From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

Melody, surging.

Singing, flamboyant.

Zeal and passion are thus fully released, dancing gracefully at the pinnacle of the universe.

Wave after wave, a rolling torrent continuously crashes forward, millions upon millions of gazes all focused on that one figure in the center of the stage, without spotlights and without needing spotlights, he is the focus.

Unique.

That casual and unrestrained attire, at this moment, displays an air of looking at the world with a smile, to the extent that the entire Staples Center prostrates itself at his feet, trembling.

Unbelievable, such a simple, such a crude, such a plain stage, yet erupts with such energy.

The world revolves around Anson at high speed.

Reaching the peak, Anson takes a deep breath, a vocal turn.

"And if they say, Who cares if one more light goes out? In a sky of a million stars, It flickers, flickers."

"Who cares when someone's time runs out? If a moment is all we are, We're quicker, quicker."

So gentle, yet so tenacious, like a ray of sunlight tearing through the boundless darkness, the world is a deep blue, slowly brightening.

Then, the guitar stops playing, followed by the cello, then the keyboard.

One by one, like stars extinguishing, simplifying the melody again, until only the bass remains, its low and firm sound entwining around Anson's singing,

"Who cares if one more light goes out?"

"Well I do."

Finally, the bass also fades into nothingness, leaving only Anson's singing lingering in the air.

Is the performance over?

A song ends, but the Staples Center still hasn't regained its senses, losing reason and judgment in the August 31st Band's performance, gradually losing themselves in the melody and singing, letting themselves roam in the world of music.

Just as they finally start to come back to their senses, before they can even process it, Anson gently taps the body of his guitar, the crisp tapping sound transmitted through the microphone.

Archie's heart leaps: "'Wake Me Up'"?

Instantly, the genes in the August 31st Band's fans' blood stir, even before hearing the melody, they are already preparing to revel.

But then, on the stage, the corners of Anson's mouth curve upwards, a smile blooming.

"Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh…"

Wait, is this "Viva la Vida"?

Archie is stunned.

The tapping of the guitar and the rhythm, clearly it's "Wake Me Up".

However, Anson's humming is "Viva la Vida".

What's going on? Could it be a brand new track like the first performance?

That curiosity, mixed with excitement and elation, churns and burns in his chest.

Boom, boom, clap, boom, boom, clap.

Still Anson alone is tapping the guitar, humming the melody of "Viva la Vida", the two notes interweaving and colliding, sparking new life.

Subsequently, Connor plucks the bass, the thick and deep sound of the strings slowly spreading and permeating in the air, instantly injecting soul into the performance, the melody's vitality slowly awakening.

Vivid, powerful.

This, unmistakably, is "Wake Me Up"!

However, Anson's distant and ethereal singing still gently hums "Viva la Vida", never expecting that two completely different songs would actually intertwine and collide, creating an unbelievable chemical reaction, a magnificent and imposing emotion spreading in the vast space.

Sometimes gentle, sometimes turbulent.

Sometimes whispering, sometimes roaring.

In addition to the perfect connection of the melodies, people once again feel the uniqueness of the August 31st Band, everything revolves around the instruments, compared to the melody or singing, the instruments are the core of everything.

In this moving performance, the staff actually appear on stage again –

Drum set!

One of the snare drums is placed separately in front of Anson, but Anson doesn't pick up the drumsticks, instead he spreads out his right hand, keeping it low on the drum surface, quickly colliding, striking out a series of graceful rhythms, driving the melody to climb to its peak.

The singing, only now begins!

"Wake Me Up", it really is "Wake Me Up"!

It has been exactly two years since the August 31st Band performed this song on the streets of Manhattan, but apart from "The Tonight Show", this is the band's first performance on a formal music stage, truly long-awaited.

Although this is the first time watching a live performance, almost no one is an exception, instantly feeling the melody, getting excited following the drumbeat rhythm.

A performance that once only appeared in rumors is now unfolding before their eyes, the strings of reason loosening bit by bit in the performance, and completely falling into the individual virtuoso playing of the four band members, uncontrollably swept into that storm of passion.

Then, revel to their heart's content –

Boom, boom, boom, Anson strikes the snare drum.

"Ooh, ooh, ooh", the band members sing loudly.

Archie can no longer control himself, raising his hands high and jumping for joy, joining the band members' singing, the melody from the heart and soul is being sung freely.

A smile, blossoming brilliantly and happily, he doesn't even realize this, it's just a pure and simple upward curve, blooming without reservation.

Obviously, Archie is not the only one.

Turning his head, he can see Gloria, and other little partners waiting at the entrance of the Staples Center, one by one entering carnival mode, throwing away reason, abandoning restraint, using their bodies to feel the rhythm and melody.

Laughter overflows in their chests.

No one is an exception, the guests inside the Staples Center are the same.

The whole audience, stands up.

At this moment, there is no age, no gender, no national boundaries, nothing, everything returns to its original simplicity, presenting the most essential and simple appearance of music, awakening the happiness deep in the soul, forming a connection.

Thus, the actions also become simple.

Raise your arms, jump, sing.

That's all.

The entire audience of guests also sing along with the August 31st Band.

This scene, is unimaginable.

Standing ovation, jumping in unison, this is already considered incredible, only the Beatles' fortieth anniversary performance could see such a scene.

But before their eyes, not only is the scene of the entire audience reveling reproduced, but there is also a full audience sing-along, forcibly turning the Grammy Awards ceremony into an August 31st Band concert.

Spectacular!

In the full ensemble, Anson once again recreates the classic, suddenly throwing the drumsticks behind him, pushing this performance to its peak in a roar.

"Wake me up when it's all over, When I'm wiser and I'm older."

"All this time I was finding myself, And I didn't know I was lost... I didn't know I was lost, oh oh oh... I didn't know I was lost!"

Wave after wave, the Staples Center transforms into a volcano in the continuous exploding high notes, a rolling heat wave, is sweeping the entire audience.

So, is this the end?

No, changes appear on the stage again.

Behind the four people, four curtains slowly descend, instantly changing the stage setting, and in Anson's humming, the lights also slowly change.

Dreamlike, hard to distinguish between reality and illusion, instantly escaping into a dream.

Note 1: One More Light — Linkin Park