Jem...Chapter 189

*Before…

I go over to her and I see what she’s looking at.

I know what the boys have been doing and not just for Mr. Walker.

It’s a closed panel van and it’s definitely not new but it looks awesome. Kinda like our old one with the one sliding side door and the two doors in the back and if anything it’s longer than ours used to be.

And it’s glossy black with the whole spaces scape look to it and it has our logos done on the sliding doors and on the front hood and the back panels of the doors and we have some nice rims and then there’s really nice stainless steel running boards and we’re jacked up a little in the back. We even have running lights under the runner boards and around our license plates.

We’re running outside and we’re looking at Uncle Mitch who grinned and held the keys out to Rayne.

“What...why...how?”

*And Now...

He grins. “The write off was still a write off but Jeremy and I knew a few people and we called some friends and yesterday a friend drove this in for me from a police auction in Oshua.” He grins at us and at her. “It’s all paid for all you have to do is change over the paperwork and the plates.”

She’s hugging him and then Dad and she’s crying and we’re all checking it out and inside it’s awesome. We have a welded on shelf rack for all of our bits of gear and replacement gear from power cables to tape and picks and extra things that we might need too and then there’s a rack with a bungee net for our instruments and even an adjustable dolley to haul amps and drums in with.

We’re all hyper as we go and get our things and Dad is still hugging Rayne and she’s going between him and Uncle Mitch and then she’s hugging Billy and Davey who did all the work for the van.

It’s all just amazing and cool.

I really love my Dad.

Heck I really love my guys.

Getting our stuff is pretty fast since we don’t have to get ready here anymore and we’re off to Lucky’s all in our little convoy and there we meet up with Josie and her little crew and there’s some more hugs and oooohs and awwws over the van too.

Which Kimmie has dubbed. “Spaceship Superstar.”

Then we’re loading into the back at Lucky’s which is really a good place to do all of this since they have this really great low loading dock that leads to the back of their stage and other areas like the bowling mechanics door and the kitchen storeroom and it actually looks nicer than the last time we were in here with some new paint and some posters of people that have played here and there’s a sort of make-shift dressing room table and mirror there for us to use and everything.

The guys get changed first into their black t-shirts with band security on the front of them and our space-field and butterfly logo on the back and carmen gives them all toques to wear which they all did and Billy and Davey even let Carmen do a touchup on their hair so they look like well groomed and handsome guys and Mike too and our biker guys actually wear their watches and studded leather wrist bands and some of their biker jewelry and things and even a pair of gloves.

They all look sharp as heck and then Mike and Molly are setting up out front and Dad’s with Josie and her bunch too and Uncle Mitch is dressed as our security too and he’s out in the games section checking things out.

After all this is where we ran into Brooklyn’s brothers.

Then we’re getting dressed and it’s sort of a riff on our kind of Jake’s rocker look more than our pop look and we’re all wearing toques and I’m in a band tee with that fringed halter top with the spaghetti straps under it in red and I’m in tight skinny jeans which took a little doing to slide into with the...well the bits and carmen must have adjusted them in the hips and the waist because they fit better than my other jeans especially at the waist.

A cool belt and two inch heeled boots and I’m done.

Kimmie in a sleeveless band tee so that her arms are bare and she has these tasseled wrist wraps like those old time wrestlers used to wear and she’s in jeans too and good boots black and they’re like decked out in sort of wrist charms but they’re steel toe work boots.

I dig the look especially as she sets it all off with her Moogle hat and looks nothing like all those stereotypical asian girls.

Seriously when have you seen a japanese girl that is as small as they come sort of but with great arms and work boots.

Brooklyn is in a slinky black dress with fishnets and she’s has her hair all done out in that sexy red tumble that you see on TV and she’s got fingerless leather gloves with studs and a lace choker on and some killer earrings that look like small dangling garnet crystals in that sort of long spike earring way.

And then Raven in a set of black leather pants and high heeled boots and she has this gothic bracelet charms all fixed onto her big black studded leather belt and she’s wearing a band tee shirt but there’s slits made into it all around her boob zone so you literally can see the sexy black lace bra peeking through with the under curve and the side boob and well her amazing cleavage.

That shirt makes me feel very yay.

It’s sexy as hell and still very band centered and it’s revealing without being too revealing.

Lots of gothy bracelets, necklaces, full on gothy make-up with this frosted blue plum lipstick and her eyes just look amazing.

We look good.

We head out to the stage and the place is actually packed.

Hey Thursday nights are paynights for some folks but I see some people there that are our fans from town and I see some of the folks from today at Trudeau Park and Danny is there with a woman and she waves as he’s waving and some other there as well.

Rayne has some of those shirts from Danny’s she took this afternoon in hand and she looks at me and she starts tossing them out.

I step up to the mic and wave at everyone. “Hey…...everybody!!!”

“HEY ANGEL!” The crowd shouts back.

Okay that was cool.

I take the mic stand and say. “Welcome to our return to Lucky’s on Thursdays we will not be playing next week with the Fall fair but we’ll be back after that for sure!”

“We’re going to give out some really cool free vintage tee shirts now and these are courtesy of Danny Sawyer right down there.”

I point him out and people cheer and he looks like he has no idea what to do about that.

“Danny runs Sawyer’s Funrides here for the Fall Fair this year and it’s way more than cool to have met him and signed up with him and his crew because we’re going to be shooting some videos of our tunes together!”

There’s a lot more cheers and he’s still looking stunned, so is his wife but in a really pleased way.

“And just as cool as all of that is that Sawyer’s Funrides is like old school, it’s one of the last carnival ride companies left in the province and these guys as most of you have seen from them just not being around are dying off. Danny’s one hell of a fighter hanging on and making a lot of memories for a lot of folks as well as holding onto something that’s part of his family and like part of the province too!”

“Let’s give him a hand, let’s spread the word to come and check out everything at Fall Fair!”

Everyone’s cheering him and Brooklyn starts the opening with Raven as we cover *Magic Carpet Ride.* By Foghat and I’m pointing at Danny as I start singing it.

And then we go into *Fortune Favors the Bold* By Starlight Butterfly which fits as Lucky’s is a much more of a older rock crowd and they like that older rock feeling even with new songs.

Then we go into. *These Boots are made for walking.* By...well it’s the Nancy sinatra one by sort of like the Jessica Simpson cover but much more like a Joan Jett cover...much more hard rock cover with the deeper rock.

And that way, that sound is perfect to jump us into doing *I Love Rock and Roll* By Joan Jett and The Blackhearts and the place gets loud as we even start the opening music.

The feet start stomping and they’re clapping and as I lean into the mic grabbing the stand and start singing out they’re pounding louder and louder.

I saw him dancin’ there by the record machine …!
I knew he musta been about seventeen …

The beat was goin’ strong …
Playin’ my favorite song …

An’ I could tell it wouldn’t be long.
Till he was with me … yeah me.
An’ I could tell it wouldn’t be long.
Till he was with me … yeah me.

(That one word in between it all I girl cry-growl into the mic loudly.)

Singin’ …!

(Then I mic the crowd letting the stand fall ahead and holding onto the chord and brace the bottom with my foot and as we hit the chorus the place explodes with girls and women shouting at the top of their lungs.)

I LOVE ROCK AND ROLL!

PUT ANOTHER DIME IN THE JUKEBOX BABY!

I LOVE ROCK AND ROLL!

SO COME AND TAKE YOUR TIME AND DANCE WITH ME!

I bring the stand back to me with my foot and I very luckily catch it and we keep going as we start to rock the heck out of the place and girls are dancing with girls and other girls with guys are dragging them up to dance and we keep up the rock and roll pressure.

*Whole Lotta Rosie* By AC/DC.

I’ll admit that’s a great, great song if you’re a girl band and looking to play some AC/DC tunes.

And we go from that sticking with the same band and we go into *Are You Ready?* By AC/DC.

And that’s a great opening for us to do *AC/DC* The song and not the band By Joan Jett and The Blackhearts.*

With the different vibe change we get into *Keep the Faith* By Starlight Butterfly.

Life’s never easy.
I can tell you that right now.
Everyone has their struggles.
And how we face them says who we are.

Sometimes it’ll beat you up …
Sometimes it’ll throw you down …
Sometimes it’ll grind you..
Sometime’s it’ll hurt you …

(Chorus.) But I tell you this now.
I’ve been there before …
You let it stop you there’ll always be more …
So pick yourself up off of the ground.
Wipe off the tears and wipe off the rain …
Never give up … don’t ever back down …
Stick that thumb out and leave it behind...
You’ll be alright …
It gets better …
Keep the faith …

(Long drum and guitar riff.)

I know it’s hard …
To put one foot in front of the other.
I know it’s like quicksand … when they say why even bother.
And all that aimless wandering …
Looking for your home.
It seems never ending, there’s just too much road …

Sometimes it’ll beat you up …
Sometimes it’ll throw you down …
Sometimes it’ll grind you down...
Sometime’s it’ll hurt you …

(Chorus x2)

(Long drum and guitar riff.)

Oh keep the faith …
You’re stronger than you know …
Keep the faith …
Keep the faith …

Then we go from that into *Rock and Roll Beauty* By Kim Mitchell.

And then we ramp it up some more with *Don’t Wanna* By Starlight Butterfly.

Skateboards and ripped jeans …
Mini-skirts and AC/DC …
Summers of jumping in over my head …
Fireflies and bonfires.
And kissing and your eyes …
I know that want this …
I know who I want.
I don’t wanna give up …!
I don’t wanna stop dreaming …
I don’t wanna give up …!
I don’t want to stop singing …
I want to take your hand …
And shout it out loud …
I want the world to know …
I’ll never let you down …!
I don’t wanna give up …!
I don’t wanna stop dreaming …
I don’t wanna give up …!
I don’t want to stop singing …
I want to take your hand …
And shout it out loud …
I want the world to know …
I’ll never stay down …!
I wanna dance all night …
And hold you tight …
I want to kiss you, love you …
I want kiss you, love you!
I don’t wanna give up …!
I don’t wanna stop dreaming …
I don’t wanna give up …!
I don’t want to stop singing …
I don’t wanna give up …!
I don’t wanna stop dreaming …
I don’t wanna give up …!
I don’t want to stop singing …
I wanna be your Sunday morning smile ……!
I end that off with a fun kinda howly note to keep the vibe going and that has us ready to actually do our version of *Whole Lotta Love.* By Led Zeppelin.

It’s been really good to us recently and people will dance to that and they will grind to it.

And I groove and dance to it with Carmen up on stage with me as Raven and and Brooklyn and Kimmie just crank out the instrumental bits and riffs.

Kimmie does those little vocal effect cries...really cool.

Carmen’s doing a lot better mover than me and pretty much sex kitten era go-go dancer like side to side things with some modern things in there and me I’m doing that kinda modern girl dancing with the whole long hair shake and more of the grunge/skater girl kind of dancing but we’re keeping them going until it’s time for me to crank out the vocals again.

We finish strong with the instruments and I lean on the mic stand good and sweaty.

“We’re going to take a break right now and let all of you have a chance to hit the head and then the bar and right after that get some of the really awesome food they’ve got going on here at Lucky’s!”

There’s a lot of cheers from the crowd and we bow out and head backstage and like probably a lot of the girls we’re making a fast trip to the bathrooms and then getting cleaned up and some of the sweat off and stuff.

When we come out Charlie is there grinning at us with a big tray of food and it’s piled high to overflowing. “You girls got some visitors that Danny fella and his wife and a Miss McAlister and she’s from the chamber of commerce so I thought it might be okay to let them come out back, plus I tossed on some food for them too. I’ll send Stacy out back with drinks and stuff.”

I go over and I give him a hug. “That’s pretty awesome Charlie free food is always great.”

“Well it ain’t free we’ve been doing good, really good with the commercial you made for us and everything, heck even the alley’s picked up with folks and fans coming in. we’re even reserving birthday parties and stuff.”

I move and let Rayne give him a squeeze and she gives him a good breast squeeze making him turn red. She says. “You’re still cool and you still gave us back our Thursday night.”

He grins and heads off. “It’s worth it having you back, the place is slammin tonight and I have to get back and help.”

We wave him off and we gesture for Danny and his wife to come in along with Lorna McAlister who gives me a handshake and a short hug.

“You girls are great, this is the first show that I’ve been to that’s been live and it’s been too long since I heard music I like and danced even.”

Rayne smiles at her as she and her shake and hug and Rayne puts a little super cleavage into that one too and Lorna colors in an interesting way and Rayne says. “Angel does most of the playlists and we try and tailor songs to our venues.”

She nods and looks at the both of us. “So do you always advertise the place you’re playing and people that you work with like Mr. Sawyer?”

I’m stepping to Danny and his wife intercepts me with a huge hug. “....Yes…” I’m a little choked and she’s looking at me with red eyes from crying. I smile at her. “Hi.”

She sniffles and she hugs me again. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, oh my god i thought I was going to faint when you pointed us out and then you’re saying all these really, cool things and tossing out our shirts to people here and...just wow...no one’s ever done that for us before.”

I huge her and we lean on her and I look at Danny who looks really happy and a little choked up too.

“Kate’s right Angel, that was way past anything that anyone’s ever done for us.”

He comes over and shakes my hand and he pulls me into a hug and I’m squished between him and Kate.

I sort of waddle us over to where the food is and some folding chairs to sit on are at.

“I was serious in helping out and I’m serious about how I feel about what you do Danny. It’s disappearing, it’s stuff from our childhood going away for the set in place parks and stuff.”

I look over at Lorna. “I mean we could even take into account that with the province or the feds right with our home grown carnivals going out of business?”

She looks at me. “I hadn’t thought about it but it wouldn’t hurt to try. I know a few people I could send stuff for Sawyers to in both government levels. I mean it wouldn’t hurt to try.”

I grab some fries and start eating and Danny and kate are looking at us even more.

I eat and offer food to them. “Miss McAlister is on the Harper’s point tourist board as well the chamber of commerce and we’re going to put together a video or two that helps sell Harper’s Point to the province and to the feds for more funding and things for tourism and maybe more things to do.”

Lorna grabs a burger. “Seeing as Starlight Entertainment and Music is shooting videos with you and we’re piggybacking with you as well for our videos then it’d only be decent to pass things along.”

Danny takes a burger and unwraps it and looks at us. “That’d be a huge help.”

I look at Lorna. “Well seeing as we’ll need to get it all on paper and that’ll need a contract as well as time from all of us doing other things…..” I hold off looking at her and she laughs.

“Okay...point made Miss Benton we will pay SME and Sawyers for their involvement in our videos. We have money for an advertising budget but really except for a few odd things here and there we haven’t had a big output for things.”

I smile. “Good so while we’re here can we agree to a contract space for Sawyer’s Funrides to set up for our Winter Carnival this year?”

She raises an eyebrow and takes some of the sliders. “You’re working fast aren’t you?”

“We should Christmas isn’t that far from now and we could make a pretty good event out of it with a Santa Claus parade and then a Christmas concert that we can bring folks into see and then do things like hockey games and curling and a open air rink...I think the rides all set up with Christmas lights going and the popcorn from the snack cart coming out with that smell and the smell of cinnamon and sugar and live music playing as we do some kind of midnight madness weekend shopping thing in town…”

I grin as they’re all looking at me and eat some of the really good tater tots.

Lorna swallows her food. “You help with the planning and us setting us and getting folks to agree with this shopping thing and done.”

I wipe of my hand and her and I shake hands.

Danny swallowed his bite of burger. “Are you serious?”

I nod. “Can you rig Christmas lights and make like Christmassy food?”

Kate says really fast. “Yes!”

I grin at her.

I look at the girls and Rayne’s beaming at me and Brooklyn’s grinning and says. “I’d actually like playing some Christmas rock.”

Kimmie’s nodding. “Oh we could do like Fall Fair stuff too like Christmas baking stuff and all the kids stuff like we have here in the tents we can put up too because we can do this while on breaks and things.”

Lorna starts to dig through her purse. “Wait, wait let me take some notes.”

I wave her off. “How about after the show we get together and we do a huddle here as we have count to do and we can do things up officially with contracts and things with our computers and everything.”

Danny nods. “Sure thing we’re really not far away or anything tonight.”

Kate’s nodding. “Whatever it takes really.”

I look at her. “That bad?”

Kate sniffles. “Yeah keeping everything going, trying to pay the bills and not sell off the business...and now a days who’d buy it there’s no one to run it.”

She rubs at her eyes.

I look at Lorna who says. “Definitely, we’ll definitely work something out...who knows maybe having a working events plan and calendar will help what I want to do for us.”

Rayne says. “And we can talk to people during the Fall Fair like the other bands and I can talk to my boss at Wal-Mart they’d be into having more business in town for shopping.”

I look at Rayne. “Tell your boss if they opt in and build a Christmas float we’ll play it for them.”

She blinks at me. “Really, we’re going to do that?”

“I’m not sure he’d say no at that point honestly right now while we’re hot. If he agrees we can get him under contract with the town.”

She nods. “Done.” and she has this huge smile on her face and she leans over and we kiss and she feeds me a few fries after we’re done kissing.

We made our company blush.

We kiss again and eat some more then we’re ready to go and to play again and we get our make-up all retouched up and We head out on stage to more applause and i take the mic.

“How about the food you guys holey cheese that was friggin good eh!”

There some more cheers. “Seriously if you have had Lucky’s burgers then you’re missing out. I mean the last time I had a burger like here was well...here but my Uncle Remy says this is that old school drive in foil wrapped goodness that you can’t get anymore.”

“And our fish, like Great Lakes and local caught and brought seriously.”

“Okay, okay I know I’ll riff on the eats where we play but seriously this is home...It’s stuff made here, jobs from here...y’know Harper’s Point!”

I mic the crowd. “Harper’s!”

“ROCK!”

“HARPERS?!”

“ROCK!”

“HARPERS?!”

“ROCK!”

And I’ve gotten them wound up again but when I was talking I seen people my age and getting the whole shop local thing but older folks too with that respect for local stuff too nodding.

This kind of stuff, morale and hometown ownership is kind of a big thing for me.

I think if we use that as building blocks with working together and doing all the stuff that we talked about we can make us a place to come to again.

I mean we are...this week but I want folks to actually consider coming her to see stuff, do stuff and make things click.

I smile at the all and lean into the mic stand and sway with it at them.

“So you all ready to dance some more?”

There’s cheers, lots more cheers as the drinks are kicking in.

“So how about some...Pink.”

I even start with her little chuckle from the video as we start to play. *Let’s get this party started.* By Pink.

And that’s go them moving and shaking and grooving and getting up to dance all over again.

Yeah it’s mostly girls but the younger guys or like maybe some of the less uptight guys will dance too.

And we’re knocking that out of the park and when we’re done we stop.

And Kimmie starts the beat of the next one on the drums.

Then we’re stomping our feet to it.

And the band is stomping their feet to it.

Then I start signing and Carmen comes out and she dances, and she really dances like a street styled and properly trained dancer does as I’m cranking out. *Hollaback girl* By Gwen Stefani.

The song has such a strong beat to it, it makes you want to stomp and clap in as close to the video kind of dancing that you can get.

Carmen dancing is pulling on that even more.

Then we go from that to older but still really loved. *The Sign* By Ace of Base.

I love singing this because of the deep vocal groove in the first of the song and it’s semi-pop but it’s older 80’s rock so it still has lots of folks up and dancing.

That leads to *All-star* By Smashmouth and then we go from that into *My Best Friend’s Hot* By The Dollyrots and while that has a sort of pop-vibe it still has that great dancing beat that everyone’s enjoying and that lets me have some more fun as I kiss Rayne and whisper the change over to her as I get my Keytar.

And I start us into *Safety Dance.* By Men at Work.

That’s a good song, it’s really old but it’s fun as heck to dance to as well as it’s a generation crosser which is good for this mixed crowd that’s here plus I get to mess around and be a spaz while playing the keytar and Raven’s the one actually doing the singing since she can do that deeper bass note that plays so well with this.

I’m hitting that sort of bar sweet spot where folks are dancing and they’ve been drinking and eating and frankly drinking which leads to more dancing and with the songs it’s a happy sweet spot to be in.

And we ride that all the way into doing *Tubthumping* By Chumbawamba.

I like the song, I like the band more actually and they do a really great body of work that North American doesn’t see. I’d love to play Tubthumping more but it has a specific feel that goes with a sort of a pub like feel but the rest of the music would have to sort of click with it.

I’d be a bad by request DJ since I don’t think that I could go against song flow.

I’m really having fun with it and so’s everyone else as I can see the drinking parts of the song are getting folks drinking more and dancing to the bar or calling out for shots or their particular whisky drinks or vodka drinks and we keep them all hopping as we go into a sure crowd pleaser with.

*One Week* By The Barenaked Ladies.

Just about everyone knows this song and while it’s not a dance song it’s a sing along and bounce dance song. Carmen’s still with us on stage as we’re singing and she bounce dances and does that ra-ra-arm thing as she gets the going through the chorus of the song.

Then we slip into *Place your hands* By Reef another really good band that got sort of lost in the shuffle. But still a good tune, a good dancing bar tune.

Then we slip to a familiar cover of *Soul Sister* By Train and that gets more of our fans bouncing and dancing and that’s pulling others in and Carmen’s doing her dance-jump think still when we hit the chorus and we all sing along and I mic the crowd.

Then we hit them with Brooklyn squaring to the mic with her guitar and she belts out *One way or another* By Blondie and partway in Rayne and I join her in singing.

Some great songs are still just great songs.

And because it’s got a good dance feel to it we go from that to *Weather with You.* By Crowded House.

It’s more of a segway into us doing. *Born to Boogie* By T. Rex which is a pretty damned good tune and then we go into *Land of a thousand dances.* By Wilson Pickett.

And that’s a great song, one I think we might have to move to playing at the Amsterdam as there’s some of the older people here actually doing some of the dances and that’s catching on and we play the song a little longer with the instruments but not too long just enough to let everyone dance just a little longer.

Then we end the song and we get a lot of applause as we take a stage bow.

I gesture to Carmen. “Carmen Wilson everyone!”

There’s cheers and whistles.

“Carmen’s our lead designer and our cosmetologist and one heck of a dancer right!?”

There’s more cheers and whistles.

“We going to take a break and get freshened up, so do the same folks grab a bit of dessert and share it with the one you’re with and we’ll be back to finish the show with something you can all snuggle tight and slow dance too.”

There’s more whistles and applause as we head backstage and Carmen’s face is red.

“Oh my god Angel did you really!?”

“Yes, I mean you’re a part of the band and you came out and helped.”

She looks at me. “You’re not mad?”

“Why would I be mad you got them boogying their butts off out there.”

Kimmie cackles. “Oh girl you sooo gave Molly girl wood.”

Rayne asks. “Did you have a good time?”

Carmen nods. “I was just watching and then it was just like suddenly I was moving.”

Rayne smiles. “Then I’m good with it.”

Brooklyn grins and thumps her arm. “I dug it, we gotta work with that some more.”

I can’t help the happy smile on my face as she clues in we’re not her old crew...we’re not jealous or turning on her but here we’re pretty stoked.

I do go use the bathroom and then a quick wash up getting most of the sweat and funk off and get the make-up off first thing and letting my face breathe and then some basic smell good with some deodorant sprayed on and a spritz of Juicy bubblegum perfume and my long held secret weapon and that’s taking a dryer sheet and wiping the inside of my shoes/boots and I change my socks.

Stacy one of the waitresses comes back looking like she’s been busy and she has a tray of desserts.

“Wow you girls are on tonight!”

I look things over taking something that looks lemony. “We’re glad to be here and glad to be back honestly.”

She blinks. “You haven’t been gone that long?”

“I know but this is one of our first gigs, and it’s nice to have the steady work.”

She nods. “Totally, got all the hours I can handle, heck Charlie hired a couple more kids out front too and we got another waitress and part time bartender we’re so busy.”

“Really?”

“We do take-up now and Charlie’s helping out in the kitchen on busy nights.”

I smile. “Well hopefully this will keep up.”

She nods a we hug as she heads back to work and I’m eating this awesome dessert.

Lemon doughnut parfait…. Oh so good.

See lemon filled powdered doughnuts went off the Tim’s menu a long time back but they were one of the best doughnuts that they made.

This is that same yeast risen fluffy doughnut but cut into bits before tossed in the powdered sugar and it’s in this large cup with alternating doses of vanilla ice cream and hot lemon pudding as a sauce….and the pudding is tart, it has to be tart and not over sweet.

This is really easy looking to make too.

I see others that are sort of variations on this with cinnamon and sugar with apple pie filling and a sour cream doughnut bit version with cinnamon and sugar but with chocolate in this sort of churro bit kind of thing.

Ice cream sandwiches made with brownies wrapped up like their burgers.

We all eat and share and after I’m about half done mine I head out to where the folks are at and I start to mingle and talk with folks heading over to our swag table.

Lucky’s has grown up dessert version of what we had too which has folks really into it and I like the fact he uses his soda cups to serve his desserts and the burger wrappers too.

I’m joined by Raven and Roxy and we’re kinda mobbed a little with the fans and new folks here. It seems we got a whole bunch of folks here for Fall Fair for one thing or another and we talk about stuff that’s going on with the shows and the video.

Simple stuff really like getting our song Carousel actually done near or on carousels.

I want to do a video for I Believe and definitely maybe something for Magical Power Panties.

And speaking of that, well Kimmie she’s got a little pocket of folks talking to her and there’s a good bunch of fangirls with her.

…..and given some of those fangirls following her are definitely into her in that gay girl way.

And Max or no Max, Kimmie’s a flirt and she’s enjoying the attention.

She’s not going to like cheat, it’s just not Kimmie. But it’s hard not to just be kind of wowed by the attention.

I’ll admit that I am too but Raven makes a good buffer and the same of me for her when folks of all kinds are pressing eye fluttering sort of vibes.

It’s not like it’s a big deal it’s just something definitely going on tonight and still mostly with Roxy as most folks know that Raven and I are together and Mike and Brooklyn are known too and well Carmen’s out and being pretty affectionate with Molly.

Yeah we’re pretty out and it’s nice that we haven’t hit a whole lot of garbage about that.

We make the rounds and talk and I’m talking about the food and what places are pretty good here in town to the new folks and talking up not just here but Crystal’s and mentioning the fact they really kinda need the love and Gogo’s bakery which is another up and coming place in a bad part of town that could use the business too.

Then we’re there a bit talking more as we’re signing shirts and other stuff and we sold right out of the toques.

I sign stuff for like twenty minutes before I get a travel mug of green tea and head back out with the others and just before I’m out back I take off the tee shirt to whistles revealing my fringed halter top and I toss the shirt and toque out to the crowd.

More cheers as we head out back and we get into softer make-up and ready for the softer part of the show.

We come out and Mike’s altered the lights down soft and I step out and wave at everyone and smile as I start us off with.

*Maggie May.* By Rod Stewart.

And we hit the right mood right off the bat with that as I start that really not too well known bit of guitar in the very start of the song and then joined in by Brooklyn who takes us right into the song and there were whistles and a few lighters and phones out but folks started into the swaying.

Then it’s *Forever and Always.* By Starlight Butterfly and folks are starting to pair off and the slow dancing is starting.

I do a slow rendition of a little breathy sort of way of *Everything* By Starlight Butterfly and then we switch to Raven singing *Song instead of a kiss.* By Alannah Myles.

Really, really good song and artist and Raven does sultry so, so well with her voice and as she’s singing she’s doing that side fall of her hair thing and she looks just amazing.

I mean without even everything here with the lighting she looks like she’s singing in blue moonlight.

She shifts gear from that into doing. *Only when I sleep.* By The Coors and then she finishes her set with *Lover of mine* By Alannah Myles making eyes at me the whole time and I’ve backed to the keyboards and i start in with them piano like as I take over.

I take us into *Open arms* By Journey and then I do *Right here waiting for you.* By Richard Marx before I just play as back-up for Brooklyn as she sings *Bring the Rain.* By Starlight Butterfly and then we keep going as she does. *One more Day* By Bret Michaels and then she finishes her third song of the set with *Marry Me.* By Amanda Marshall and she’s definitely singing to mike when she’s doing that.

There’s a lot of cheers when she backs off and we’re all playing and Mike shifts the lights back to Roxy and there’s some definite cheers as she starts singing.

*Tingle* By Starlight Butterfly in this sweet sexy soft voice and she’s knocking it out of the park and just like with Brooklyn we back her up as she goes from the into *Time after time* By Cyndi Lauper and she ends her set with *Please don’t go.* By Starlight Butterfly.

Hello, good morning …
You’re beautiful …
And I know you don’t know me well.
So...
Hello …
You’re soulful …
You take the pain away …
You brighten up my days …
I know …
You don’t know me well …
But your laugh, it makes me smile.
I see sunshine in your eyes …
(Chorus)
Please … … Don’t go away …
I need to know you better.
I need your smile in my life girl.
Oh that’s not true …
I need more … I need you …
Oh I need you …
Hello …
Are you having second thoughts?
Are you wondering if I’m just …
Too much trouble …
I know … …
I’m not what you signed up for …
But who’d sign up for this kind of crazy …
Who could take me every day girl …
(Chorus)
Hello … good morning …
Do you really think I’m beautiful …
Did you really say I’m …
Worth it …
I know …
I’m sorry that I crying …
And no I can’t stop smiling …
They’ve never said that …
I’m worth it …
I’ve never heard it …
Until you did …
(Chorus)
Hello …
I Love you …
You Take away my pain girl.
And I’ll love you everyday girl …
Yeppers that’s right everyone sang tonight, we showed off our songs with more than just Raven and I and it was really good, seriously good and it was a bit of a thumb to those bands that just sort of stick up their front men/women.

And it was a bit of us showing how strong we ALL are and so that the music critics and folks with the blogs get a good look at our talent in the band and that we’re a band as in a team.

Plus we just got some really good stuff for the girls on our site and new material that’s just so just focussed on them too.

I switch over to taking up my guitar and sing *Carousel* By Starlight Butterfly and then Raven sings *Billie Holiday* By Starlight Butterfly and we both do a duet of *More than Words* By Extreme.

I step up to the mic. “Well we’re at that time and we’ve got to go and shut things down as we’re doing Fall Fair and it’s getting late folks and still lots to do. I got to say we had a great time with all of you tonight so we’re going to call it a night with our regular. Dance if you want, get your swag on before we’re out of everything for the night and don’t forget the kitchen’s closing soon too so maybe grab some more dessert or the last of the kick booty burgers and some of those tater tots to take to school or to work tomorrow.”

There’s some cheers and we start doing *One for the Money, Two for the show.* as we close down the show for the night.

We usually do requests but there’s going to be a lot of stuff going on tomorrow as we finish up and then join the crowds to help the staff and help sell our stuff but more as people did hit the kitchen for a last call on food and Brooklyn and Kimmie are calling out the names of folks who ordered stuff and giving them their bags and I’m selling shirts and bags and taking selfies with folks as is Rayne as I talk with folks we know and others as we get the doors shut down and I do the good hostess thing.

And then there’s the rest of the stuff.

I introduce Miss McAlister again and Danny and Kate to Charlie. “We’re going to talk some business Charlie while we’re doing end of night stuff if that’s okay Charlie.”

“Sure thing, as long as they’re okay with me being all over the place.”

“We’ll help of course with end of night stuff Charlie.”

He grins. “You always do and it’s appreciated Angel.”

We get into that first with doing the tables first as a team...dishes bussed and then wiped down and chairs are up and then sweeping and mopping the floors as kitchen does the kitchen and dishes. With all of our crew helping it’s really fast and Danny helps and Kate and even Miss McAlister doesn’t just stand there but holds a garbage bag as we clean.

She asks. “You do this with every place that you play?”

I nod as I use a paper towel with Lemon pledge spray to touch up one of the chairs as I take them off the tables to the floor.

“Entertainment is staff, we get paid to play but we’re also Lucky enough to have the gig. Besides it adds to the feelings.”

“Feelings?” She asks.

“Pride, ownership, the closer we are as players to our gigs the better we mesh, the more we feel about the place and the folks we work with here.”

She and Danny are looking at me.

Kate says. “That makes sense, you girls were tight here tonight and they brought stuff without you asking or ordering it and it just feels...she gestures around it feels just like this does now.”

Rayne takes the garbage. “And our fans feel it the people coming her to the show feel it too.”

Miss McAlister says. “All of this and you went into the crowds, talked other places up and you do this all the time?”

I grin. “Small businesses need help and if we all help out then we’re all stronger together. Better businesses means more action, that means more money, more work and more work means more money in town and that’ll circle until we see folks coming here to stay.”

She’s nodding. “We need about a thousand more of you Angel, we need this thinking.”

Molly says setting up all over again on a fresh table. “We’re here, trickle down big economy is okay but it’s not as advertised so lots of folks from Gen x’ers and younger have gone away from this with internet economies and online and small word of mouth stuff where we’re more willing to spend seven bucks more for something really cool or etsy than Target, Walmart or other big stuff.”

I get some coffee and notepads and we all sit down and we talk and write out some contracts with SLME and Sawyer’s Funrides as well as the contracts for the videos for the tourism presentation along with payments for both that we negotiate out along with our rates and Danny’s rates and a provisional contract for Christmas and Winter Carnival here in town that say they are the rides provider.

Once we get it all rough drafter we get in fine pointed with Molly and Kate actually who’s Danny’s sort of home office side. And apparently there’s a lot of online legal checking services for private contracts that is actually pretty fast and we’re printing out copies and signing things pretty quickly.

Then we’re doing count ups and all the bookkeeping and tips and getting paid.

The tips were really decent as were our sales for things for our stuff and the bar did really, really good tonight. All staff included we nailed down forty six dollars and change for everyone and as always that includes the servers and kitchen staff.

I walk Lorna to the doors as we’re all done and we hug.

“Here I thought that I’d be helping you girls and showing you new things.”

“Well you will be you know a lot of the bigger things we don’t know and you know who we should be talking to.”

“Still this was a heck of a surprising night Angel.”

“Thank you Ms. McAlister.”

“Lorna please.”

“If you insist.”

“I do.”

We shake hands and make sure she gets away and everything safely with no sign of the usual asses in sight and then we see Danny and Kate off with hugs too and then we head home all packed up with a quick stop at the bank to deposit our money and changed off the tips plus the six bucks into our payback funds and we head home.

It’s been a great night and there’s going to be a lot of work to do after all of this for Fall Fair and other things we’ve got going on now.

We unload and we take our time hugging Dad and Uncle Mitch and the guys after we’re unloaded and have stuff set back up in the living room.

I look at Rayne who’s holding the keys to the van and smiling.

I take her hand with the keys in it and look at everyone.

“Great night everyone and a new band van...who wants to put the other stuff on hold for a little bit and go for a drive all together.”

There’s a bunch of hoots and hollering and we all stuff ourselves into the van and take off driving into the night like the kids we’re supposed to be.