rap!” the calls came back, it might be a small audience but they were quite vocal now.
"Did I hear Bo Rap,” Stefan hammed, "What do you think Erdbeer, do they deserve it?”
"Hmm I dunno,” I walked across the stage, for the first time this afternoon seeing individual faces, "I guess they did buy all those tickets,” I paused and found myself looking directly into Mum's eyes across the garden. I crinkled my face into a smile, "Yeah, I think we can manage that Stefan.”

The space quieted down and I once again placed myself at the centre of the platform.

'Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide
No escape from reality
Open your eyes
Look up to the skies and see
I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy
Because I'm easy come, easy go
A little high, little low
Anyway the wind blows, doesn't really matter to me, to me.'

As you know, its one of my favourite songs, I think I do a fair job of Freddie's lyrics despite being a girl. Of course its quite a 'team' song to get right, everyone doing their bit through the tale of woe.

'...Oh mama mia, mama mia, mama mia let me go
Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me
For me
For me
So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye
So you think you can love me and leave me to die
Oh baby can't do this to me baby
Just gotta get out just gotta get right outta here
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah
Nothing really matters
Anyone can see
Nothing really matters nothing really matters to me
Anyway the wind blows.'

There was silence as the last chords floated away on the wind before a huge wave of cheering rolled over us.

"Thank you Altenahr,” Stefan started.

The rest of us joined him to complete the sentence, "We have been BlauHase!”
 

"Here, put your coat on Kiddo,” Mum instructed as she draped said garment around my shoulders.

The adrenalin was still shooting around my head, I was just about bouncing, yeah, I was high on the stuff!

"Congratulations 'Erdbeer',” a familiar voice offered.
"Lisbet, you made it!” I enthused giving the new arrival a quick hug.
"You doubted I would?”
I shrugged, "You might've just been being polite getting the tickets.”
"Hut hum,” Mum hinted.
"Oh sorry, Mum this is my tutor, Lisbet Olafsdottir, Lis, my Mum, Jenny Bond.”
"Nice to meet you Frau Bond, you have a very talented daughter.”
"Jenny please,” Mum told her, “'Erdbeer' here is always sing your praises too.”

For once it wasn't just me taking on a blush, Lisbet coloured up at Mum's comment.
 
"I thought you said you weren't dyeing your hair again,” Nena mentioned a little later as I helped with the clean up.

Oh, I didn't tell you did I, I found a spray on temporary colour in Karstadt earlier in the week, Mand helped me with it this morning. It was a softer colour before, this has come out much stronger, Fuchsia Mum reckons so I hope it does just wash out. Well I could hardly appear as Erdbeer without pink hair and wigs suck – thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

I think it worked, a bright counterpoint to the rest of my outfit, knee boots with a ten centimeter heel, a long wool wrap skirt both in brown and a thick slouch neck white jumper.

"Back to boring blonde tomorrow, it washes out,” I told her.
"Like it did last time,” Con put in.
"I read the label this time.”
"Looks cute,” Nen stated with a little shoulder shrug.
 

© Maddy Bell 24.07.2019