Rufus grinned out at the crowd as they cheered for Sinister. He’d enjoyed the process of writing that song. Rather than one of them writing it and everyone else joining in, they’d had a group effort with it. It’d been written accidentally, between rehearsing some of their old stuff, and they’d just run with it. Ru was pretty proud of how it had turned out.

And this was his moment. He leaned in to the microphone set up for his backing vocals. “Thank you, all of you.” he said, a huge grin on his face. “This next one’s called Statute of Secrecy.” He didn’t have the stage presence quite as finely tuned as Charlie did, but he did have the mild Greek accent still playing around underneath his northern voice. And people seemed to like that.

Best bit about this song was obviously the introduction, since it was just him, plucking the simple - and incredibly effective - bass line out on his strings.

“Sometimes, you have to break the rules...” Rufus spoke the words into his microphone, and Charlie took over immediately, so that the lyrics almost bled into one another.

“A secret can be a toxic thing,
be careful which you keep
Listen to the words I sing
before you’re in too deep.”

Rufus had backed up slightly, to be level with Odin as they beat out the heavy, soul-thumping core of the song. This one meant a lot to him... he had a lot of opinions on when and where secrets were allowed to be told, considering his past, and he always threw all that feeling into this particular track. Right now though? Right now he had so many emotions about it that he was overloaded, he wasn’t sure he’d ever played this tune so well.

And before he knew it, the song had come to an end, and he threw his head back to look at the reaction, his curls flying back behind his ears, sticking to the sweat on his forehead a little. A smirk flashed across his lips as people applauded, and he brought the last note of Secrecy into the start of the next song. They slipped seamlessly into The Shape of my Boggart, and before he knew it, Rufus’ fingers had played through the first verse of their own accord.

“So many things that I’m afraid of, but the one thought in my mind
Is that you’ll wise up, and move away, and I will fall behind.

...

The shape of my boggart
is being alone
without your sweet heart
to call my own.”

Rufus sang backing vocals with Krystal as Charlie burned through the chorus, all of them pulling music from the strings of their instruments with vigour. He was so proud to be a part of this, so proud of his friends, of their collective hard work, and there was a fire in his chest that flared into being when he was on stage, and it sparked things in his brain like nothing else ever could. This was amazing...

--

Charlie was so ready for the next bit. In fact, the next two songs were just perfect for his on stage persona. And as Boggart came to an end, he switched his guitar back to the other tuning. “Now then, Ladies...” He blew a kiss at girl in the second row back. “Gentlemen...” He winked at a random guy. “And those of you who out-class both labels.” Charlie put his hand on his heart. “This is especially for you, you gorgeous people.”

And with that, Charlie strummed the first chord of Felix Felicis Has Nothing On You, throwing his head back momentarily, and then launching himself into the music.

“You can let your friends know
that this one is for you
Honey, Felix Felicis has nothing on you.

...

You make me feel lucky,
Like I’m brand new.
Honey, Felix Felicis has nothing on you.”

Charlie flirted with the entire audience as he sang this song, occasionally picking someone out to lock eyes with, making them feel as though the entire song was about them, personally.

“Honey, Felix..... Feliciiiiis....” Pause, smirk at the audience. “Has nothing... on youu...” The song came to a close, and Charlie put his guitar down in its stand as one of their roadies charmed his electric piano to float into position, microphone bent over it so he could continue to play and sing.
--
This one was a little different, but it had been fairly famous, and needed no introduction, so Charlie started playing softly, all focus on him as he gently sang the first verse.

“I’ve passed through stormy seas before,
I’ve travelled far and wide.
And recently I’ve come across
the place your people hide.

I didn’t hear a sound at first
but something felt so wrong
Then suddenly upon my ears
fell your siren song...”

It was then Rufus came in softly, and Krystal approached her microphone, singing the chorus with that ethereal voice of hers. Odin remained quiet for now, sticks poised at the ready...

“Come to me
Swear by me
I can give you the world...

Trust in me
Love with me
I can love you more than any other girl...

You’ll be saaaafe here
Nothing will go wrong
If you saaail here
Together we’ll be strong.

Just succumb to my siren song...”

Charlie glanced down at the piano as he changed the key up and Odin joined them, adding a more urgent feel to the music with his beat.

“If I come with you,
will I leave those stormy seas behind?”
_____“Say you love me, do.
_____And you’ll be with me, unconfined.”
“What can I do?
It’s like you’ve got inside my mind...”
_____“You see our fates are intertwined.”
“This love can never be defined.
Now I’m inclined...
To follow you...”

The intensity of the music fell again so that it was just Charlie and Krystal once more. His piano with her voice...

You’ll be saaaafe here
Nothing will go wrong
If you saaail here
Together we’ll be strong.

...

Just succumb to my siren song...”

Charlie finished up the outro to the song and sprung to his feet as the piano was whisked away. He gave Krystal a one armed hug before picking up his acoustic guitar that had just been brought on stage... were the fans ready for this?