Ultraviolet spotlights checked. Chairs unfolded. The old hall was looking good. Breathe in and get that musty scent. This was where it all started. They had been on quite a journey since then. Now, time for one last show. 'Okay, open the doors.' He watched them enter from behind the curtain. In they came, gathered … Continue reading ONE LAST SHOW
It should be something inspirational, something to make the piece soar, a fitting climax to the whole movement. He scratched his head, chewed the end of the pencil, let his fingers dance over a few keys until they ended in a terminal 'thunk'. It was no good. He just couldn't find the right expression of … Continue reading COMPOSITION
Dig the groove, the bass making the ground tremor. It robs me of my vital sense, obliterating the noises I need to guide me. I don't care, I'm along for the ride. The crowd surrounds, a swaying mass that cocoons me. I am lost in the music. Then. An offbeat rhythm disconcerts. A sudden surge … Continue reading BLINDSIDED
She'd had the idea while watching a gardening magazine show - apparently plants had emotions and responded to music and words. Perfect. She stripped down the old grand piano, rejigged the strings and hammers, filled it with grade-A compost and planted the seeds. She soon had a playlist - Rachmaninoff and Chopin went down best … Continue reading STRAWBERRY SWING
This was her spot. Ideally quiet away from traffic at the end of the alley, yet near enough to the main roads of the city centre to guarantee custom. She had fought off challengers over the last few months. Not just other, older, more experienced girls who knew a prime sight when they saw one, … Continue reading STREET HUSTLER
