“Get the guitar tech over here, you know, whatshisname.”

What Tony says, must be obeyed. Sometimes, anyway.

Mike got up out of his chair and shouted backstage, “Yo, JJ, get your butt over here.”

Jonny James played guitar in a high school band. JJ thought he was a good player, but he knew he would never make it in the world of professional musicians. And that was ok, it was really, really, ok.

JJ loved the guitar. He knew everything about them. JJ could talk for hours about the type of guitars and amps that Hendrix used. People learned quickly to not get him started on the circuits in Clapton’s wah-wah pedal. JJ loved changing capacitors.

Mike was the road crew manager. JJ worked for him for over a year, going here and there with different bands. It was a life.

JJ walked over to Tony.

“Waz-up?”

“Hey, you, tune this up for me, will you, I gotta take a leak.”

Man, you want me to hold it for you too?

JJ didn’t like working for Tony Escaro very much. Tony was the lead guitarist of “The Shiny Domes”. They were not exactly a hair band. They were more of a bald band.

It was Tony’s idea. If you join the band, you shave your head every day. A bit of wax, microfiber buffing, and usually some last minute spit. It made the lighting crew’s job harder.

JJ tuned the guitar. Everyone said he had a very good ear. Right on the money.

Tony got back, zipping his fly. He had the microfiber rag in his hand.

“Hey, am I shiny back there?”

JJ looked at the back of Tony’s head. You could see yourself in it. What would Tony think if he combed his hair right now – Hey Tony, move your head up a little, I need to see what I’m doing here.

“Yea, Tony, it’s fine.”

The festival started yesterday. Four bands played. JJ’s crew worked with two of them and everything went well. During the other two, JJ hung out with his girlfriend.

Hung out, well that was an interesting phrase. Mia was a hanger-on, a groupie with whatever band she was near that day. Usually she was gone for under an hour. Road crews were her second choice. JJ didn’t mind so much.

The band was scheduled to go on stage in fifteen minutes. They were the first act in the morning. Being the first act was always a good thing. It gave everyone a little extra time.

Mike called JJ over. “JJ, everything all tuned?”

“Yea Mike, it’s all good.”

“Ok, remember Tony gets the Fender just before the third song. You got the playlist?”

“Yea Mike. What’s happening tonight?”

“Party behind the stage with a couple of bands. The Supersonics are playing tomorrow morning, and they want to get loose. These domehead guys will be there also. Let Mia know, ok?”

“Sure Mike.”

Mike looked around. Everything was in place. Time.

“Ok, clear the stage everyone, time to rock.”