Chapter 275 - 275: 275 | Welcome To Seattle

<🎧 Song Recommendation: Object Permanence by Arm's Length (inspiration!)>

...

"We're here!"

Max's shout tore through the lead coach and immediately earned several groans from the sleeping bunks.

Von pulled his curtain aside and squinted toward the windows.

Grey.

That was his first impression of Seattle.

Grey sky, grey buildings, wet roads reflecting red brake lights beneath the curtain of rain.

Rows of evergreen trees appeared between buildings whenever the highway curved, while low clouds hung over the distant skyline.

Von checked his phone.

[Monday, November 2nd, 2020 — 1:46 PM]

They had left Oakland shortly after midnight.

With Frank and the Vanguard drivers rotating behind the wheel, the convoy barely stopped beyond fuel and mandatory checks, eating up the long run north while most of the touring crew slept through Oregon.

Von pushed himself out of the bunk and stretched.

The moment Conor stepped into the aisle behind him, however, there was already a huge grin plastered across his face.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Alex asked from the galley.

Conor looked through the rain-streaked window.

"Man... you have no idea."

Seattle wasn't exactly home for Conor, but it was close enough to feel like one.

He had grown up in Chicago, but years later, long before Project: Star, arena tours or platinum records entered his life, he had spent a significant part of his career in Seattle working as a session guitarist and drummer.

He had dragged equipment through small clubs, rehearsal rooms and low-paying local gigs across the city, taking whatever work came his way while trying to keep his career afloat.

A lot of the musicians he used to work with were still here. Some old friends had tickets for tomorrow night, and several people who remembered Conor Prince as just another struggling session musician would now be watching him perform inside an arena.

For once, Von wasn't the only person returning somewhere with history.

David came through the pocket door with his tablet.

"Production trucks are heading straight for Climate Pledge. Coaches are parking at the secured service lot nearby."

Von grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. "Load-in today?"

"Already started."

David scrolled through his schedule.

"The local crew began floor protection and overhead rigging this morning. We're not hanging the Miami aerial grid, and most of the Seattle package is standard deck, lighting and backline. Alex and Conor need to be at the arena by eleven tomorrow for line checks. Von, you're due at one for full soundcheck."

Von raised an eyebrow.

"That's it?"

"That's it." David pointed at all of them while grinning. "Which means unless somebody sets themselves on fire, I don't want to see any of you near my production office tonight."

Max raised his hand.

"What if someone else sets me on fire?"

"I'll finish the job."

The bus erupted in laughter.

Conor barely heard them. He had already taken out his phone and opened the newest audio file Patch had sent over.

Von noticed.

"Still working on it?"

"Almost done."

Conor slid into the leather booth and connected his phone to the small speaker on the table.

A soft acoustic guitar progression came through first.

It was warm and slightly melancholic, carried by a restrained kick pattern and distant electric guitar textures that Alex had recorded in Oakland.

The file name appeared across the screen.

[WHEN YOU LEAVE THE ROOM — CONOR PRINCE ft. VON & ALEX HALL — MIX 06]

Conor had started writing the song weeks earlier.

The original idea had been much simpler, but touring had gradually changed what the record meant.

It became a song about absence.

About how strange it felt when someone important walked away and the room instantly seemed different. About distance making you question whether a relationship, friendship or even a version of yourself remained real when you couldn't physically see it anymore.

Touring only made that feeling stronger.

Every city meant leaving somebody behind.

Every goodbye was followed by another highway.

The record started almost entirely acoustic, then slowly opened into alternative rock. Conor carried the lead vocals and drums, Von entered later with a feature verse and harmonies, while Alex had his own featured guitar passage in the final section, a long emotional lead that essentially acted as a third voice inside the song.

Von had already finished his vocals.

Alex still wanted another pass at the final guitar solo, Conor had to redo the live drum take, and Patch needed to finish the master.

They had a little more than twenty-four hours.

Under normal circumstances, that would have been ridiculous.

After nearly a month of making records on moving buses, it barely qualified as pressure anymore.

"The bridge still feels empty," Conor said.

Von listened for another few seconds.

"That's why it works."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Your chorus gets huge right before it. Let the bridge breathe, then let Alex murder the last section."

Alex looked up. "I've been waiting all tour for somebody to say that."

Conor replayed the transition. Only after a moment, did he nod. "Okay... yeah."

"Release it tomorrow night," Von said while taking a drink causing Conor to look at him in shock.

"What?"

"Yep, after the show."

"You're serious?"

Von looked at him strangely. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Conor sat forward. "I thought we were just premiering it."

"We are. Then we release it."

Von reached over and tapped the file name. "And keep yourself first."

Conor stared at him.

"It's your song," Von continued. "Conor Prince featuring Von and Alex Hall."

Alex nodded immediately. "Obviously."

Conor went quiet. He understood exactly what that meant. Every unreleased song premiered during the Uncrowned Tour had become an event.

Clips alone were pulling millions of views before official masters even reached streaming platforms.

Having Von's name attached guaranteed attention.

Having Alex attached added another recognizable artist to the release.

But keeping Conor as the lead meant that attention flowed directly into his own catalogue.

Which translated to his streams, his followers, his future booking value. And most of the money from the record would actually belong to him.

Conor shook his head with a disbelieving laugh.

"You know how much money this thing could make if tomorrow goes crazy?"

"Hopefully a lot."

"And you're just letting me lead the release?"

Von frowned at his question. "It's your song, Conor. What do you want me to do, rob you?"

Alex started laughing from across the coach.

Conor rubbed both hands over his face and laughed. "Man, fuck both of you."