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

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..."

[second_destiny]

Asem had a unique vantage point -- he was just offstage, standing by the control panel, making sure everything worked properly. Thanks to him, the lights changed on cue, and the speakers and microphone worked great.

That didn't mean he couldn't watch the performance, though. And when Rise finished her song, he applauded along with the rest of the audience.

[seasidecherry]

When Rise stepped offstage, she would have to watch out for a little extra burst of light. It might be mistaken for a camera flash at first, but the squeaking noise would soon give it away as a cute little creature that seemed to want to congratulate her on the performance. Nagisa wouldn't be far behind, even if she only had a second before going onstage herself.

I have no idea if this fellow would have been around earlier

[celebrity_commentator]

"Oh! Hey there little guy!" Rise greets (after making sure her mic's disconnected). "You're adorable! Did you come with the theater?"

[pastalishe]

Cloche watches Rise's performance from the backstage. Her music and Rise's are worlds apart... perhaps that is why she's so impressed by it. Rise's music is light and cheerful; her playful lyrics reach out to the hearts of the audience. It's a good opening piece for a concert of music from different worlds.

When Rise makes it backstage, she'll find Cloche clapping for her with the audience.

"You did wonderfully, Rise. Congratulations on a wonderful starting piece."

[celebrity_commentator]

"Thank you so much," she said, grinning. "It's been a while, but I think I've still got it!"

She pauses for a moment to catch her breath and listen to the audience for the last moments before the next act came on. "...it really sounds like they liked it, huh?"

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.

[pastalishe]

Since there's one more song yet after Nagisa's before Cloche's piece, she can distract herself by focusing on Nagisa's performance. For someone so young, Nagisa carries herself very well on stage: her cheerful, honest personality shines through every lyric that she sings. Not only that, but her knowledge of the stage itself makes for a fun performance. Cloche finds herself nodding her head to the tune of Nagisa's song; the joy of it is simply infectious.

Cloche is clapping enthusiastically with the audience when Nagisa returns backstage, a broad smile on her face.

[seasidecherry]

As soon as she stepped offstage and made sure her mic was switched off, Nagisa couldn't help letting out a tiny little whoop of happiness. That had gone even better than she could have hoped!

Then she looked up and saw that applause. Her face went a little bit pink - how embarrassing! But she bounced back with a bright smile. "You were watching? Did it look okay?"

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.

[seasidecherry]

There would be a little squeaking noise greeting him from the wings, before a little orange creature settled in front of Sephiran, illuminating him with a soft, warm light. Right after, the owner of the little creature came up, a warm smile on her face.

"Kirara, you think that was beautiful too, don't you?" It seemed to bob a little, continuing to emit that soft light.

"It's right. That was absolutely beautiful. Thank you for sharing your song. Kirara react to music, and they reflect the light within the singer. This one must have really appreciated it, too."

[thelordsage]

Sephiran couldn't help but smile at the strange little creature. "Thank you very much. I was worried that people wouldn't like it, but it seems to have gone over well," he said to Nagisa. "This creature reflects the light within the singer, you say? I'm surprised that it seems so bright, then." It was a half-joke. While Sephiran carried centuries of despair, perhaps his soul had lightened somewhat since the events in the Tower of Guidance. The singing of the remaining herons in Serenes Forest had helped, and perhaps being here had helped, too.

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."

[second_destiny]

Asem had known ahead of time that Cloche wouldn't need the sound system, so he temporarily switched it off to save electricity. Everything else was left on and working just fine, so he could pay attention to the song.

He hadn't expected this kind of display, though. He was seriously blown away by that performance. So, when it ended, Asem joined with the audience's applause enthusiastically.

[pastalishe]

After her performance, it was as if Cloche's worries and anxieties had never been. She smiles and waves to the crowd... and up to Asem in the technology booth. Although she can't see him from where she is, she knows that he's been watching over the entire concert. Thanks to his work with the lights and sound system, the concert has been a great success so far.

[seasidecherry]

Nagisa had spent the entire show, after her performance, watching from the wings. She couldn't have been happier - not for herself, but to see the theater she loved so much play host to such a wide group of people, and to see it full again. The seats were full, people were and happy, and such a good thing was going on...but all those thoughts stopped when Cloche came onto the stage.

That was amazing. Music as magic, or was it the other way around? Nagisa was completely drawn into the performance, wiping away happy tears as it ended.

There would be a little sparkling orange light waiting for Cloche as she stepped off the stage - Nagisa's Kirara seemed to want to greet everyone and congratulate them on their performances that night.

[pastalishe]

Cloche is a little out of breath when she steps off the stage... but her whole face is lit up with happiness over her successful performance. Knowing that she was able to convey her feelings to the audience--it's a tremendous feeling of joy and wonder, one that she'll never get tired of.

When the Kiara approaches her, she lets out a little gasp of surprise. But her expression quickly turns to delight as she recognizes it as the same light that's been approaching the other performers after their songs. She reaches out to the light, cupping her hands together.

"Thank you, little one."

Re: Cloche Leythal Pastalia

[greyerrant]

Loken watches her perform in silence, then makes a salute to her at the end of her song, hands crossed to form an eagle on his chest. It is a sign of respect, and he bows his head towards her as he does so.

"Ave Cantrix."

He rumbles, and looks up at her with his deep-set eyes, the reflected light of the stage lights casting him with a silver crown as he watches her.

[pastalishe]

Garviel's gigantic silhouette is impossible to miss. Seeing him in the crowd makes her heart swell with pride. Before she leaves the stage, Cloche returns the gesture by bowing deeply to the audience... but especially to Garviel.

[celebrity_commentator]

Backstage, Rise is completely enthralled with the song. She briefly considers the vast gulf between her honest but sugary performance pieces and...that. That was music from the soul, and the performance, more than anything else could, made her realize why Cloche was so proud of being a Holy Maiden.

By the time Cloche gets back to the wings, Rise is still applauding and grinning.

[thelordsage]

In the wings, Sephiran applauded enthusiastically. While he had seen (heard?) some magical music in his day, he had never seen (heard?) anything like this. Cloche was a one-woman orchestra. A beautiful voice, natural-sounding instruments... now, this was Sephiran's kind of music. He wished that he could sing along; perhaps he would get the opportunity to sing with Cloche another time. Maybe he would bring it up to her sometime...

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.

[seasidecherry]

When she steps offstage, she'll be met with a little orange creature, glowing and chirping happily. It belongs to Nagisa, and it's been getting away from her to greet everyone as they come offstage. It's all too happy about the music, and in its own little way, it wants to congratulate everyone on a great show.

[kings_thief]

Concerts were still kind of a novelty to him, so Locke took in and appreciated each of the songs performed. Of course, he was there for one person in particular, and when she performed he was all smiles.

As soon as she was done, he made his way to the stage to meet her, intent on giving her a huge hug. "You were fantastic up there!"