Touring Troubles

      “Alright, we have every venue booked up,” Sergio announced to the group. “They are big enough that they will be able to accommodate a good crowd, but not so big in case the turnout is less than desired.”

      “Oh don’t talk like that Serg, we are going to do just fine getting people in the door,” a confident Noah snapped back.

      “So where all are we going boys?” Roonimal always wanted to get right down to the details and skip all the rest.

      Sergio handed out a flyer to the others that detailed the locations of the shows.

      March 11, Lakefront in Kiko Lake

     March 12, Cockroach Towers in Neopia Central

     March 13, Potato Bowl in Meridell

     March 14, Kingdom Come in Brightvale

     March 15, Club Light in Darigan Citadel

     March 17, The Basement at the Bottle in Faerieland

     March 18, Seaweed’s Keep in Maraqua

     March 19, Tiki Tavern in Mystery Island

     March 20, Concert Hall in Tyrannia

     March 21, Moon Rock in Kreludor

     March 22, Main Stage on the Virtupets Space Station

      “No way!!! How did you get us a show at the Concert Hall?!” Noah exclaimed with shock and excitement.

      “I was able to pull some strings with someone that I know, no big deal.” Sergio was smug in his response. “I am hoping to impress them enough that they book us for a few more shows down the line.”

      “And a show on the Virtupets Space Station, wow,” Roonimal was trying to keep from showing too much excitement behind his cool exterior. “Those young kids need to learn more about what their parents fought for in order for them to be able to live up there.”

      “Same with the kids on Kreludor,” replied Sergio. “Dr. Sloth made a big mess of that moon and I want him to know that the people are still out fighting to keep it that way and keep him away.”

      “We have the opportunity to change so many lives, let’s get to it,” Noah raised his hands to the other and they raised theirs to his. “A LOT LIKE PTERIS AIN’T NOTHIN’ TO MESS WITH!”

      “A LOT LIKE PTERIS AIN’T NOTHIN’ TO MESS WITH,” they all screamed in unison. And with that, the tour began!

      The gang headed out to their first show in Kiko Lake. It was a home town show, so they knew the crowd would be packed. The tickets sold out way in advance. This was also the day their album hit store shelves, selling out of stores all over Neopia. This was an excellent sign, and it also boosted ticket sales at all the venues they were planning on playing at. The reviews were coming in for their album and it was five stars almost everywhere. The people were ready to hear them play it all live, and the pressure was on for them to live up to expectations based on the quality of the album.

      The moment the light comes on the stage, revealing Noah, Sergio, and Roonimal behind their respective instruments, the crowd goes completely insane. People screaming and cheering, almost everyone from Kiko Lake was packed into the small venue on the shores of the lake. This was Kiko Lake’s largest venue and there wasn’t a single ticket not spoken for.

      Roonimal started pounding on his drums, shortly after Sergio started in with a signature baseline, and then Noah’s guitar shredded over all of it. And then his voice carried over the room.

      “Burn us down, he tried to burn us down,” Noah’s sing-screaming echoed through the venue…

      “Burn us down, he tried to burn us down,

     This was never his planet to take!

     We were born of the sun and to the sun we belong,

     Only the truly toxic could survive the smog to which he arrived!

      It’s time to rise up and toss the torch back on him,

     Sloth’s reign is up and we’ll never let him come back.

     This is our home, these are our lands,

     We’re the people of these nations and Dr. Sloth is no welcome here!”

      The lines of A Lot Like Pteri’s were being sung back at the band from the enthusiastic crowd. The audience had learned all the words from the album and it was a beautiful moment of unity in the room. Everyone was there for each other, and no one was there for the evil Dr. Sloth. The band played the rest of their set and the audience matched the enthusiasm through every song. Once they stepped off stage the crowd even started chanting for an encore, so the band returned up in front of them all and played a couple of songs off the EP they had previously released. When all was said and done, the band gathered backstage.

      “That was incredible, that was quite possibly the best show we have ever done,” said Sergio was a high level of enthusiasm in his voice. “What a way to start our tour!”

      Roonimal smiled from ear to ear, “We gave everything we had out there and received even more in return. The energy…it was electric.”

      “The best part is we get to do it all over again tomorrow,” said Noah, a big grin on his face. All of their dreams were starting to come through right before their eyes. And they went to bed to get ready for their next show.

      Neopia Central’s show was going to take place in the Cockroach Towers. A terrible hotel for pets to stay at, but the top punk venue in the town. It had sprawling walls and excellent acoustics, and the run-down facilities added a bit of authenticity to the message of the bands that played there. Neopia Central already had a few A Lot Like Pteris fans because of the few shows they played there, so they knew the venue would do well. Tickets had almost sold out ahead of time, and even more people were buying at the door.

      The band got up on the creaky stage and saw a few familiar faces from their show in Kiko Lake. A few big fans came over to see them play all over again, and that warmed the musicians’ hearts. To know that people were so dedicated to them and their music just gave them that extra push to put on another exceptional show.

      “Destroy the establishment,

     Smash Sloth’s state,

     Don’t let his plans roll through,

     Or else his robot army will roll through YOU!”

      The lyrics vibrated off the dusty walls, and the cockroaches were all scared off from the performance space. The crowd was going wild, crowd surfing at the front and making mosh pits all over the place. Sergio looked out at the crowd and felt in his heart that this was exactly where he belonged, and that every decision he had made up to this point, like leaving his high paying bank career to join a punk band, was completely worth it. He knew his bandmates felt the same way. They had all taken a leap of faith and thanks to all of their hard work and dedication, it was all paying off.

      “There’s nothing like this,” Roonimal shouted to Sergio between songs. “This is where I have always wanted to be.”

      Roonimal spent so much of his life performing for crowds on the boardwalk, but now he was getting to showcase his talents to the world.

      And Noah, he was so passionate in his singing that the energy in the room was symbiotic to him. He gave them a thrill and they threw that thrill right back on him. This give and take is what fueled his passion for music and activism, and he felt in that moment that he was truly creating change in the world.

      And so they wrapped up their concert, another great one for the books. But this was comfortable territory for them, places they had played before. The following night would be their first time really stepping out of their comfort zone, going to a completely new location and seeing if they could appeal to an all-new crowd. Ticket sales were comfortable but not as high as what they had played so far. So they posted a few more flyers on the neoBoards and set out on the road… This would be the first real test of their tour, and they could not be more excited to tackle it.

To be continued…