Raising a Neglected Singer-Songwriter - Chapter 163



Only Noblemtl

Raising a Neglected Singer-Songwriter Episode 163

163. Is it because of my mood?

“Those damn weather guys.”

Looking at the dark clouds covering the sky, Laura, who was in charge of the 2024 Lollapalooza operation, bit her lip and grumbled.

Urrrrrr-

I can’t tell if the howling sound is coming from the sky or from within me.

It’s not like there hasn’t been any rain during the festival period so far.

It rains about a week out of the month in Chicago during this time of year.

Accordingly, there was a manual prepared to prepare for rain during the festival period, such as providing disposable raincoats to festival attendees, selling umbrellas, and setting up tents to avoid the rain.

However, even so, rain has a big impact on the festival.

As mentioned earlier, having to wear an umbrella or raincoat is an incredibly annoying thing.

As humidity rises and sweat builds, the discomfort index increases.

The ground becomes muddy, umbrellas collide with each other, and free movement becomes restricted.

We must be careful about accidents that may occur as a result.

‘If that’s all, that’s good.’

The bigger problem is the acoustics.

Not only does the falling rain make noise, but it can also be a headache if rainwater gets into expensive equipment and causes it to break.

There have been many accidents where artists on stage or fans in the audience have slipped and fallen in the rain.

And in this country called America, it’s common for accidents caused by natural disasters to be blamed on the company and huge amounts of compensation to be claimed.

So? Because of the rain, it seems that the overall success of the festival is at risk, if not a red light.

It’s the moment when the cigarettes you had quit are pulled back in your mind.

“I checked with the weather agency and they said it will be clear again tomorrow and the day after!”

The employee who spoke to the person in charge said with confidence that he had checked several times.

It was a blessing in disguise that it rained only one day out of the four-day trip.

one,

‘Why on the second day?’

It was disappointing and disappointing that the day that the artist Laura was most looking forward to performing on the festival lineup was ‘that day’.

Anyway, for now, the best she could do was to minimize any inconvenience the audience and artists would experience due to the rain.

“Everyone, cheer up and let’s make it through the second day without any accidents!”

While cheering on the team members who were depressed like the gloomy weather with applause.

Laura’s gaze turned to the pitiful dark clouds.

*

one side,

“Even in America, the weather forecast isn’t always accurate, bro.”

Oh Hae-soo, who was looking at the dark clouds with the same gaze as Laura, spoke to Sung-jun.

The two were in the main stage audience to watch the performances of other teams assigned to the morning time slot.

Sungjun has never had any experience performing live in the rain before.

This was also to determine the actual impact of rain on the performance.

‘Well, of course. The rain isn’t very good.’

First of all, the rain obscures your vision, and the raincoat feels uncomfortable to wear.

Although the speakers are quite loud, the sound of rain interferes with accurate sound transmission.

I also witnessed a scene where a vocalist almost slipped while jumping around on stage to elicit cheers.

It was a dizzying moment when one slip could turn into an eternal sleep.

Thump thump thump-

When Sungjun, wearing a plastic raincoat provided by Lollapalooza with the cute lettering ‘2024 Lollapalooza’ on the back in a font, lifts his palm up, raindrops fall and scatter.

The raindrops weren’t as big as I thought.

However, the problem was that the rain was getting heavier as time went on.

“This is how my brother’s Lollapalooza headliner debut stage is… ”

Oh Hae-soo mutters as if he feels sorry.

On the other hand, there were also those who, contrary to Oh Hae-soo, were happy with the current situation.

It is none other than the Johnson brothers who made a bet with Sungjun.

On Brother’s Instagram, a post was made with the caption, “Best weather ever!” while clinking beers.

Hashtags are also #Rain #Rainyday #Storm

It looks like they’re acting like they missed out on the headliner spot.

Their expressions and sarcasm, as if they were going to die from sue, are as petty as their names.

This is the reason why Oh Hae-soo was angry and felt even more sorry.

“Don’t be like that, Haesu. Who knows, the rain might stop by magic in the evening.”

Rather, Sungjun comforted Oh Hae-soo.

“If you have the will, you can move heaven. Should I pray to heaven? Who knows, my earnest voice may reach you.”

“Haesu, you. You’re a romantic.”

Seongjun smiled playfully, but of course he was not at ease.

If the rain didn’t stop by 8pm when it was his turn, it would have been a very disappointing performance, just like Oh Hae-soo said.

‘I guess we have no choice but to wait for now.’

As the team we were watching finished their performance, there was a break for the next team to switch places.

The expressions on the team’s faces as they leave the stage are not very satisfactory.

An expression full of regret, as if to say, ‘If only I wasn’t obese…’

Seongjun left the audience with the worry that the tangerine might become his own face.

The steps back to the accommodation to prepare for the performance were muddy and wet.

*

They say sad premonitions are never wrong.

The fears became reality.

The rain that started to fall in the morning gradually grew heavier and continued until the evening.

Is it because of the heavy rain?

The density of people is not like yesterday.

By eye, it’s exactly half of what it was yesterday.

The total number of visitors was similar to yesterday, but everyone took refuge under tents or in parked cars to avoid the rain.

Only the passionate participants who were crazy about music and didn’t care about rain were holding their seats.

They were waiting for the headliner who would soon be the highlight of the second day of the festival.

And finally, a countdown indicating the start of the show appeared on the main stage screen.

“5, 4, 3, 2, 1”

Through the rain, fans chant numbers together.

The headliner’s name appeared where the number ‘1’ had disappeared.

+

SUNGJOON

(D.VOICE)

+

And the live session that had been prepared in advance played the headliner’s entrance song.

It starts with soft percussion like a soaked sponge, and then a gentle acoustic guitar arpeggio is laid on top of it.

The elegant sound of the bell is added again.

It was a very welcome melody for Sungjun’s long-time fans.

“Huh? Could this melody be ‘Saturday Night Rain Drop’?!”

D.Voice? It was an early composition practice song that Sungjun posted on Sound Sky.

Music reminiscent of a starry night, or the sound of raindrops knocking on a window.

Although today is not Saturday as the song title suggests, the sky is actually black as night and it is raining.

The raindrops falling on my head feel like the sound of rain hitting the window, and I feel a sense of immersion as if I have become a part of the music.

It was at a time when fans were immersed in a vague nostalgia and a sense of oneness with the music.

A man wearing a white raincoat identical to the ones they were wearing appeared on the wide stage.

Even before the main stage started, the man took over the atmosphere with just his entrance song. When he took off his hood, his face was revealed, and the audience cheered his name as if they had been waiting for it.

“Sungjun!!!”

*

Seongjun, who came up on stage, looks down at the audience amidst the cheers.

What came into view was a wide expanse of white.

It was a color created by grateful fans who came wearing white raincoats to watch their performances even in bad weather.

I want to give them unforgettable memories that will repay them.

Next to Sungjun, who was making a promise, a holographic doll was swinging in the air.

A rag doll resembling a snowman.

It was a single-use SSR grade item, the ‘Weather Doll’.

When he first obtained the item, Seongjun remembered Orpheus’ intentions.

All the missions and rewards that Bangsingki has recently provided have been beneficial to him.

The purpose is to accumulate energy for Orpheus to open the gates of Ascension by putting himself forward as his agent.

So I expected that the moment to use the ‘weather doll’ would come soon, and it was not as expected.

Sungjun confirmed that his prediction was right as he looked out the window at the rain this morning.

Well, whatever Orpheus’s plan was, it was a good thing for him.

Just as he uses you, you can use him too.

‘Orpheus, if you want to get something out of me, you will have to help me on stage.’

Seongjun grabbed the doll’s head and turned it upside down.

Originally, the doll was used by hanging it upside down on a window to wish for clear weather, as seen in the green window.

‘So, what happens now?’

Seongjun raised his head and looked up at the sky with eyes full of anticipation.

however,

“······.”

There was no particular change.

I set the doll up and turned it over several more times.

Then a message comes to mind belatedly.

[The weather doll lacks the necessary precision to operate.]

[Raise your voice to the sky.]

‘Ah, me… You need sincerity. It’s not like you ‘know the way’ or anything.’

Seongjun’s eyes drop down in a long line.

I thought it was meant to be used immediately like other disposable items, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

It was a process that took time and effort.

Well, if the clouds suddenly cleared and the sun shone brightly as soon as the doll was used, meteorologists would be shocked and dumbfounded.

Somehow, I picture Orpheus’ face smiling broadly with an expression that says, ‘There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Ugh, I was fooled, huh?’

It is a being that I have never seen before, even a transcendent being, yet somehow only the hateful images are increasing.

‘Anyway, as Haesu said, I should raise my voice, right? There are coincidences.’

I don’t know if that means praying or singing passionately, but anyway, there’s something to do.

When it rains, let it rain and do your best under the given circumstances!

Even if the doll doesn’t work, it’s the same.

‘I feel a little embarrassed that I even briefly considered relying on a doll like this in the first place.’

It’s a reflection.

Anyway, after monitoring the performance of the other team in the morning, we hastily called a live session and changed the opening song to ‘SNRD’. Fortunately, the response was good.

I never thought I could use my practice compositions from back then like this.

one side,

To get your voice through the rain, you have to work your vocal cords a little harder than usual to produce a strong sound.

Before going on stage, I chewed [Doraji Flavored Candy] to strengthen my vocal cords, and activated the [Cocktail Party] skill, which allows me to focus my voice even in noisy places.

“Ah, can you hear my voice?”

As I spoke softly into the microphone, a huge cheer came back from the audience.

Yes, fans are already ready to enjoy their performance even in the pouring rain.

The given time is one and a half hours.

I will repay their kindness.

“Let’s play so hot and passionately that all this rain evaporates!”

Seongjun’s song began with another cheer.

The setlist is based on past hit songs.

This full-length album and the last two EPs.

And among the singles that were released intermittently, including ‘Aengyeonmu’, which is the OST for the webtoon ‘Cheonma Hwansaeng’, we selected the most popular songs that were suitable for performance.

And then I arranged them in the right order.

Because the performance time is over an hour, there needs to be a ‘beginning, development, climax, and conclusion.’

If you sing songs that are too exciting and run wild one after another during a performance, both the artist and the fans will get tired. It will also get boring.

So? It was important to include songs with a moderate tempo that allowed for relaxation.

That’s how they opened with their first EP title song, ‘Drink me like Coffee’.

This song became a hot topic after appearing in the teaser for the globally broadcast survival program ‘Who’s the King’, and thanks to its popularity, it was even released in a Japanese version.

“Drink me like Coffee~”

Fans sing along to the chorus that Sungjun sings.

Just the chanting from the 2,000 fans who gathered at his showcase a while ago was amazing.

My heart starts pounding as the voices of the audience, which are ten to twenty times louder than the number I can sing, combine into one.

I didn’t come here to see the performance.

The audience came to enjoy themselves together with the artists, or even more than the artists.

‘Oppa, if you go to Lollapalooza, you’ll know how delicious it is, right?’

Before leaving for America.

The words of Yuna, who has experience at numerous music festivals and overseas concerts, come to mind with a smile.

This is exactly the fun of music festivals she was talking about.

‘An artist cannot lose to the energy of the audience.’

Seongjun raised his voice even more.

The passionate singing in the rain continued.

It’s been a long time since the audience and even Sungjun looked like wet rats due to the pouring rain.

But their passion did not cool down and continued to burn brightly.

After performing exactly half of the songs in the setlist, it was time to catch our breath for a moment.

‘Huh? What is it?’

While singing absentmindedly, Sungjun suddenly looks at the audience and his eyes widen.

Is it because of my mood?

Somehow? It seems like there are a few more people than before?