Gaby Book 27 Smell of the Crowd by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2022 Madeline Bell Life has some certainties, birth and death of course, but the rest is a mix of Minestrone and Spaghetti, some of which we have no direct influence over. We can however decide whether we want Parmesan or other seasoning, we can give Gnochi a try, doesn't mean we'll like it but at least we'll know. Gaby has reached just such a point in her life, she knows she likes Pizza, she's not averse to Spaghetti or Lasagne but is Gnochi for her? The Gnochi in this case is doing the singing with BlauHase on a more serious level, as a 'hobby' its fine but could this be a change of career? Well you don't find out without trying so that's just what our heroine is about to find out in this, the 27th book of the Gaby saga.

 
Other than Frank, none of us have met, or even spoken to the members of Zipfer, Robert has organised them all through an agency, last night, in Russelheim was the exception. So the news, whilst upsetting was a bit weird, we didn’t have a real connection but it felt as if we should have.

Mist broke the silence, "Do we cancel?”
"Rob?” Stefan deferred to our manager.

Everyone turned towards him to receive his words of wisdom.

"I’ve been talking with Frank, there isn’t exactly a protocol for this sort of thing. Obviously our thoughts are with them, the venue are fine to proceed but everyone will understand if you want to cancel. However, time is of the essence, we need to make a decision in the next quarter hour. Take a few minutes to discuss it, Frank and I will be up in the office.”
 
"So what do we think?” Stefan asked once we were on our own.
"What do we do by cancelling?” Little Jo posed.
"We’re seen as respectful,” Animal stated.
"And if we go on?” LJ went on.
"Less respect,” Marcus put in, "But I doubt we’d be vilified.”
"What about you Erd, should we play or not?” Stefan queried directly.

I didn’t reply immediately, instead weighing up the pro’s and con’s for all involved.

"So if we cancel there’re financial implications all round even if it is the right thing to do, us, the venue, the fans but we have a clear conscience. If we play there are some who’ll point the finger, make us out to be uncaring, money grabbers am I right?”
"Just about wraps the situation up,” Marcus agreed.
"There is a third way,” I suggested.
"Which is?” Stefan asked.
"Well we do the gig but make it, what’s the word, not testimonial.”
"Fundraiser?” Mist suggested.
"Not the word I was thinking of but essentially yeah, we donate our cut of monies to the Zipfer guys, dedicate the gig to them, I won’t say everyone’s happy exactly but no one is less happy.”
"I like your thinking Erd,” Stefan noted, "Anyone not want to perform?”

The guys exchanged looks and variously indicated their willingness to go ahead on that basis.

"Okay, best let the management know, come on Erd, your idea, you can explain it.”
 

"That works for us,” Frank allowed, "Robert?”
"If the band are okay with it I guess I am.”
"Its not too mercenary is it,” I suggested.
"Not at all,” Frank replied, "Making it a benefit gig for Zipfer trumps any commercial aspect, I’ll talk to my bosses about the house putting some money up too. So what about timing, clearly with no opening act the punters won’t want to be stood about for an hour, can you bring things forward?” Frank enquired.
"Can’t see why not,” Stefan supplied, "Erd?”
"We could but what if there were an opening act?”
"How do we manage that? The doors open in what? An hour, there’s no way to do that and who would you get at this notice?” Robert stated.
"What if they were already here, in the building?” I posed.
"We’re listening,” Stefan at least sounded interested.

To be truthful I hadn’t really thought it through, my mouth had run off without consulting the grey matter, I guess my conscience felt Zipfer deserved more than well meaning words.

"You think the two Jo’s would be up for a sort of mini gig Stef?”
"What are you thinking Erd?”
"We could do like a fifteen, twenty minute set specifically as the benefit then after a break do the regular BlauHase set.”
"I like it,” Robert beamed, "By ‘we’ I’m guessing you are included in this.”
I was thinking on my feet here, "Er yeah, keep it simple, maybe half a dozen covers?”
"What would you need from us?” Frank asked.
"I dunno, we’ve already done a soundcheck so probably just a spot on me, sure your lighting guy can ad lib a bit.”

While I’d been talking Stefan had summoned the Jo’s on his Handy, they arrived as Frank called his guy.

"What’s up?” Little Jo asked as they joined us.
"Well,” Stefan started, "Erd has a proposition for you both.”
"Sounds intrigueing,” BJ mentioned.
"Would you be up for accompanying me for a few numbers before the gig?”
"We changing the set?” Little Jo queried.
"Not exactly, Erd has suggested the three of you do a short set to replace Zipfer’s performance.”
"What do you reckon guys?” I asked with a heavy dose of female wiles.
The two exchanged glances before Little Jo replied, "What are we playing?”
 
"All set from our end,” Frank told us closing his phone.
"Come on then, lets get things moving, time’s a wastin’,” Robert observed.

Looks like its a goer.
 

"You sure you don’t need me?” Mist asked for the umpteenth time.
"Quite sure, a) you don’t know the songs and b) you don’t know the songs.”
"Don’t say I didn’t offer,”
"I won’t.”

The Jo’s and I had agreed a set, it wasn’t stuff that the band would usually think of doing, instead its a softer, quieter selection, still kinda Gothy but in a softer, girlier way I guess. We had a quick run through, the guys were fine tuning things whilst I got ready, its a good thing that we’d kept out our stage gear at the Frankfurter Hof when Robert took our stuff to the hotel earlier.

"You ready Erd?” Stefan called through the door.
"As I’ll ever be.”

Yeah I know, I’ve been up on those stages the last week and more but tonight, for this, the butterflies have brought in the moths too for a rave in my tum.
 

I walked out onto the Frankfurter Hof stage in the now darkened auditorium, the Jo’s to either side, LJ poised over his keyboards, BJ his bass. Suddenly I was bathed in light, well here goes nothing.

"Good evening Mainz,” I started, "I’m Erdbeer from BlauHase and I’m sorry to have to tell you that we’ve had to change this evenings programme. Earlier today, on our way here, we were caught up in traffic on the A60 motorway, the result of an auto accident, I’m sure many of you saw on the news the carnage out there. Of course, we were lucky, we weren’t directly involved, we only suffered a long delay.”

I paused as I composed myself to continue my little speech.

"Not everyone was so lucky, right now, our support act for tonight should be right where I am, Zipfer, like us were making their way here but by chance, they were caught in the accident. Sadly one of them lost their life and another is now fighting for their life in the Universitätsklinik a short distance from here.

Rather than cancel the gig we’ve decided to go ahead, we along with the venue will be donating profits from this evening to Zipfer in this, their hour of need. We know you’ve come here this evening to be entertained, BlauHase will be playing their full set shortly but first, we’d like to offer you a short tribute to the members of Zipfer, we hope the injured recover soon and that they can return to the thing they love the most, entertaining you guys.”

The audience had remained almost silent during my little speech but now someone started clapping, not the rowdy, wild type but a more subdued, I guess appreciative clap that soon spread through the venue. The lighting dimmed as the applause waned leaving just my upper body lit, I gave a tiny nod to the Jo’s and let lose with the first number of our mini set.
 

We hadn’t wanted to be too maudlin but at the same time it needed to be respectful, what we ended up with was half a dozen covers from the likes of Siouxsie Soux, Nina Hagen and finally Evanescence. It was stuff that I’ve listened too even if some of them date to before I was born, my parents have an eclectic music collection okay.

We weren’t word perfect or even note perfect but that didn’t matter, I sang what I sang, the guys played what they played and in what seemed like no time at all I was launching into the last number, My Last Breath, a number from American band Evanescence.

‘Hold on to me love
You know I can't stay long
All I wanted to say was
I love you and I'm not afraid
Can you hear me?
Can you feel me in your arms

Holding my last breath’

It was a rather poignant finale to our impromptu performance.
 

I let the crowd show their, albeit muted, appreciation before addressing the assemblage in the auditorium.

"I hope you enjoyed that at this sad time, we’ll take a break now, me and the guys will be back with BlauHase in about twenty minutes, thank you again.”

The cheering was a bit less restrained this time, I’m sure they’ll be in full voice by the end of the night.
 

"Come here,” Mist demanded when I made my way to our ‘changing’ room. I was pulled into a tight hug as she snuffled into my shoulder.
"You okay?”
"Be fine, that was just so beautiful.”
"Ave Maria is beautiful.”
She pushed herself back and looked me in the eyes, "Only with the right singer, come on, lets get you changed.”

For the ‘benefit’ performance I’d worn the black lacy thing, it needed a wash but on the stage I was the only one smelling last nights slightly stale sweatiness. Mist had an idea for the BlauHase performance so I’d left her to it.

"You are kidding right?”
"Nope.”

I held the garment out for another look.

"Put this on top, your spikey boots et voila...”
I cut her off, "One street walker!”
"You see street walker, I see sexy singer with a rock band.”
I looked at the ‘trousers’ again, "Where did they come from?”
"In Koblenz before we came away,” she admitted.
"So why haven’t you worn them?”
"Erm, they’re a bit, you know, tight.”
"I think that’s the point.”
"At least try them.”

I suppose my dance and cycling gear is just as erm, form fitting.

"Okay.”
"You might want to put on some plain hose first, they’ll go on easier.”
"If you say so.”

Five minutes later I was examining myself in the mirror someone had thoughtfully installed on the back of the door. As Mum would say, they fitted where they touched and they touched everywhere, you wouldn’t be able to hide a pimple wearing them. They could loosely be described as jeans in as much as they had a fly and patch pockets on the rear however jeans are not usually made from stretchy, very shiny, well not PVC but something similar. Nope, Nanna Bond would have conniptions if she saw me in these!

"Two minutes,” Hilde announced pushing the door open enough for her head to poke through. "Oh my!”

I guess I haven’t got time to put something else on then.

"Come on Gab,” Mist agitated, "Lets do something with that hair.”
"You er, might want to adjust your,” she indicated my chest.

I looked back to the mirror, I was decent but the girls looked set to escape the confines of the strapless corset top, Mist insisted went with the leg wear.
 

I think I looked sort of demure in a kind of Gothy way for my first visit to the stage, a kind of noughties Kate Bush or Stevie Nicks. Apart from my comparative lack of boobs I felt more like Tina Turner trying for rock chick as I waited for my cue to return to the stage. At least no one I know will see me looking like a fetishist’ wet dream. I’ll get you for this Misty, just you wait and see if I don’t.

The rock baroque intro started as it has each performance, the spotlights illuminating each of the band in turn until it was my turn. If the earlier warbling had been a bit quiet and restrained, our opening number is pretty much the opposite.

‘Where the mountains meet the sea
And lights spit stains on the scenery
And the air is heavy with a sticky unease
I wish for my world of make believe

And it's breaking through
Breaking through
Breaking through... ‘

The upbeat lyric and fast tempo of our Toyah Wilcox cover allowed no time for introspection or doubt over ones wardrobe choices. It was there in the set to get the audience moving and tonight more than ever we and I daresay they, needed it.
 
Maddy Bell © 04.05.2022