From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

Loneliness. Sorrow. Desolation. Bitterness. Sighs.

A corner of New York's concrete jungle, like a vanished Atlantis, quietly slipped into another world. The faint golden sunlight spilled down, yet permeated with a melancholic blue.

The confusion and hesitation of an independent band, the loneliness and hardship of chasing dreams, all felt like the unnoticed solitude amidst the city's bustling traffic. Clearly, the crowds surged, yet no one paid attention; clearly, shoulders brushed, yet all was silent, as if only oneself was dancing in the darkness.

However, was that truly the case?

Remember Anson's opening lyrics?—

I don't care.

Just as everyone was immersed in the clichéd sorrow of dreams, Anson said no.

Indeed, the road to chasing dreams was destined to be a solitary journey, a staggering gait, but he wasn't about to wallow in self-pity. Even if he was alone, he would revel until dawn.

"Yee-haw!"

A cowboy's shout instantly shattered the sorrowful and somber atmosphere. The smile on Anson's lips bloomed like the golden sunlight dancing wildly above the Caribbean waves in the height of August. He raised his right hand high, making a lasso gesture, completely overturning and breaking the silence of the audience.

Let's revel together!

The high, upturned, blossoming curve of his lips infected Connor, infected Lily, and infected Miles. The three young people exchanged a glance; they hadn't been this happy in a long, long time, even forgetting when they had last enjoyed a performance so much.

Likewise, it infected Blair, infected Karen, and infected everyone present. Cheers and applause surged impatiently—

Connor and Anson, two guitars, surrounded Miles's cello, playing together in unison. Miles looked at Lily, the melodies of the cello and keyboard colliding and intertwining, sometimes rushing and sometimes soaring. Three instruments, four members, could feel the blossoming of emotions in the exchange of glances.

Comparable to fireworks.

Joyful, elated, surging, soaring.

Instantly plunged into the scene of a Brazilian carnival, passionate and radiant. The notes seemed to be injected with life, skirts fluttering, steps light, releasing all energy without reservation. Layer upon layer, overwhelming rhythms made the roaring and clamor of the whole world dance along.

Including Miles.

He sat on the chair playing the cello, yet felt the surging passion from his shoulders, head, and right hand. The collision of the bow and strings constantly rubbed sparks, his smile fully bloomed, those emotions all injected into the notes, seeming to hear the sound of boiling blood, even his hair jumping along.

Then, the cello began to spin—

The cello! Spinning!

The whole audience exclaimed, watching Miles's shy, bashful smile bloom cleanly, their hearts also exploding.

Who could refuse?

Blair was the first to raise her right hand high, without greeting or rehearsal, clapping along with the band members' rhythm, not even having time to react before a smile had already climbed onto the corner of her lips—

She didn't care.

Even if walking alone, even if foolishly believing in dreams, even if stopping to appreciate the scenery of life, she would revel until dawn, until the end of the world.

If life was a fleeting, illusory dream, then she would rather sprint in a dazzling and colorful dream.

Wake her up when everything was over, when she was wiser and older.

Anson, singing heartily.

"Trying to shoulder the weight of the whole world, but hands are far from enough; yearning to appreciate the scenery of the world, but without any plans."

"Hoping to always be young, not afraid to close my eyes, life is a game, and love is the reward."

No longer somber, no longer sorrowful, no longer melancholic, no longer confused.

The clear and moving voice was so joyful and so ardent, that handsome face and deep eyes lit the torch of dreams, guiding lost souls in the darkness to find the direction to move forward again.

The melody gradually soared, and Anson's singing also took flight with wings,

"Wake me up when I reach the end, when I am wiser and older, I have been searching for myself, but never realized I was lost."

With a turn of his head, Anson's gaze looked at the three temporary teammates respectively—

Dong, dong, dong dong dong.

Without a drum kit, it could still create the effect of a rhythm bursting forth, Blair had completely lost her mind, raising her hands high while clapping and dancing.

She knew she was alone, the others weren't so crazy, she knew everything, but she didn't care, just like she was the only one in the world, dancing and singing alone, enjoying life to the fullest, firmly grasping every minute and every second, letting life bloom with its own color.

Anson, singing loudly.

He seemed to notice Blair, his smile completely bloomed, even his singing becoming more lively.

"Wake me up when I reach the end, when I am wiser and older, I have been searching for myself, but never realized I was lost."

A light octave high note, beautifully touching the peak, then immediately pulling back, with a turn, shouting loudly.

"Miles!"

Gazes, all gathered on the cello.

Miles straightened his back, the bow landed on the strings again, without others cooperating, it was a cello solo, the bow quickly rubbing and pulling on the strings, his head raised high, his hair flying, his smile radiant, as if able to feel every cell in his body playing.

So, notes can speak.

So, notes really have emotions and colors.

Miles's ardor and madness, Miles's focus and happiness, injected into the notes, releasing incredible energy.

Then.

Anson leaned forward slightly, using the guitar strings to perform a duet with Miles, one high and one low, one fast and one slow, the incredible energy colliding between the interplay, like a rushing river and a trickling spring walking side by side, the two exchanging a glance, using instruments to complete the conversation.

Soaring, passionate, flamboyant.

Without lyrics, without singing, just instrumental music, but at this moment completely releasing the charm of music, while also pushing the charm of the instrument to a new level, whether it's classical music or pop music, this scene is a brand new experience.

Perhaps, this is the first time since Kenny G that someone has re-examined the charm of instruments.

However, the revelry had only just begun.

The cello solo, the guitar embellishment, after a brief harmony, Anson stood up straight, looking at Connor, who had long been eager to move, and shouted loudly.

"Then… Connor!"

Connor, stepped forward, with his beloved guitar.

Note 1: Wake me up [Wake-me-up—Avicii (hoppipolla-version)]

Third update.