Chapter 105 - Musical Expressionism

April 28, 2012 – Lexington, Kentucky – Manchester Music Hall

"… Walking down the highway" I started singing the first song of the band's first official tour. Over the past month, me and the band practiced hard, and re-arranged our songs even, to prepare for our tour. I'm not nervous at all. This is the moment I only saw in my dreams. A tour throughout America, it starts today.

"Girl in the city

Nothing we can carry

Tell me i got"

'Girl in the City' is one of the songs in our album. Although it's not Isaac's song, it still good and many people like it. We chose this song to play first as it fits perfectly for an opening. The sound and the emotion, it opens up people's hearts. Looking at the two hundred or so people swaying or nodding along, I knew we made the right choice.

"Stay on the radio

Pick up my heart

Ah, we could somehow

Now baby, baby, blue"

After I sang the first chorus, the band entered an instrumental break. We usually enter the second verse immediately just like how the song originally goes, but tonight is different.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, PLEASE WELCOME, ISAAC!" I announced to the audience. The audience didn't know what was happening at first. But the moment Isaac walked out from the backstage, * WHOOO! ** WHISTLE ** ARRHHHH *, I heard a deafening cheer from the crowd. Isaac, wearing his usual three-piece suit, cowboy hat, and huge aviator sunglasses, looks sharp as usual. His appearance and fashion made him very very recognizable to the people. His usual acoustic guitar however isn't with him this time. He is strapped with a classy looking electric guitar.

We kept the instrumental break going until the crowd calmed down. After the crowd settled down, Isaac leaned in to his mic.

"Of this world can do

I believe in you

But just to talk to

Keep up their noise"

Beautiful. That's all I can say about Isaac's voice. Because his voice is not as low as mine, he's singing the song an octave higher and it sounds incredible. During our rehearsal in the past few days, Isaac displayed to us more of his abilities as a vocalist. We saw heard him sing high notes in his video from Teungeb, but it's still incredible listening to it live. The crowd also agreed with my opinion as after Isaac sang just the first line, the crowd erupted in cheer once again.

The band then continued on with the song. I have to say, this is my first time singing duet with a man, but it sounds great. Isaac's high chesty singing voice fits well with my husky bass pitch.

Isaac is also playing the electric guitar as our rhythm guitar. It's usually Aaron's job, but today, he picked up the bass guitar. I just wish Isaac would join us for the rest of the tour; he makes our band sound a lot fuller.

We soon finished our first song. The crowd liked it and they responded with enthusiastic cheers. Pride filled my body immediately. This is our song. Our original song. I can't believe that it would sound this great. Isaac, who joined us a few days ago, helped us arrange our songs, and this was the result. Maybe we can have Isaac arrange our originals in the future so we don't have to rely on his songs.

"Thank you everyone. Let me introduce to y'all again to Isaac Yawat. You might recognize him from Red Abbey." I introduced Isaac and Isaac did a slight bow to the crowd. "What y'all don't know is, it's Isaac here who wrote most of the songs in our album." I revealed to the crowd. "Oooohh.." The crowd responded in surprise. I chuckled at their reaction. While music industry insiders know who Isaac is as a songwriter, most country fans are clueless. It's nice to have them know of Isaac's talents, as Isaac deserves the recognition.

"The next song we'll be playing will not be our song, but Isaac's." I said to the crowd. Isaac, when we were practicing, was against the idea but because it's four people against him, he relented. I don't know why Isaac would even refuse but when we convinced him, he re-arranged the song so that me and my band can play it with him. The song is originally a dark acoustic outlaw country song, but after Isaac's arrangement for the band, it sounded more like a southern rock ballad. We loved the arrangement very much.

Isaac then started playing the intro for the 'Invisible Man'. It's one of the best songs from Isaac I think. While all his songs are great, 'Invisible Man' is just different. The crowd also recognized the guitar intro and they cheered once again.

"He's a man who lived a life of danger

to anyone he meets he stays a stranger

with every action he made, grabs a chance before it fade

as maybe he won't have - a chance to see tomorrow "

I started singing the first verse. 'Man. I think your voice suits this song more than my voice does.' I remember Isaac tell me when we were practicing the song. I disagree. While I feel really badass singing the song, I don't know why I think Isaac's voice first more perfectly with the song. It must be because he's the original singer of it.

"Beware, that pretty face ain't simple

A pretty face kills a man who's feeble

Ooh, beware what your mouth say

Or you'll give yourself away

as maybe you won't have – a chance to see tomorrow."

Isaac sang the second verse, and I saw the crowd's reaction. I almost chuckled bitterly. Usually, my voice would kill a room because of how unique and deep it is, but here is Isaac, overwhelming my voice not with volume, but with charm. 'Invisible Man' was originally for Isaac's baritone voice but when he arranged it for the two of us to sing it together; he lowered the song by a few keys resulting in him lower his pitch too.

He did not want to sing an octave higher like the first song because it would just ruin how the song sounds.

When I first heard Isaac's lower register, I was just as surprised and as mesmerized as the crowd is right now. It's not natural bass, but the way he sings it is very attractive to listen to.

The second chorus soon passed and we entered the instrumental break. This is the most exciting part for me. I looked at Rez and he too smiled back. He's excited as well. This instrumental break will consist of Isaac's guitar solo. In the original song, Isaac's guitar solo for the song sounded a lot like blues. A haunting and strong feeling is expressed by Isaac's acoustic guitar. After he re-arranged the song however, he switched to his electric guitar. During our rehearsals, he would always improvise on the solo. Each time, while still following the scale, his solos would sound very different.

*Roooarrr* Isaac's guitar started singing. Rez and I were right. It's different again this time. The solo started out bluesy, with a similar vibe to the acoustic guitar solo of the original version. Then, Isaac started splitting the John's beats and the riffing started becoming faster. *Screeechhh* Isaac then made his guitar scream, and along with it, the crowd started screaming as well. After that, Isaac went for the kill. We saw his pick blur, his fingers dancing even faster, and his hand hovering all over the guitar's neck. Looking at his face, however, it looked like he's doing it effortlessly.

The crowd screamed even louder at the godly display of the guitar. I then realized that Isaac is now improvising for longer than we have planned. I then looked at John, and I saw him just nod at me. John does not mind playing for Isaac and he's enjoying himself doing it. Thirty seconds later, Isaac's riffing calmed down. We thought it was over, when he switched up the vibe again and it now sounds like a battle call.

Jesus Christ, he's in a daze. I think he just lost himself in his guitar. John, who was enjoying himself a minute ago, is now sweating heavily. He's now hitting his drum in a way that would match the vibe Isaac is making with his guitar. The crowd screamed again and they started jumping. After a minute or so more of Isaac playing, he finally pulled himself out and looked at me and nodded.

And with his signal, we entered the final chorus. "Invisible man, INVISIBLE MAN. They've given you a number and taken away your name." This time, unlike the rehearsals, we had to sing a lot louder because of how Isaac ramped up the vibe in during his solo. Our voices blended again and with a final strum from Rez, we ended the song with a bang. I almost messed up too, but because I managed to catch myself immediately, the crowd did not notice.

I regretted choosing this song to play. It's only the second song and it's already stronger than the song we'll perform in the highlight. *Sigh* Why did Isaac, of all the times, just have to get into the zone.