Part 2

The stage was set up with a bank of speakers on either side, where we would come out from behind. The backing tape went through those, with our voices going through a PA system. As we emerged, with Angelica singing the first lines, I was almost pushed forward by the impact of the sound.

What we had perfected, in the Nissen hut, now became a true performance. We strutted, we twirled, we shimmied, and we shook our butts as we moved back up the stage. As I got into the show, I found that I could notice individuals in the crowd. I saw some girls in the front that I knew from school. I saw my parents some rows back, along with Uncle Tom and Aunt Jean. Lucy and Janine were there, with their parents.

We were into a pair of Cleopatra songs when I saw a guy, about thirty feet from the edge of the stage, with his phone in his ear. I wondered at the lengths people go to stay in touch with their friends. The crowd got on board early, singing along with some of the songs. It looked to me as if they were enjoying themselves. The fact that we had started with a song that had hit the charts just a few months ago would have helped set the tone. After a dip into Steps and Honeyz, we finished off with the Spice Girls hit, ‘Wannabe’.

We ended the show, back near the speakers, with our microphones in our left hands and our right arms raised. The crowd were loud, and someone called for more. I had never thought that we would need it, but, just in case, we had worked on an encore, very early in the development. Archie had left the backing track on the tape, and called to us that it would start in ten seconds.

We waved to the crowd, who were getting more insistent, while counting down. Archie called, “three, two, one, go!” and Janine walked forward, singing the first lines of “You’re the One that I want”, from Grease. I know that it was twenty years old, but everyone knew the words. I followed with the second line and Angelica came forward with the bulk of the song.

I don’t know how it happened, as we hadn’t fully worked it out before this, but we found all three of us at the edge of the stage, Angelica in the middle with the two of us on either side. We sang the title line while pointing to various guys in the crowd, making a few blush, and others beam with pride at being picked out. All of us were vamping it to the maximum. I didn’t dare look at our parents during this song. We ended up, waved at the crowd, and walked back to the speakers and out of sight.

We went back to the tent, behind the stage, as there was another band already setting up, and waited until we were in a quiet corner before we had a group hug, which included Archie. We all had tears flowing freely, from the excitement of the show to the realisation that it was over. We went behind the screens to remove the microphone senders, giving them back to a smiling stagehand. Archie gathered up his tape player with our precious tape in it, we put the coats on and went out to walk back to the caravan to change.

We left the tent and walked straight into a large group of well-wishers. Parents, friends, even fans. We were smothered in hugs and kisses, to the point where Mum had to step in to ask our fans to give us some room. It was a large group that went up to the caravan, while the next band got into its set. They were a blues/rock group and I found myself singing along as we walked, arm in arm with Lucy on one side, and the two Janines on the other. Angelica had Archie’s arm around her shoulder.

While I would have liked to listen to the later band, Mum was firm. I was washed out so didn’t argue when she told us to go to the caravan and get ready for bed. In the van, we hugged again, and Angelica thanked us for putting the show together and stepping in to make it work. It didn’t take me long to go off to sleep, I don’t think that my sisters were far behind me.

When I woke, needing to pee, I got out, quietly, put the coat on over the nightie, and let myself out to go to the communal wet room. After relieving myself and washing my hands, I went back to the caravan, standing outside as I watched the suns rays’ peek over the horizon, taking in the whole atmosphere as the rally site started to wake up. It was an experience that I had never had before and was a moment in time that would stay with me for life. The van door opened, behind me, and Angelica said “Good Morning” as she dashed to the loos.

The van door opened again, and Janine joined me to watch the sun rise. We held hands in silence, until Mum came out of the other caravan and told us to get our towels and washing stuff, so that we can get use of the showers before the rush started. We didn’t talk about last night, it felt like it was another world, far from the light of day. Showered, then dressed in tights and jeans, with new tops and cardigans, we sat around a table, outside, until Dad came back from the food tent with containers of eggs, beans, bacon, and toast. Mum had got an urn heating and we all ate well, in relative quiet.

The other guys had joined us, and Geoff, the youngest of the crew, broke the spell by remarking, “You girls were fantastic, last night. I haven’t seen anything so polished before. Whatever happens, today, I think you all have a future.”

That started the discussion on what we had done. Dad commented that we looked like a trio of sex kittens on stage, and Mum told him that this was the whole point, the songs we had were not the sort you sing in church. The guys were all nice with their praise, and Geoff wondered if we would be asked to go back on another night.

“Looks like we’re going to find out, now,” Dad said, as we saw the show manager come towards us, with, oddly enough, the guy who I had noticed with his phone in his ear. I hadn’t been in the loop at how we became to be here. I had the feeling that Stuart, the show manager, and an old friend of Dad, had allowed us to perform as a favour, no doubt ready with the proverbial sheep crook to pull us off stage if we bombed.

Geoff told the other guys that it was time to go and get the traction engines ready for the day, getting up to leave us some privacy. Stuart and Dad shook hands and Stuart introduced Garth. They both sat and took a cup of hot tea that Mum gave them. Stuart started the conversation.

“Look, Charlie, I had my doubts when you asked me if your daughter could go on stage. Last night was a real eye-opener, though. That show was something like you would see from a professional group, with hit singles in the charts. Garth, here, has a group in that position, and he has told me, this morning, that he had been mightily impressed. I want you to open the show tonight, at seven, as well as Sunday, but not Saturday, as we already have a full list of artists. We nearly didn’t, but Garth can take over and ask you girls a question.”

“Thanks, Stuart. I am the road manager of the group, Cleopatra. We were booked to close the show on Saturday night, and I had come down to let Stuart know that we would have to cancel. Zain and Chris are both sick with the flu and aren’t allowed to sing. While you were on stage, I heard you sound like I was in the studio with the band, and called Cleo, to let her hear for herself. What we want is for you to come up to London, today, and see if you can fill out our sound. There’s no money in it, but you’ll get a bunch of merchandise. If you do end up on stage, we’ll supply the outfits for you to keep. I’ve told Stuart that we will donate half our fee to a charity of your choice, just for giving us the chance to play. What do you think?”

I looked at Angelica, who was slowly glazing over. I got up and went to her before she fell off the chair and helped her put her head down to her knees. While she recovered, Dad and Mum had a quiet talk. He looked at Garth.

“We’re happy with that, if the girls want to do it.”

Angelica looked at us with such a pleading expression, we couldn’t say no.

“Right, then. I’ll get our minibus here for about ten, so you can be taken to our rehearsal room and studio. What we’ll do, today, is just see if you fit in, learn the words and some of the steps. If it works, you’ll have to go back, Saturday, to run through the show with the band before coming back to perform. If that happens, you’ll be in the stage gear when you arrive. I think we’re on at nine, so it may be a late night.”

With that, the two of them left us to contemplate what had just happened. The guy had said that we should learn the words. That was something we didn’t need to do, as Angelica had the CD and had it on repeat for almost three months. In our earlier messing around in the hut, we had done the entire ‘Comin Atchu!’ CD as a show. Mum asked why we were so quiet.

“I know you don’t follow the charts, Mum,” said Angelica. “The band we’re going to London for haven’t long finished a tour as the opening band for the Spice Girls. They haven’t had hit singles, true, but they have had a couple in the top fifty, this year. To be asked to fill out their sound is a real compliment. They’re four sisters, from Manchester, and Cleo is the lead singer. This is something I could never have dreamed about, to be on stage with an established group, if only for one show, is a dream come true.”

“Right, then,” Mum said, firmly. “We can’t let the side down. The three of you, back in the van and change, no child of mine is going to London in jeans. Lucy, go and wake Archie up, I think he may enjoy a trip to the big smoke.”

I went to the small tent and pulled the flap open, calling out to Archie to wake up as there were places to go and people to see. He opened one eye and told me to go away until lunchtime. When I told him we were all going to London to meet Cleopatra, he didn’t believe me, but it did wake him up.

“There’s breakfast at the table, go and get some before it goes cold. Then shower and get dressed to meet music royalty. There’s a bus coming for us before ten, so get your skates on!”

I then went off to see what Angelica had chosen for us to wear on our outing. We didn’t have a lot to choose from, but she had put together a few items that looked good. When we emerged, we all had denim skirts, with the tops we had worn earlier. The Mary Janes made an appearance, to highlight our legs, now encased in tan tights. She had spent a bit of time on our make-up and had spritzed us with a dash of perfume. We had shoulder bags with everything we may need for the day, so were all set to go.

Archie had made some attempt at looking good, as had Mum, who wasn’t going to let her brood out of her sight. It wasn’t long before the bus came over to us and we all clambered in, joining Garth. As the driver took us to London, Garth was quite chatty, asking Mum about the family and what we did. When she told him that we had the two Burrell Showman’s in the display, he was animated, telling us that he loved the traction engines and that explained how we got our name.

“Yes,” I asked. “About the name. I only heard it for the first time as we were being introduced. I thought that it was to be ‘The Gaynor Attraction’?”

Mum looked sheepish.

“That’s my fault, love. When your father asked me what the name was to be, I thought that the other one was a bit too pretentious, so I told him the one you heard. It’s catchy, though, isn’t it?”

The trip didn’t take too long, and the driver pulled up outside an industrial building in Twickenham. Inside, we walked into a reception area and then through a few doors to a recording studio, where Cleo and Yonah were working on a song we hadn’t heard before. We waited in the control room until they had finished, with Archie in seventh heaven.

When they had finished, Cleo waved us in, and Garth introduced us. He then went back to the control room to join Mum and Archie, who I could see in a conversation with the sound technician. Cloe told us to be comfortable and asked us what songs we knew. Angelica told her that she knew all of the album, and that the two of us were good with most of it.

“Right, that makes it easier. The show is the album plus four new songs from the next album. These will be performed for the first time, tomorrow night. Let’s get you set up with microphones and we’ll take the album first. Then we’ll play you the others and give you the words to read. Albert! We’re going to work through the album, then take a break. Can you set up the backing tape, please.”

We stood at a microphone, each, facing the two of them, and she gave us earphones to wear.

“This is so you hear the sound as if you were listening to the CD. Have a bit of a chat and Albert will let you know when he’s ready to roll.”

As we talked, I could hear the sound in the headphones being altered. Then Albert told us that we start in ten seconds. I counted down in my head and then the opening notes of the first track, their biggest hit so far, thundered in my ears and we were off. I closed my eyes, and it was like singing along to the CD, back in the Nissen Hut, with Angelica coming in as the third voice, alongside Cleo and Yonah. Janine and I did the backing vocals, as we had done in the hut. We worked through the album, track by track, without a break, and I was really in the groove by the time we finished.

As the last notes faded, Cleo said, in my ears, “Garth said you were good, but that, girls, was fantastic!”

Yonah handed us some sheets with the words of the other songs on, and we read through them as Albert played the recorded tracks. Janine and I had the easy bits, but it took Angelica three plays before she was happy with the first, but nailed the others as she figured out the hierarchy of the group’s dynamic. It finally got through her head that she was third wheel. We then spent an hour, working as we had before, before Cleo was happy that we had the four songs good enough to have a break.

Garth had organised a caterer to bring in lunch and we sat around a table, eating and chatting. Albert told Garth that Archie was a bright lad and had a future in the industry. Cleo told us all that she was happy that she had been born some years earlier than us, or else she may not have been able to follow us. That brought a laugh. After the meal, we were led into a rehearsal room, where the rest of the band were starting to set up. There, we met Molly, the dresser, who measured the three of us, looking at Janine and I closely as she did so. Garth told her that we needed something to wear for the Saturday night show, and also something for our own performance, tonight. He showed her a short clip of us, on stage, so that she could see what we were doing. I’d never thought that we would need anything different from our silver outfits but decided that he was the professional.

That afternoon, we learned just what it takes to be a band on stage. Cleo was running with a small group, just the three guitars, drums, and keyboard, rather than the dozen or so they had used on tour. The new thing, for us, was being fitted with headset microphones and earbuds. Cleo told us that we would be welcoming them once the band cranked up. The two of them were out front, with Angelica, while the two of us were back, alongside the band, for most of the show, only coming forward for the last four songs. We were told to “Just Groove” until then.

Janine and I chatted with the guitarists while Cleo showed Angelica the main steps that they used, much of it we had seen on their videos. By the time we were deemed ready to go, there was a crowd in front of us, Molly with a few of her helpers, by the tapes hanging around their necks, the sound man, and some others who I took to be other band members. I was starting to get worried, then Cleo clapped her hands, and I heard her voice in my ears.

“Right, let’s get this going. I want to run through the whole show twice, today, if we can. The song list is there, on that board, it doesn’t run in the same order as the album. You have the words for you to use, should you need them, but just for the first run through. Let’s get this show on the road!”

The opening chords of the first song almost pushed me over, and then we were off and running. Whenever I looked at Janine, she had a big smile as she sang, a smile that must have matched mine. We did our backing part, watching as our sister really got into the groove, singing along with one of her favourite bands. For me, it was the sheer experience of being in a live band, not just singing to a backing tape, that was the thing that got my adrenaline moving. I was getting hooked on performing with each passing song.

With the last four songs, the two of us moved up to be alongside the other three, and followed their movements as we sang, ending the last song, their previous hit, as a row across the front of the band.

In the silence that followed, Cleo called out, “What do you say, boys?” and the band all shouted “Yea!!!”

We had a pee and rest break before doing the whole thing again, this time being much neater as we now knew where we were heading. At the end of that, Cleo turned us over to Molly. We had the headsets and buds removed, and Molly took Janine and me into her own workroom.

“Right, boys. How long have you been dressing?”

“Since Sunday,” whispered Janine. “How did we give ourselves away?”

“I’ve been around this industry my whole life, laddie. I’ve seen all kinds, from drag queens to good impersonators. You gave nothing away, it’s just that I can see through the make-up. You are two of the best I’ve seen for being so new to it. There has to be a story behind it. Get stripped while you tell me how you got turned into girls.”

We got undressed, down to our panties, but she told us to get them off as well, because she had something better for us to have as a foundation. The ‘something better’ turned out to be, as she called them, padded gaffs, which hid any male bits and gave us bubble butts. We related how we had helped our sister and had to step in to save the day. She was very interested when I told her that we had developed our show in a Nissen hut.

We got a new pair of red panties, next, followed by a red lace bra with a much bigger padding than we were used to. It took us a while to pull on the sheer, black, tights, and then she handed us black, see-through blouses. Then we shimmied into tight, red leather skirts that almost made me swoon with delight. Finally, she found some strappy sandals with two-inch heels that fitted us.

“Get used to walking in these before you go out. Lead with your groin and you’ll get the motion. Garth said you needed something different for your show, tonight, and you now look the part. Here’s a bag with what you came in, now go to the next room, where your make-up artist awaits. I’ll work on your sister, now.”

In the next room, we sat as a couple of women cleansed our faces and started from the bare skin. By the time they had finished, and played with our hair, we both looked about eighteen. Back in the rehearsal room, it was a bit quieter, the band had left everything set up, and Archie was nowhere to be seen. He walked in from the control room, as Angelica walked in from the make-up area, and the look on his face had to be seen to be believed. She was stunning, in the same outfit that matched ours. We were going to break hearts tonight.

There was a bit more refreshment and then it was out to the bus. This time, however, we were joined by Cleo and Yonah, Molly and Albert. Albert carried a small case, while Archie had a big grin as he sat next to his girlfriend. The trip took a little longer, seeing it was into the peak hour, and we arrived back at the rally at a little after six. Mum went off to tell Dad we were back, while the rest of us went into the tent behind the stage.

Albert and Archie fitted us with the headset mikes and buds, just as we had on in the afternoon, and they were tested. It was going to be odd, not holding a microphone, but it was something we needed to nail before Saturday evening. The Cleopatra group wished us well and left the tent to get a vantage point. I had the sudden thought that a top band had come along to see us, on only our second performance.

As seven approached we went up to be behind the speakers. The crowd was noisy, and someone called out “Gain–ing Tract-ion” and it was taken up by the rest. Stuart was smiling broadly as he brought a microphone to his lips and called out, “And now, the new sensation from last night, the group you want to see, the magnificent ‘Gaining Traction!’” as Archie started the tape and we emerged to a loud cheer.

Whatever he had been up to with Albert, the sound of the backing tape was crisper, with more depth than our old one. We sang our way through the set, with the crowd singing along with us. I felt as if I was a genuine teenage girl, out to enjoy myself, and I could see the others felt the same. At the end of the set, we stood by the speakers as Archie counted us down to the start of our encore. I know that we had made an impact, with the red skirts and the red bras showing under the blouses.

When we finished, and had got back to the dressing area, we gave the headsets and buds back to Albert, who congratulated us on the show as he put them in his case. Outside, once again, there were parents and fans, as well as some bemused members of a top band. Cleo had decided that she wanted to see some of the exhibits, and we took her, along with the rest, to our site, where the Horses were going around, and the Burrells were happily steaming away.

Of course, she and Yonah wanted a ride, so we five got on board for a lap or two. Three of us riding side-saddle because of the tight skirts. Garth asked Dad if the whistles were allowed so Dad went over to our guys and called out to give a toot on his mark. When they blew the whistles, it was a sign to everyone else to blow theirs, and the rally was resounding with steam whistles for a few minutes.

After some pictures of the five of us, with the Burrell’s as background, we said cheerio to the others. Cleo told us that the bus would pick us up about eleven, and to get a good night of sleep. We would do the show in the afternoon, in full stage gear, and come to the site in time for our set. The band members would be leaving earlier. I wondered what we would be doing in that hour or so.

Marianne Gregory © 2024