Through All These Cities...

“Brooke, if you could just put that one case in the back of the trailer.” I sigh, carrying drum cases that were far too heavy for me anyway.

“I told you, I don’t do heavy lifting.” She complains, walking out of the house we all bunked in last night, two suitcases trailing behind her “Can we just hurry up and go already, please?”

“We need to pack everything up. Just go and get in the bus. Pick a bunk, whatever.” Tyler mumbles, helping me put the last of the amplifiers into the space, watching Brooke walk into the tour bus. “She’s going to get on my nerves.”

“It’s a month. That’s all. We can all last a month.”

“I’m not sleeping anywhere near her.” Alice joins us, “She takes up to much space, that she’ll have 3 bunks to herself.”

“Guys, I think we’d better stop bitching and get on the bus, ya know, before Nathan comes and knocks us all out for hating on his girlfriend.” I chuckle, helping secure all the latches and padlocks on the door of the trailer.

“Nate couldn’t knock out a chicken.” Tyler scoffs, “But I do want to go and get a bunk on the lower deck. I don’t feel like falling down the stairs on a morning.”

“Why’d we have to get such a big bus?” Alice shakes her head, glancing up at the colossal hunk of metal, “We look like show offs, not a new band.”

“Just think of it as more comfort, Alice. We’ll get through this.” I pat her on the shoulder sarcastically, following her onto the bus.

I send a quick text to our manager, letting him know we’re about set off for Leeds, and that we’d meet him at the first venue in about an hour to get this tour kicked off in style.

A little later than planned, thanks to an unscheduled stop due to Brooke’s need for more fashion magazines and ‘fresh air’, we arrive at Leeds Metropolitan University, the venue of our first show of the ‘Satellite Tour’.
We all file off the bus, Nate leading the way, with Brooke trotting along behind him, Tyler, Alice and myself slowing to check the line that’s already accumulating despite the gig not starting for at least 7 hours.

“Eager much?” Alice laughs as we wander in the back entrance, where a few fans are hovering, obviously trying to catch a glimpse of any of the guys from Elliot Minor, clearly disappointed when we pulled up and swarmed out.

“You used to be like that, Miss White, so don’t hate.” Tyler pushes her forward, towards what looks like a dressing room, but it's already bustling with noise.

“Here you guys are! You sure do dawdle!” Our manager, Stephen laughs, his arm stretched out to hurry the rest of us into the room.

The whole of ‘Minor is spread across two couches, and in the case of the Keyboardist, Ali, the floor as well. I choose to rest of the arm of the two person couch that Tyler and Alice have occupied.

“So, introductions?” Their lead, Alex smiles, sitting up slightly on sofa, nudging Ed, their second guitarist to do the same.

“How about a can of cider, then the introductions?” I smile, having spotted the cooler full, “We’ll pay you back with some Corona later on.”

“I think I like you already.” Their youngest member, Dan grins, throwing me a can first, and then handing them out to everyone else.

“So, how about we do names and what we do?” Tyler smiles, opening his can and immediately taking a sip, clearly relaxing in his own skin now he has the alcohol safe in his grasp.

“Sounds like a plan.”

I look around as everyone hesitates and shrug, “Um, Amy, lead vocals and rhythm guitar.”

Everyone nods, Tyler taking my lead, “Tyler, keyboard.”

“Alice, lead guitar.”

“Um, Nate, I play drums.”

That earns a high five from Dan, and I can just tell those two are going to get along like a house of fire through all this tour.

“Brooke?” Alice leans forward, glancing at the girl who’s ignorantly just staring down at her phone, where she texting away like the phone might snatched any moment.
Which is just might be if she doesn’t stop being so darn anti-social.

“What?” She looks up, glancing around at everyone staring at her, “What did I miss?”

Tyler just shakes his head, taking a large gulp of the cider, “That’s Brooke, she’s on Bass.”

“She seems just lovely.” Comes a sarcastic mumble over the top of a cider can, from the lone person sat on the floor by my feet.

With a laugh and a shake of the head, I nudge him in the back with my foot gently, earning a smirk as he turns to slap my leg in retaliation.

“Ok, so before Amy and Ali end up kicking the shit out of each other, shall we go sound check early then go find some food?” Alex stands up with a stretch, smiling as everyone else moans at the mention of moving, “Oh, come on guys. It’s only the first show!”

We all follow his actions, standing reluctantly and making our way into the stage area, ‘Minor deciding to let us go first so they can see how we play and check out the state of our set list.

“Oh, so who was the funny man who put a fry in my Coke, huh?” I laugh, fishing the now soggy potato out of my drink, launching it at Ed who’s across the table, earning a shocked gasp and a shower of dry fries in return.

“Who says it was a man, eh?” Alex kicks me under the table, and I shoot him a joking glare, kicking him back with a smile.

“Brooke’s far to interested in her phone to even think of doing it, and I was helping Alice bring her food over. So,” I drag out, “I’m guessing it was one of you.”

Everyone just ducks their heads, smirking as I look along the table, waiting for someone to own up, which no one does, “Ok, I’d just all watch yourselves.”

There are some cheers from the table, and a round of laughter, “Fighting talk there, Amy.”

“It seems like I have competition so early on in the prank war stages.” Dan laughs, “This, is going to be a fun month.”

“I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?” I mumble, putting my head on the table as the whole of ‘Minor laugh.

“Oh, yes, Amy. You won’t know what’s hit you.” Teddy pats me on the back, “Here’s a tip, don’t leave anything unattended. Ever.”

“Especially your laptop or phone.” Ali adds on, frowning, hitting Dan across the head as he bursts out laughing at some thing that must have happened a while ago.

This next month certainly was going to be eventful!