Inhale. Exhale.
And then, once more.
Inhale. Exhale.
Lily tried to calm herself down with deep, steady breaths. Unfortunately, it wasn't very effective. Even so, she could still hear her heart pounding loudly, as if it might burst out of her chest at any moment.
The tension she felt was contagious, affecting the others as well. Even Connor's breathing had become erratic.
Finally, Connor couldn't hold it in any longer. "God, Lily, you're throwing me off so much that I almost forgot how to breathe. I thought you were the one most excited about this performance. But now, when the moment's finally here, you're giving off such anxious vibes that it seems like you can't wait to leave the studio."
Lily attempted to muster a smile—
But failed.
"Oh, Jesus Christ, I feel like my heart's about to explode." Lily covered her face with her hands. "What if we mess up? What if we ruin the whole performance?"
They were standing at the NBC studio in Burbank, Los Angeles, where "The Tonight Show" was recorded. Everything was set, and they were about to take the stage.
It was all new.
The studio, the makeup, the styling, the fully professional equipment, the pre-show rehearsal, the entire crew, and the audience members slowly filing into the studio.
The whole atmosphere, infused with a sense of professionalism, gripped their hearts, making it hard to breathe. There was a palpable sense of urgency, as if everything might suddenly explode.
Even Miles, who had once performed at Carnegie Hall, was feeling the difference in atmosphere between a concert hall and a television studio. Ever since the rehearsal ended, he had been in a daze, like a puppet waiting to be directed, leaving one to wonder if his soul had left his body and been replaced by an avatar.
Not to mention Lily and Connor, who had never experienced anything of this magnitude.
Initially, Anson was nervous as well.
Whether it was a talk show appearance or a band's official performance, this was his first time, and the mix of anticipation and anxiety had sparked a small fire in his stomach.
But seeing his three companions so tense and anxious gradually calmed him down. If they were this nervous, at least one of them needed to stay composed.
Moreover, from the beginning, Anson had resolved to fully enjoy this journey—
Not because he had a safety net, but because every opportunity was an unexpected gift. Rather than worry about potential failures, it was better to seize each moment.
Now, hearing Lily and Connor's conversation, Anson couldn't help but smile slightly. "Don't worry, this is a television show, not a live broadcast. It's pre-recorded, so if we mess up, we can just do another take."
Lily: …
Connor: …
Even Miles was taken aback. He hadn't considered this at all. At Carnegie Hall, performances were live, and any mistakes were irreparable. Though they always told themselves that mistakes were part of live performances, the errors still left a mark, difficult to forget.
Miles asked, "Wait, really?"
Anson nodded. "Of course. Unless you mess up ten or so times in a row, in which case the crew might not bother trying to save it. But otherwise, they can always do another take."
"If I remember correctly, 'SNL' is live, you know, 'Saturday Night Live.' The title emphasizes the live aspect. But most other late-night talk shows are pre-recorded."
Phew.
Lily let out a long breath, and her nerves finally started to relax a bit.
Anson continued, "Even if we do mess up, it's not a big deal. The audience watching at home won't know what the correct version was supposed to be, so we can just pretend the mistake was intentional, and everything will be fine."
Connor burst out laughing. "Anson, are you being cheeky?"
Anson remained completely unfazed. "How do you think those British rock bands have managed to survive all these music festivals?"
One second, two seconds—
Then, one by one, they all started chuckling, and the tense atmosphere evaporated.
Connor couldn't help but glance at Anson again. It seemed that whatever fell into Anson's hands somehow became easier to handle. Perhaps this really was a turning point.
And even if it wasn't, failure didn't seem as frightening anymore.
"Hey, guys, it's time."
A crew member from "The Tonight Show" came to notify them and led the four of them through the backstage maze of plywood corridors. They weaved their way through the labyrinth until they reached the small stage next to the main set, where the audience was seated. The main stage was where the show was being recorded, while they headed to a side stage.
This small stage was originally intended for the show's house band to perform.
"The Tonight Show" was a bit different from other talk shows. Here, there were no musical guests. Even if a singer came to promote an album, Jay Leno rarely let them perform. The focus of the show was always on the conversation, so the house band remained stationed on the small stage, interacting with the host.
However, on rare occasions—very, very rare occasions—Jay Leno is willing to showcase something different.
Sometimes it's a short skit, sometimes a guessing game, or maybe even a musical performance.
Not only does this diversify the show's content, but it also serves as a way to try out new things and gauge the audience's reaction.
Today, since the main guests were a street band and there was no live performance segment, relying solely on video footage lacked the visceral impact. So, the production team decided to arrange a live band performance, which is why Anson and the others have been practicing for the past few days.
Now, it's finally time to take the stage.
Before this, Anson and the crew had been busy with rehearsals and makeup, so they hadn't had the chance to find out who the other guests on "The Tonight Show" were tonight. It wasn't until this moment that Anson saw and was taken aback—
The cast of "Star Wars: Episode II."
Instinctively, Anson began to glance around, trying to spot Hayden. After all this time, could their first encounter really be at a talk show taping?
However, Hayden wasn't there.
Today's guests for the taping were three big names: Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, and Samuel L. Jackson.
Like the "Spider-Man" cast, the "Star Wars: Episode II" team didn't trust new actors, fearing that young performers might reveal their shortcomings on a talk show. But luckily for them, their cast had plenty of stars. Even without Hayden, they still had other actors to take on the promotional duties.
With their schedules aligned, "Spider-Man" and "Star Wars: Episode II" were set to release in the same month, with a two-week gap in between. Although there wouldn't be a direct clash, both movies were undoubtedly the main contenders in the first big showdown of this summer's blockbuster season.
In such close quarters, even if not today, there would still be plenty of opportunities ahead—chances to run into Hayden at any time.
Quickly refocusing, Anson brought his attention back—
Today, they were on "The Tonight Show," not for Hayden, not for "Spider-Man," but for the band's performance.
Once the band was fully prepared, the live director stood behind the camera and gave Jay Leno a signal.
Jay Leno understood the cue, continued the interview for a little while longer, and then, with a light chuckle, announced the end of the first segment.
"After the break, a band that played heavenly music on the streets of Manhattan will join us as guests. We'll see you shortly."
The wait wasn't long. The live director then turned to the band and raised his hand—
Three. Two. One!