Vampires Unplugged
by the Night Breed
It was Saturday night. I was running around my apartment trying to scrape up four dollars so I could catch the Astro Vamps acoustic set at YMI, a sort of devil's playhouse of art and sculpture. This café is located in Hollywood on Hudson Street. A large warehouse painted blue. Well, I found the rest of the money I needed in the inside pocket of my black trench coat. I grabbed my keys and put on my coat, then headed to Hollywood to catch the show. I walked into the Café and quickly glanced at the stage where there stood two empty stools with two gothic candle holders on each side of each stool. They were lit and gave the whole stage that extra atmosphere of the macabre. Looking around at the club I came to the conclusion that if there were vampires in Los Angeles they would eventually pass through here. But we know there are vampires in Los Angeles, aren't there! I felt at home here. I ventured to the bar and got a cup of tea with honey. I found a booth next to Daniel and Eyajo's guitar cases. They were about to go on when I noticed Eyajo and Daniel talking to an enchanting looking dark haired vampire figure. He got my attention, but with my luck he was headed this way and I might be able to start a conversation with him. "Are you here to see the Astro Vamps?" I asked as he sat down at the table in front of me. Removing his long black coat and gloves, he answered "Yes I am". He then added "A novel idea, isn't". "What do you mean?", I asked as I got up with my tea and went to sit at his table. "Vampires Unplugged, he said with a hellish grin. "I like that. Very well put" I said as the sound of an acoustic guitar chord directed my attention towards the stage. I was completely fixed to the acoustic performance. Their music had broken all preconceived ideas on how Gothic/Vampire music should sound. They take you to the dark side and show you the light in the dark. It's a power that I've never seen before. Daniel's voice entranced the audience as the surreal music rhythms narrated the songs. Eyajo's guitar whispered like a mystical muse as it added clan unity to the songs. Their set was short; only four songs, but it was really something to see. I will definitely be there next time. "By the way, I didn't get your name?" I said clapping at the end of the show, then adding "What did you think of their set?" "The name is Vince, I play bass with the Astro Vamps" he said adding "The set was impressive". "Well its great to meet you. I can't wait to hear the whole band perform again" I said catching a glimpse of four punks just entering the club. Daniel and Eyajo came over to the table and pulled up chairs to talk with Vince and me, but our conversations were sidetracked by the punks. "Oh, Look it's three vampires. I'm scared" the larger of the group said standing at the edge of the table with his weak minded partners in crime. They were laughing but Eyajo, Daniel, and Vince said nothing. They looked lifeless. "Are you vampires?" he asked sarcastically as he put his hands on the table. There were no verbal replies from the Astro Vamps; only the sound of leather unsnapping as Eyajo, Daniel, and Vince removed their daggers and held the sharp blades in the palms of their hands. "Well" the punk said laughing. With a cold gaze Eyajo, Daniel, and Vince swiftly cut through the flesh of their palms letting the blood drip together in a small pool at the center of the table. The punks watched on, curious and bewildered. Eyajo and Daniel thrust their daggers into the tabletop near the aggressive punk's hands while standing up to confront his obvious threat. Vince, sensing that there would be no further trouble sheathed his dagger. The punk and his friends looked at them and then began to walk away. They didn't want any trouble. The Astro Vamps weren't going to use their daggers in this melee. It was just their symbolic gesture showing that they were not strangers to pain. In a town where the stranger sitting next to you will probably end up dead in a week, it makes more sense to take hold of fear than to let fear take you. Picking up their guitars they began to walk for the door where Vince was already standing. Eyajo stopped and looked at me and said "I hate it when they ask us if we're vampires. Is a guy playing a guitar a guitarist. I think it's something they could figure out for themselves." I then finished my tea and left because it soon would be daylight.
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