Play On

[celebrity_commentator]

Who: Risette, all the people who signed up to help or sing, and EVERYONE!
Where: 0048 Stage! With a brief bit back at Junes.
Summary: Big benefit concert by the Visitors!
Warnings: Video-heavy, Gas Chamber is terrible

Surprising no one, everything had come down to the wire. After barely two weeks of preparation, a concert thought up by a 16 year old semi-retired idol singer was being put on in a theater that had magically appeared last night.

Some days, Rise really effing loved this town.

In the afternoon, Rise was in front of Junes, dodging the crowds of people outside her demographic talking about their books to put up flyers and occasionally do her megaphone thing to let everyone know about the change in plans:

"Attention everyone! Tonight's Benefit Concert featuring our Visitor musicians has been MOVED! It'll be taking place at the brand-new 0048 Stage in the Aries District! It's the big sparkly tower theater, you can't miss it!"

Just in case, she handed out quickly printed flyers with directions to the theater to anyone who didn't immediately shove their hands in their pockets, with a smile and a "See you there!" or a "Please come by and see! Free admission!" delivered individually depending on the potential audience member's mood.

---

The hours to the concert ticked down to minutes, Rise doing everything in her power to make sure everything and everyone was set up for a 7:00 start while preparing to get out on stage again herself. She hadn't done anything like this in months, or anything this serious in longer, and she was running entirely on bottled water and adrenaline at this point.

People - visitor and native alike, whoever she could get to volunteer or accept pay out of donations ("It's a benefit concert, after all!") scrambled to make sure the stage was hooked up, safe, and ready for performances, to make sure guests were seated, and to make sure the performers were ready. Rise was one of the ones scrambling, manically (but happily) doing her own job of remembering lyrics and not throwing up along with her old manager's job of supervising.

"Okay, everyone ready? Oh! We better be, show starts in fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes, guys!"

Yeah she really needed to hire a new manager.

When the time came, the house was full, and they were ready to start. Rise took a deep breath and headed out to kick things off.

((Alright! This post is going to have several subthreads/prompts with instructions in each, but in general, mingle and have fun!))

((Comments are open, tag away!!))

Comments

Pre-Concert - Backstage

[celebrity_commentator]

[Anyone who volunteered to help out with backstage things like lightning, the sound system, or constructing the stage was told to come here early this morning, moved from the probably-doomed attempt at a makeshift stage in front of Junes to the 0048's theater. Anyone helping out would be here, and anyone planning to perform would be doing dress rehearsals earlier in the day, or in the dressing rooms preparing for curtain later on.]

Dress Rehearsal - onstage, let's play with floating platforms!

[seasidecherry]

"I can't believe this is actually happening!" Nagisa was in a rush, making sure that there was electricity where needed. One thing that needed to be checked was on the stage itself. One of the quirks of it was that it had floating platforms that a performer could use. Fly above the audience, float if you needed to, that kind of thing. Nagisa had trained on them, so she was perfectly fine, but now, her job was twofold: first, to make sure that the floating platforms were actually working, and second, to make sure that anyone who might need or want to use a floating platform would get a crash course in how to do it.

...she hoped the term "crash course" wouldn't be literal.

[pastalishe]

Cloche, who has arrived at the theater early to help Rise with set-up, watches Nagisa as she tests the stage. She's particularly fascinated by the floating platform component, although she's not sure she trusts herself to keep balanced while performing.

"It is amazing how much a dedicated group of people can accomplish in a short amount of time."

Electronics testing

[second_destiny]

Asem was darting back and forth, making sure everything was in working order. He was the reason why there was the occasional flashing light, buzzing speaker, and a voice saying "Testing, testing" audible on the microphone.

[celebrity_commentator]

He was every bit the technical expert he'd mentioned being, and Rise felt proud to have recruited him.

Maybe a little less proud of using her normal guy-friend tactics on him than a simple appeal to justice and mercy, perhaps, but the point was he was here and he was saving the backstage portion of the show.

"Everything still alright back here, Captain?" she asked, offering him an unopened bottle of water. "Sorry for the sudden venue change and all..."

Dress Rehearsal

[thelordsage]

Sephiran spent quite a while trying to get used to the stage and the acoustics of the auditorium. He just stood on the stage for a time, getting used to the atmosphere, before he practiced singing. He started with some vocal warmups before transitioning to the actual song. This was easy enough without all the people, but who knew what would happen when people actually arrived?

[pastalishe]

Cloche is used to stages, but none like the 0048 Stage. The atmosphere is completely unfamiliar. So, like Sephiran, she's taking time to get used to the stage. She quietly listens to his practice; when he's finished, she'll approach him.

"That was beautiful. Is that the piece you will be performing tonight?"

before heading on stage!

[doesasordered]

[Nikolai could hardly believe he was doing this. The most he's ever played for was groups of friends, or small clubs and lounges. Never on a stage like this, in front of such a crowd. And he's nervous.

He's nervous. He's never nervous about anything in his life, ever, but he is about this. He doesn't like it.

Backstage, Nik will be found tuning his guitar, going over the chords of Rise's playlist, and furiously smoking cigarette after cigarette.]

[celebrity_commentator]

Rise's glad she didn't grab him as a backup singer. She braves the cloud of second-hand smoke to give him a reassuring smile.

"Feeling alright, Nik-san?" she asked. It was probably time to reassure him, given that she'd roped him into this in the first place...

Early stage preparations

[genkibot]

[Tachikoma has shown up nice and early at the new stage to see what she can do to help. At the moment, she looks a little lost as she's not sure who she report to or where to start, but at least she seems full of enthusiasm.]

...Um, so where do I start first?

Pre-Concert - Front of House

[celebrity_commentator]

[Doors opened an hour before the show started, letting everyone - Visitor or Native, Human or Demon - in to mingle and explore the 0048's amazing theater. Enterprising folks will probably start selling concessions in short order, and Rise has a few volunteers handing out programs to let people know what to expect.]

[ghost_shield]

One of the volunteers has a booth set up nearby as well, advertising something else. The Visitor/Native Alliance? Really? That's different. He seems to be helping with questions about the concert as well, but you have to wonder what that business is about.

[demifemme]

Curious, Shura gets closer to greet her friend and see what's up. She's looking better than last time Nick saw her, at least.

[imthegoodguy]

To say that Ben felt out of place here... Well. He was older than most people here, and he was fairly certain the music being played here wouldn't be to his liking. But the intent of the concert had caught his attention. If he didn't derive any entertainment from the concert, he might derive some information.

Thankfully, one of the first things he sees once he walks through the doors is Nick's booth.

"Now this is interesting," he says, approaching the booth. "Got any pamphlets?"

[seasidecherry]

Nagisa, in full performance costume, had wandered out for just a moment to catch a glimpse of the crowd, to say welcome to a few people. She caught sight of the booth a moment later, approaching with a smile.

"Thank you so much for helping to organize things with the city. I really appreciate that. It's been such a huge help."

[genkibot]

[Tachikoma has come to take a look around before the concert starts and notices the booth.]

Oh neat! I didn't know you were planning on having a booth here! Do you have brochures or something to hand out?

[greaterdays]

Nanako can't do any of the heavy lifting required of the stagehands, but she can be the cutest program distributor around. Plus, showing people that some Visitors are just innocent kids can't hurt their cause at all.

[pastalishe]

Every little bit helps! ... especially when the help comes from a cute girl like Nanako. Cloche is busy with her own preparations but when she sees Nanako hard at work handing out programs, she just has to take a moment of time to check on the little girl.

"My, you've certainly been doing a good job," Cloche says with a smile. "I don't think I've seen anyone inside without a program."

The Concert

[celebrity_commentator]

[The main event is here - a night of extremely varied music from Hinoto-Ri's extremely varied visitors. Enjoy!]

((Performers who signed up, ICly or OOCly, should start threads describing/linking their performances. Audience reactions can go below those or in their own threads.))

Risette

[celebrity_commentator]

Spotlight. Deep breath. Walk out. No fear, just smiles.

Rise kicked the concert off personally, running out on stage to a small lightshow and the opening chords to her song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1MzEJgFKxI

It wasn't much, really. She'd sung it over a year ago by her count, but she frankly hadn't had time to practice a new number. She figured it would be okay, this being a new city and all. And besides, as much as this was inspired by her wanting to sing, what she had to say was more important.

"Thank you so much!" she called out as the applause died down. "Really, thank you all so much for coming tonight!"

With professional - for an idol - flourish, she started. "I've introduced myself as Rise Kujikawa before, but while I'm on stage, feel free to call me Risette! I guess you can call me your MC for this evening...although really, I'm just opening for some really great performers from all around the universe."

"We Visitors are from all over. And when I say that I mean all over space and time and everything else. What we've all got in common, though, is that we're all here in Hinoto-Ri, and we all love this city."

"That's why we came together tonight to put on this show for everyone, sharing our talents and our passion and our joy with you, in exchange for the wonderful hospitality we've been shown. At the same time, this concert is to benefit people who've been caught up in and harmed by the chaos that's happened to this city before. We stand together, regardless of where we're from, as residents of this beautiful city, so in addition to sharing our music, we'll also be donating whatever you, the audience, can find it in your hearts to give us to the victims of the Anoli attack on the arena championships earlier this year, on behalf of the Visitor/Native Alliance."

She breathed out heavily, careful not to do it in her microphone, and switched back from her serious to her more cheerful stage mood. "There's a lot more information in your programs, which I really hope you'll all read. But for now, I've talked enough. You guys all came here to see music, so here it is. Introducing your first act..."

Nagisa Motomiya - comment's now in the right place oops

[seasidecherry]

Backstage, Nagisa had been more than nervous. She'd been almost panicked, trying to make sure that things in the theater were okay, making sure the backing music she needed was there - suddenly changing songs once the theatre had appeared had been a risky decision, but it felt right. As she watched Rise from the wings, she murmured the familiar warm-up circle words to herself: "Always thankful, calm, kind, and just. Don't stop smiling, and be happy!"

And then there was her cue.

Nagisa smiled brightly as she stepped onto the stage, her little orange Kirara appearing and glowing beside her as she switched on her microphone.

"Thank you so much! My name is Nagisa Motomiya. I only came here a little while ago, but this place - this theater. It's a piece of my home world, and while I'm still an idol in training, it's such an honor to be able to stand here in front of you all, on this special stage, in this special place. It says a lot about the spirit of the people here that you would all come together like this, in a theater from one world, to help the natives of this place.

This song is called Shonichi, and it's about moving on when you feel like a trial is too much. It's a special one to me, and it seems only right to sing it at the first performance on this stage in Hinoto-Ri."

Chieri. Yuuka. Orine. Everyone...you're with me, too. I'm going to shine for all of you!

With that thought in mind, she moved into a modified version of the first position of the dance, the opening notes sounded, and she felt the opening words of her song come out with a new kind of confidence. That carried through the song, and her little sparkling friend seemed to illuminate her even more brightly than usual.

At the bridge, she hit a spot on the stage, and - there! The platforms had been finicky during dress rehearsals, but she was able to use one just fine during the actual show, floating out over the audience with a bright smile before coming back to the stage at the end of the song.

"Thank you! Thank you so much! Please enjoy the rest of the show, everyone!" With that, Nagisa took her bow, waving, then making way for the next performer.

Sephiran

[thelordsage]

Sephiran stepped on the stage with as much poise as he could muster, most likely coming off rather rigid in the process. While he had spoken in front of a large crowd before, he had never really sung in front of such a large audience. The atmosphere was a tad unnerving for him; being under all these lights was certainly was an unfamiliar experience. He felt incredibly out of place in this very modern environment. It didn't matter to him that Rise said there'd be room for more mellow pieces; this theater didn't seem right for the mood of his piece.

Nonetheless, he picked up the microphone and began his little opening speech. "Greetings, people of Hinoto-Ri. My name is Sephiran, and I'll be bringing you a somewhat... different song tonight. I hope you can still appreciate it despite the differences from the other songs you've heard so far."

With that having been said, he began to sing his song. It was a little more difficult than he had expected, what with not having a higher voice to harmonize with, but he hoped that his voice alone was enough to fill the space. When he finished his song, he bowed deeply, said a quick "Thank you" into the microphone, and waited for the applause to subside before exiting.

Cloche Leythal Pastalia

[pastalishe]

If Cloche were being honest with herself--which she rarely was, when it came to matters like this--she would have to admit that she was anxious about performing in front of the people of Hinoto-Ri. She has to forcefully chase out a myriad of "trivial" worries from her mind that range from somewhat legitimate to entirely ridiculous. As a Holy Maiden and a performer, Cloche refuses to let her own mind get the better of her.

When the time comes for Cloche's performance she moves gracefully, without a single misstep, to the center stage. Unlike the other singers, she doesn't hold a microphone: she is relying entirely on her abilities as a Reyvateil and the Infel Pira to project her voice throughout the theater. When she speaks, her voice can be clearly heard from the front seats to the very back row.

"Dear citizens of Hinoto-Ri... I thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for coming to listen to us sing. The hospitality and kindness that you have shown us in the time we have spent here has been greater than I could ever have imagined. I am honored to live among you... and, tonight, to sing for you.

My name is Cloche Leythal Pastalia. Tonight I would like to share with you a legend of hope and survival in the midst of despair and death: the Infelious Rhaplanca. It is a song sung largely in Hymmnos, a language that I use to craft Song Magic. I've included a translation of those lyrics in your program, so you can follow along as I sing.

Hinoto-Ri... I am delighted to sing for your happiness. hEmmErYE/."

Cloche takes a deep breath, to steady her nerves, as she folds her hands in front of her chest. Then, she begins to sing. She crafts her performance the same way she would craft a piece of Song Magic. She projects her voice as a chorus, building up the moodiness of her song with instruments and ominous background noises. As she sings, Cloche crafts a visual representation of the story her song using her Song Magic: from Rhaplanca's dismal sacrifice, a lonely silhouette tangled in the roots of an enormous tree, to Maoh's vow, a solitary figure surrounded by a field of vibrant flowers. Instead of moving about the stage, Cloche uses her arms to make broad, sweeping gestures to the audience.

When her song is finished, Cloche bows deeply to the audience. When she rises there is a broad, almost girlish, smile of happiness on her face.

"Thank you so much for listening. It means the world to me."

Selphie Tilmitt! Here We Go!~

[booyaka_boom]

Selphie had been beyond excited about the concert - she really just needed something to concentrate on that wasn't that stupid tower. And as much as Selphie loves a good concert, she hadn't been expecting the stage to be so much, so she's more than just a little nervous.

But, when her name is announced, Selphie bursts on stage with guitar in her stage outfit (http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n38/l_i_z_b01/Pinkville/SexyAnime_mio_akiyama_guitar.jpg) and she waved so brightly to the audience, a huge smile on her face - any trace of anxiety gone.

She bowed her head slightly towards the crowd before standing straight, still smiling, and playing out the riff on her guitar. A couple moments more and she burst into song - upbeat and exciting (kinda like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RelVdE7nvkc&list=PL0ADF61080738FC87). The song includes, of course, breaks for small guitar solos. In typical Selphie style, the final course ends with a bang, hopefully with working pyrotechnics, ending on an excited, optimistic note:

Chase the Dream
I always want to believe...
Chase the Dream
...in the strength that rests within me.
Today's tears lead to joy.
Failure leads to success.
I'm sure it will always be that way.
I don't wanna say 'Give up.'
I don't wanna say 'Give up.'

When the song is over, Selphie takes a step back from the mic to give a sweeping bow before shouting an excited, "Thank you Hinoto-Ri!~" into the microphone. She gave one more huge wave to the crowd before skipping off stage with her guitar.

Aftermath

[celebrity_commentator]

[When all's said and done, everyone gets to go home. Or stay out all night and party in celebration of a great show. Up to you, really.]