Chapter 250: Meeting Arthur Again
<🎧 Song Recommendation: Beggin’ by Måneskin>
...
The live studio audience erupted into cheers as Von took his seat on the plush guest sofa opposite Arthur Pendleton.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the great Von Varley!" Arthur announced, gesturing grandly to the crowd.
"We’re so glad to have you back here with us, Von. The last time you were scheduled to sit in that chair, we were supposed to discuss the outrage surrounding your casting in Perfect Ruins. But my goodness, how quickly things change! Not only did that movie take home the People’s Choice Award right here in Toronto, but you’re already in motion with your debut tour, all without the support of a record label. How do you feel about all of this, Von? Did you see any of this coming?"
Von smiled faintly. "It’s a pleasure to be here, Arthur. And well... life keeps moving, so I’m mostly excited about what the future holds.."
Arthur chuckled and turned to the side of the stage.
"Now before we start... Before we start, I need to show you all something."
At his signal, two crew members wheeled an object out from the wings, completely covered under a heavy black cloth. Arthur walked over and pulled the cloth away.
It was an armchair, or what remained of one. The back was snapped clean through, the metal frame was folded in on itself, and the seat had been driven almost completely flat into the base.
The audience gasped in shock before breaking into laughter.
"That is my chair," Arthur said, pointing at the wreckage. "My producers wanted to throw it out. I told them absolutely not, and I have kept it in my office ever since. Because I sat in it. And then this young man knocked me out of it about half a second before..."
Arthur turned back to face Von, shaking his head in wonder.
"I experienced those reflexes firsthand. And now I’m watching footage from Miami of you flying across an arena and catching a guitar out of the air in mid-flight. So I have to ask you seriously. What are you? Are you Superman?"
Von let a beat go by.
Then he shrugged, sat back into the sofa, and calmly adjusted one sleeve.
"...Well. I won’t deny it."
The studio came apart. The entire audience broke into roaring laughter and shrieks. Arthur was laughing so hard he had to take off his glasses to wipe his eyes.
"He won’t deny it!" Arthur shouted to the camera. "Ladies and gentlemen, he won’t deny it!"
They got serious for a while after that.
Arthur brought up the opening night performance in Miami, and Von spoke about the production process smoothly. Then the topic shifted, and the temperature in the room changed a little.
"Three days out," Arthur said, leaning forward. "Someone put your entire production online. Setlist, running order, an unreleased song. What was the first thing that went through your head?"
"Honestly? That I couldn’t play it."
"You couldn’t play what?"
"The show." Von shrugged lightly. "So we threw it away and built a different one."
"And is that sustainable?" Arthur pressed. "Because that’s the question everybody’s been asking since Friday. That was one night. You’ve got twenty-five more, and you’ve set quite the standard with your opener."
"Yeah, and none of them are going to be that one either."
Arthur paused, staring at him. "I’m sorry?"
"None of them are the same," Von said, as casually as mentioning the weather. "Twenty-six shows, twenty-six different nights. That’s the plan."
The studio went quiet.
Arthur leaned forward slowly and put his cue cards face down on the table.
"Say that again."
"Which part?"
"You are telling me, on my programme, that no two nights of this tour will be the same show?"
"That’s right."
"Rarely any artist does that."
Von smiled. "I know. That’s sort of why."
Arthur stared at him for a second longer, then turned to the camera with the expression of a man who has just been handed something and knows exactly what it’s worth.
"Well," Arthur said. "You heard it here first. We’ll be going on a short break now, and expect something special in the next segment."
***
The break went by, and soon again Arthur and Von were on the stage.
"Now." Arthur clapped his hands together. "We have unfinished business."
"We do?" Von asked.
Arthur grinned at the audience. "I didn’t forget your request from your last visit, where you demanded an eating competition! Time didn’t permit us then, but now we’re back."
Von internally cursed Loki in his mind.
"I’m going to have to pass on that today, Arthur," Von said smoothly, waving his hand. "I’m not really in the mood for an eating contest right now."
Arthur put on a crestfallen look. "Oh, the show can’t end this way! What do we do now?"
Von thought for a moment. "Do you have an acoustic guitar around? I’ll play Remedy."
Arthur’s eyes lit up instantly. "Everyone, he’s gonna play Remedy! Bring out a guitar!"
A crew member quickly ran onto the set and handed a polished instrument to Von.
Arthur turned to the crowd. "Before Von begins, I have to remind everyone about Remedy. In just four days, it already has five million streams on Musify and is becoming quite a popular sound on TikTok. And correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s the song somebody stole from you."
"That’s the one."
"How does that feel?"
Von thought about it. "Like they did the marketing," he said, and the audience laughed. "I’m serious. Nobody would’ve heard it for another two weeks."
"So do we thank them?"
Von laughed softly. "Well, I won’t encourage them to steal more."
He pulled the guitar against his chest and plucked the opening chords. The entire room fell silent as his warm vocals filled the studio.
🎸♪
Oh baby, you are my remedy~
The only peace that sets me free.
When I get lost and cannot see,
You hold my heart so tenderly.
Through every dark and stormy sea,
Oh baby, you are my remedy~
🎸♪
By the time he struck the final note, the entire audience was on their feet, applauding loudly.
Arthur shook his head in genuine awe. "They were really right. It’s like your voice gets better each time I listen to you, and you sure do sound better in real life than in your songs, which is crazy."
"I’m honored," Von said, handing the guitar back to the stagehand.
"Honestly, I know it’s too greedy for me to ask you to sing Blinding Lights," Arthur continued, "but can you tell us when you plan to release it? That’s been my favorite song since yesterday, and all I have is a recorded live audio clip."
"Honestly? I don’t really know myself."
"You don’t know?"
"Probably end of the tour," Von shrugged. "But who knows. Could drop tomorrow. Could drop today."
The noise from the audience made Arthur throw both hands up.
"Oh, that’s a pity," he said, genuinely deflating. "That is a real pity. Everybody’s been waiting for that one. I was hoping you’d come here and give me a date so I could be the man who got it."
Arthur turned back to the primary camera to wrap up. "Well, you heard the man! Blinding Lights could drop at any time and any day, so keep your ears open!"
The broadcast concluded amidst loud applause, and the heavy studio curtains closed.
Backstage, Arthur caught up with Von, beaming warmly and about to say something.
"..."