As promised, Lindsay turned up to collect Jenny a few minutes after 8, wearing a long-sleeved Siouxsie and the Banshees T-shirt, a vintage denim jacket, and a short plaid skirt over fishnet stockings. She looked cool beyond cool and Jenny immediately felt like she was out of her depth; but Lindsay had asked her to go, and she had said yes, so what the hell?
They donned coats, hats, and scarves and set off into town. With Lindsay leading the way, they walked all the way through the main square and into the somewhat seedier outskirts on the other side. After traversing a series of increasing narrow and dim side streets, they descended a set of steps to a basement door that had nothing on it but an upside-down question mark.
Jenny had been feeling increasingly worried as the journey progressed. She didn't really know Lindsay at all; was she being led to some kind of drug den, dungeon, torture chamber? But when they stepped through the door they were in a warm, crowded, music-filled nightclub. Jenny breathed a sigh of relief, though she still felt out of her element and the music was painfully loud.
They found a place along the wall to the right of the stage and Lindsay went to the bar, returning a few minutes later with two beers. For the next couple of hours they leaned against the wall drinking beers (three for Lindsay, two for Jenny) and watching a series of bands None of them were, to Jenny's ear, particularly musical, but they all had something interesting about them. And Jenny admired anyone who was willing to go onstage and play; the very idea terrified her.
Finally, though, an all-girl trio came on and immediately there was something different in the air. The singer and guitarist, a small girl in her early 20s with black-and-magenta hair, had presence; before she even struck a chord or sang a word, you could tell there was something special about her.
When the band played their first song Jenny was amazed; she'd never heard anything like it before. It was loud and aggressive but also funky; despite having several abrupt changes of tempo, it was impossible not to dance to. Both Jenny and Lindsay got up from their slouches and started moving, as did everyone in the club.
When the song was over the singer said "Hi!" in a girlish chirp that didn't seem to match her ferocious singing voice at all. "It's great to be back," she said to a wave of applause. "Thanks for coming out tonight. This one's called 'Blow You Away.'"
The second song was very different from the first but equally impressive. After that they played one amazing song after another for almost 90 minutes. When it was over Jenny was completely stunned; she'd never experienced anything like it. She was sweaty from dancing and exhilarated, and more than a little enamored of the singer, who waved a blew the crowd a kiss when she said goodnight.
"Wow," said Jenny as she leaned back against the wall and killed the last swallow of the beer she'd been neglecting.
"I know, right?" said Lindsay. "She's really talented. Always has been."
"You know her?" asked Jenny.