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Tweak says, "Pegasus c whut u did thar."

Ariel Silverman-Lim (soulsister) wrote in genome_project,
@ 2012-10-31 22:16:00

Entry tags:

ariel silverman-lim, jack patel, november 2012

Who: Ariel Silverman-Lim & Jack Patel feat. Corporate Lobotomy
Where: The club they're playing at lata
When: Halloween, hours before the concert
What: An audition!
Prompt: MAYBE.

The building was small, overshadowed by metal skyscrapers hundreds of feet tall on all sides, but Ariel found it - eventually. He'd passed by it once or twice. This time he glanced up from the small screen of his phone as the map told him he had arrived at his destination. Luckily it was daytime, mid-afternoon, and he could make out the dingy sign that hung over the door after squinting at it a minute. The white lettering was nearly worn off. Still - this was the place. It did seem to fit the bill of what he'd heard of Corporate Lobotomy up until now.

The boy cocked his head to the side, surveying the club's facade before making for the door. He adjusted his black mask with black gloved hands. It was actually kind of funny that he was meeting the members of Eden's band today. Not only because the concert was in a few hours, but also because it was Halloween, and though Ariel was used to being introduced to people while in costume, - that was different than now. Now he was dressed up as his own take on Robin, Bat-symbol replaced by a black bowtie.

It took more than a unitard and tights to make him nervous, thankfully. (Thanks, college!) He'd been parading around in them all day so far anyway. Ariel took a deep breath as he passed through the black interior of the club. Places like this always looked so forlorn and empty during the day, without teenagers vomiting in the corners and/or grinding on one another under colored lights, it was but a shell. He laughed to himself.

Ariel glanced around the room, eyes sweeping over the bar and up to the stage, reached via ramp, apparently. A girl - woman? - stood atop it in a purple dress, though she looked a little awkward somehow.

"Hello!" He called out cheerfully as he walked up the incline and waved. "I'm here for the audition."

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trebleandbass
2012-11-01 03:05 am UTC (link)

This was not the first time Jack dressed as a girl. He'd done it a couple times, on a couple different Halloweens. But this would be the first time he was doing it on a stage. It was a completely different statement-- a statement he didn't exactly know the details of but one he thought was important for the group to endorse nonetheless. And so, there he was, in the middle of the day, tuning his guitar as he waited for his afternoon audition.

Truth be told, it was their only audition. If this Ariel guy didn't work out, then Jack or Toby would be doing most of the singing. And while that wouldn't normally be an issue, it wasn't really helping them. Toby didn't have their sound and Jack preferred to concentrate on playing. Well, playing and looking at girls. But mostly the playing.

He was on his last string, when a sassy looking superhero walked in the door. Jack had never been much for DC comics, preferring Marvel over everything, but he could recognize a Robin look-a-like. It was an interesting take on the character. Plus, Jack gave props to any man who could walk around in a leotard all day. And he was wearing a dress.

"Hey," he yelled back, popping his guitar on its stand and hopping off the stage to meet the guy. "What's up? You must be Ariel?" He held out his hand. "I'm Jack. I'm the guitarist for the band. Eden told me a little bit about you?" He eyed the bowtie. It hadn't gone unnoticed, but it didn't bother Jack like Eden had implied.

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soulsister
2012-11-01 03:20 am UTC (link)

Oh, it was a boy - man? - in the dress. And the dress was blue, not purple. Ariel smiled as the kid pounced off the stage and came over to greet him. He actually made a pretty woman, so far as Ariel was concerned, all dark hair and big eyes. From close up you could tell he was a boy, but he would definitely fool the audience. Vaguely, Ariel wondered if this was a drag show. Eden hadn't mentioned anything to that effect, but that certainly didn't mean anything. Now he was curious though.

"Jack. Yes. Pleasure." Ariel shook the guitarist's offered hand after brushing his cap aside. Of course he noticed the drop of the other boy's eyes. Ah, yes. The bowtie. He smiled wider and raised his eyebrows. "I hope she didn't mention that I eat bacon, because that was most definitely a secret."

The room was empty but for them, though the sounds of footsteps and a few heavy thuds floated in from somewhere behind the stage.

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trebleandbass
2012-11-07 07:16 pm UTC (link)

He laughed. This guy was funny. "Sadly, there are no secrets where Eden is concerned. But don't worry. I won't hold it against you. My Dad's Hindu, and I eat bacon. You'll fit right in. No one in the band practices their religion strictly." Except Toby, maybe, but that was mostly because his mother was cray cray. Jack kept that opinion to himself, though.

"So, you're a singer, obviously. Where do you sing? And what kinds of songs do you sing? Ede mentioned that you might be too poppy for our sound? She tends to like to give us a niche, but I think we're pretty versatile. I'd love to hear what you got." They were planning on spending Halloween doing covers, anyways. Generally, holidays weren't good for premiering original content. Too many 'mainstream' people tended to party on big nights like this.

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soulsister
2012-11-09 06:58 pm UTC (link)

"If I'd known that, I would've made some up to bring along." He shrugged, idly adjusting his mask. "Next time. I guess most people probably expect candy on Halloween."

But right. The singing. Eden hadn't said too much about the band or "her boys," really. She had teased him relentlessly about his "look," as she called it, not meshing with whatever image the band was trying to project, but Jack didn't seem concerned. She'd also doubted Ariel's ability to sing whatever style of music it was Corporate Lobotomy enjoyed, but again, Jack-in-drag seemed none too worried.

"A singer, yes. I'm a musical theater student at NYU - I'm involved in ...way too many shows and organizations there, musicals, glee clubs, et cetera. But, at the very least, that means I'm pretty open to whatever. Eden's right in that I prefer to sing poppier songs, but - if that was all I limited myself too I would never be cast." Ariel gave Jack a sympathetic sort of smile.

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trebleandbass
2012-11-13 07:04 am UTC (link)

"Bacon candy," Jack countered with. "It exists, I think. It's called pig candy, isn't it? I saw it on the cooking network once." He shrugged. He couldn't promise that it was a real thing, but he was pretty positive he'd heard about it. Still, it didn't really matter anyways. There was no bacon to be had in the club.

He scratched the side of his head as he listened to Ariel talk about his background in music. The wig was starting to itch. That wasn't good. The show was a good four or five hours off. He made a mental note to take it off as soon as Ariel finished his audition.

"Look, I'll say it now. Eden and I... well, let's just say we have some differing opinions about things. We don't openly fight, or anything like that. I like the girl a lot. But if I have questions about music or the band, she's not the first person I run to. If you have a problem with that, then let me know now." He paused, cleared his throat and adjusted his skirt. "If you don't have a problem with it, then great. Because I don't have a problem with you preferring to sing poppier songs. We don't scream into microphones, slam on some instruments and call it music like amateurs or whatever. So I think you'll fit right in."

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to** le sigh.

soulsister
2012-11-13 07:24 am UTC (link)

Ariel would remember this Halloween as the day he was told about bacon candy. His life was ever altered and the world seemed a brighter place. He smiled at Jack, watching as the other boy fixed his skirt and listening as he said his piece about Eden and the band. He didn't appear too phased by what he was hearing.

There was a brief, thoughtful silence as Robin-Ariel considered what he'd been told.

"No problemo." The boy bobbed on the balls of his feet, as he never did seem able to stand still. He shrugged. "I understand differences of opinion happen. And from what I know of Eden, she's -- shall we say, stubborn, so I get you. I am relieved about the screamo bit, though. That might be the one area I avoid, if only because I don't like gargling that much salt water every night to keep my vocal chords from ripping in two. Somehow I think that would put a damper on things."

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XD all good. I knew what you meant.

trebleandbass
2012-11-13 07:38 am UTC (link)

Jack let out a laugh. "Stubborn is the nice way of putting it. You're a diplomat, then." He shook his head, his long hair swaying side to side. "Trust me, we don't want to hurt your voice anymore than we want to hear you yelling. We're pretty poppy ourselves, with a touch of alternative, I guess. We do a few songs acoustic, too. Nothing too harsh on your voice."

He shrugged. "The rest of the band is setting stuff up, but if you don't mind singing to one person, I can do the honors?" He was pretty sure this guy was going to be it. From what he'd heard and seen so far, he liked him already. He liked him right down to his silly, pretentious bow-tie. "If we - or rather, I - like you, then we'll grab the guys and make a set list for tonight. We'll just do covers. You can obviously dictate what stuff you want to sing, since you're the one with the voice."

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soulsister
2012-11-13 09:35 pm UTC (link)

It appeared Corporate Lobotomy was brimming with "strong personalities." Ariel didn't know much about the band's other members, outside of Eden and Jack, but from what he did know, that was how it seemed. Such was an artist's life. The boy was used to it. He'd spent the last six years exclusively surrounded by creative types, like himself. He could deal. And if that meant playing the role of diplomat (he was also older than everyone else, so he could pretend he was more mature), he was fine with that. The boy nodded sagely as Jack continued to speak.

Though he would have strenuously disagreed with the guitarist's assessment of his bowtie had he known, he began to walk up the incline to the stage. You're the one with the voice. That sounded nice, didn't it?

"I may have the voice, but the rest of you have various body parts key to your instruments, so I'm happy have a discussion about whatever people want to play," replied Ariel as he neared the center of the black stage. He looked out over the broad dance area, to the low lights over the bar. He then tapped a finger to his chin as he tried to imagine what song he could sing that would be the most likely to annoy Eden.

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trebleandbass
2012-11-14 07:02 am UTC (link)

"Well," he shrugged. "With our instruments it's pretty easy to sort of... fake your way through a song. If that makes sense. A couple listens, and the drummer can have the idea of it. I know pretty much anything. So, as long as you know the lyrics, then it's probably a go." He shrugged again. "As long as we don't sing 'Monster Mash', then I don't give a fuck what we play tonight."

He laughed. It was a staple Halloween song, sure. But for some reason, he absolutely hated it. "Whenever you're ready." He waved a hand, walked to the back of the club and grabbed a folding chair. He tossed his hair over his shoulder before sitting down, crossing his legs daintily in front of him and pulling his skirt over his knee. He really hoped this guy a) knew how to sing and b) knew how to project.

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soulsister
2012-11-16 02:10 am UTC (link)

How someone could detest 'Monster Mash,' Ariel didn't know (it was a graveyard smash!), but now was probably not the time to ask probing questions regarding a near-stranger's musical preferences. Sigh. He watched as the other boy sashayed to the back of the ill-lit room and sat himself, oh so delicately, upon a folding chair. The sing moved himself downstage. He offered his single audience member a wide smile and finally settled on a song.

It had long been Ariel's philosophy to fully dive into whatever it was he was doing - singing and dancing obviously included, whether in front of a full house or just one kid dressed in drag. Today was no exception. He cleared his throat and imagined the music starting up, the tapping of drumsticks together, the brass, the beat -

And then he jumped into it, as if he was accompanied by a full band. He did this often enough when alone that it was easy. He chose an old song and matched it with an older style of dancing, something that was a mix of his own endless enthusiasm and the barely contained, but somehow cool moves of the crooners of the last century. He belted it out like it was the only thing that mattered. It lasted a good two minutes or so, though it felt like an eternity to Ariel.

But, then it was over and he was standing on a stage in a nearly empty room, accompanied by nothing but the sound of his own ragged breathing. He smiled again and took a bow.

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