Who: Vocal Adrenaline What: Absolutely Tampastic First Performance! Where: FLORIDA
The members of Vocal Adrenaline were to arrive at the school no later than six in the morning; their bus was departing as soon as the clock struck the hour. Any who missed it were threatened with Dakota Stanley brand punishment--and who wanted to find out what that meant? When the bags had been loaded and Adrenalites settled in their seats, the vehicles departed from Lima. The day ahead of them was full of travel, so sleep was a high priority when they could grab it.
They arrived at Port Columbus airport two hours later. They would fly first to Atlanta, then to Tampa. Between flights, there was just enough time to grab a bite to eat. The group finally arrived at the hotel by 3:30.
"We're going into the green room promptly at five-thirty, so I suggest you use this time to get ready," Lucy addressed the group. With that, she read off room assignments (four guys or girls to a room) and passed out room keys. Some took the opportunity to unpack. Others took a nap. A few took the entire two hours to gussy up for their performance. Rest assured, every last member was in the green room by 5:30. They spent the full half hour warming up their vocal chords and practicing their show.
Then, it was time to perform.
Sunday's show boasted the same set as Regionals. It was made very clear during rehearsal that complacency was unacceptable--if anything, they had to work that much harder. The judges and audience at Absolutely Tampastic wouldn't be the wiser; Lucy and Dakota would.
As they had before, Vocal Adrenaline lined up at the back of the stage. With the higher temperature came more uncomfortable fidgeting. Charlotte and Landon, in contrast, stood like statues at their mark. But, the body movement came to a halt as soon as the accompaniment started. Having performed the song once prior to this, both were noticeably more relaxed. This gave their performance more of a natural feel; Lucy noted the confidence in their voices. Two days prior, Dakota persuaded (or, honestly, forced) them to put more choreography into the ballad. Both struggled at times to remember the changes, but quick thinking saved them. In his seat, Dakota made little irritated noises until the vocal director elbowed him sharply.
When they finished "I’ve Never Been in Love Before," the audience clapped politely. Some more enthusiastic members whistled and whooped. Landon and Charlotte returned to their respective spots, and the music for "Highway to Hell" started.
This song was a little shakier than it had been at Regionals. For some, the day of traveling took its toll; their lines were not as clean or their moves as sharp as they should have been. Vocally, there were the occasionally sharp or flat notes, but they were swiftly corrected. At the end, the audience cheered enthusiastically all the same.
Knowing they hadn’t done their best with the last song made the members determined to do well on "Bad Romance." Choreography was executed with near-perfect precision. Lucy’s singers raised the volume of their voices to drown out any mistakes the others might have made. The song wasn't flawless, but it was much better than it was performed at Regionals. By the end, the crowd was on their feet and screaming. Lucy didn't join the standing ovation, but she was beaming with pride. Dakota clapped politely, though he was placated at best.
To reward a job well done, the Adrenalites were given three hours of free time after their performance. This would give them enough time to shower, eat, and possibly explore the nearby area. But, at nine, they would hold a mandatory practice for their second song set.