Michael or Mac Ep. 10

"It's in my wallet; I'm trying to think of the best way to do it," he answers, to my surprise.

I laugh, knowing I will be in the same boat someday. Then I have a crazy Idea. "How would you like to do it in front of a hundred thousand people?" I ask.

He smiles, understanding where I'm going. "Isabel would never forgive me. She hates being looked at."

Shoot, Jay had mentioned that. Isabel had some incident happen when she was younger. Jay didn't go into it. I guess that's Isabel's story to tell, but it affects how she is in a crowd. "Okay...." I say, thinking of a way around that. "How about if we get her onstage before voluntarily?"

"That's different....that could work," he says, looking at me, wondering what I had planned--shit, no pressure then.

"Leave it to me; just be ready to act," I say, patting him on the back. My mind goes into overdrive, and my eyes fall on Sam. She's looking over at us suspiciously. I've only just met her, but I like her already, and I think she will be the leverage I need to get Isabel on that stage. My scheming is stopped by the pilot coming in and introducing himself to me. I stand and greet the guy and then turn to my friends. "Are we all ready to go?" I shout.

We walk out the double door towards where the helicopters land and take off. Emma comes up beside me and grabs my hand. The helicopter is waiting, and we soon climb in and put the safety harnesses on. The engines come to life and the rotors start to rotate.

I look across at Isabel, Jay, and Sam. They look very comfortable together. Sam is holding Jay's hand, and when she sees me looking, she rests her head on Jay's shoulder. I look to Isabel, who seems to take it in her stride.

Hannah sees me taking an interest. "They're always like that; they are like very close brother and sister. Watch them closely; you will understand why Isabel and I don't worry."

When Hannah finishes, I glance back at them to see if they heard what Hannah said, but everyone is looking out the windows.

It's not long before we are over the Glastonbury site, and the pilot makes a loop of the outer perimeter before landing. I feel a twinge of nerves when I see the sea of tents spread out over field after field. I think, 'shit, I've got to play in front of that huge crowd. I hope they like what I have to offer.'

As we land, there are a couple of people waiting for me. We wait for the pilot to stop the rotors before getting out. I have to stand and talk to one of the stage managers before following the guys into a large marque. The stage manager walks with me, telling me what will happen. The act that's on before me is in the middle of their set, and we go over to a group to couches to sit and listen. I'm listening to Royal Blood's raw baseline when a couple of people come over for an autograph and photo with me.

The atmosphere in the tent is good. There are several people, some I think I recognize, others I don't know. The sound, and the crowd together reverberates through my chest. I have to smile at Sam; she's very fidgety and doesn't know what to do with herself. She's sitting and holding Hannah's hand; I can see why they are a couple. Their personalities balance each other perfectly. Occasionally, Sam will pull on Hannah's hand and try to stand; she then says something to Hannah. Hannah turns and says something back that seems to keep Sam calm.

I think it's time to act on my plan, "Hey, James." I say as I get up and get closer so he can hear me. Emma follows me over. "I would like to sing Emma with a harmony. Would you, Isabel, Sam, and Hannah sing backing for me?" I say.

Isabel is the first to speak, "What?" She says, looking mortified.

"Yesssss," Sam has to say. "Shit, Isabel, you got to. This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing." Sam says. I knew she would make all this possible.

"I don't know," Isabel says, looking at Jay for support.

"I guess," Jay says, to Isabel's utter surprise. Isabel's eyes double as what James says sinks in. "Oh, go on, Iz, we will be stood at the back," James adds to try and reassure her. Christ, I think this could work. Jay turns back to me. "What will we have to do?" He asks.

"You know the song, right?" I ask as they all nod. "Well, when we get to the chorus, you all join in, and then after the second chorus, just repeat what I sing. Have you heard the song with just me and Miley's voice?" Again, they nod. "We are copying that. You guys are Miley Cyrus." They all seem happy with that; well, all of them except Isabel, who's still trying to work out if she's agreed to do this.

"So will you do it, Izz?" Sam asks, giving her full puppy eyes.

"Oh shit....okay," Isabel says as she caves in.

A guy with headphones walks up and asks me to come with him to check my equipment, so he leads me to the back of the stage. All my equipment is on a moving platform that slides into place when Royal Blood leaves the stage. I look out at the sea of faces. I could only see people close to the stage at Miley's concert. It's still light here, and I feel my heart jump. Mike Kerr spots me and smiles as he rips into his base guitar, playing it like a lead.

I nod my head to the groove and salute him. This takes my mind away from the crowd, and I look closer at the wiring on my equipment. I check every lead and cable. "What about my mic," I say, not seeing one.

"See that guy with the blue hair?"

"Yeah," I say.

"He will sort you out just before you get on stage. I will do your sound check before you are called to ensure everything is plugged in. If your mic fails, there are mic stands on either side." He points to the sides of the stage, where I see four sets of microphones on their stands.

Just then, Royal Blood say their final goodnight and walk off the stage towards me. "Mac," Mike says as he gets close. Mike Kerr then offers a hug before Ben Thatcher, the drummer, joins in, still buzzing from their performance.

"You guys sounded incredible," I say.

"Shit, man, I'm just glad we didn't have to follow you," Ben shouts. "Come on, Mike; there's beer waiting for us in our trailer." He looks at me. "Mac, when you're done, come by and have a drink, mate," he says.

"Sorry, I haven't got time. We're flying out straight after the gig," I shout, not wanting to sound like I was making excuses.

"Shit, maybe another time then," he says, shrugging. I nod, and they disappear out of sight.

"Mac," one of the stagehands shouts. "We need to get this out of the way. The Artic Monkeys follow you, and we will put their instruments in so they can be easily accessed."

I tell him about my change of plan, and he nods and shouts into a handset. I make a quick exit and head back to the hospitality tent. On the way back, I run into more autograph hunters and people looking for a photo with someone famous. I get several kisses on my cheek and even sign one girl's chest. I had to tell her to cover up, and I'll only sign the upper part. Still, she was happy to get anything. When I walked away, I heard her friend tell her off for getting her breast out in front of me. Getting back has taken almost twenty minutes.

"Jay," I shout as I walk through the tent's entrance. That also seems to get the girls' attention, and they all walk over, looking a little scared. I feel slightly in the way, so I turn and walk back toward the stage. Just before we get to the ramp, I stop and turn to give the guys an idea of what's happening. "Right, I will go on and will do a couple of numbers before Emma. You all can stand in the wings and watch. When I introduce you all, you can then come out and take your spots behind the mics I will have set up. Is everyone okay with that?" I ask - they all nod and follow me up the ramp to the back of the stage.

I point to where the guys can stand to watch. Emma walks over to kiss me for luck. I tell her about the girl who wanted me to sign her right breast.

To my surprise Emma laughs and says, "I bet you made her cover up before you did it."

I look at her amazed. This girl knows me so well. I nod and add, "you should have heard her friends tear a strip when I walked away."

"I bet, you have become unattainable my love. I can't thank Miley enough." Emma laughs and gives me another kiss.

I walk over to a guy with blue hair who has my guitar. He straps a radio transmitter to me with help from a younger girl and then on with my guitar that plugs into the same transmitter as the mic on my head. The guy then pats me on the shoulder. "Good luck, you are the one artist I wanted to see up close. Now smash it," he says.

I look at him, a little surprised, but nod an acknowledgment.

A short, bold guy walks up to me and says, "Ready?" I nod and he walks out onto the stage. "Glastonbury, are you ready for the next act?" He says to a wall of sound from the crowd. "Before your main event, I have the privilege to introduce to you arguably one of the most accomplished musicians of our generation."

"Shit," I think. "No pressure on me then." I swallow hard and look for a bottle of water.

One of the stagehands quickly hands me one before the guy says. "For one night only......Mac."

The noise that hits me as I take the stage is incredible. As I walk out, all I can think of saying is, "Hello, Glastonbury," and then I start to pluck my guitar. There's another roar as they hear the first notes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers classic. "Tonight, I will play some of my favourite tracks; I hope you will enjoy them as much as me," I say.

I glance across and smile at Emma. The joy on her face almost matches the buzz I am feeling.

Then I start to sing.....

"Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner

Sometimes I feel like my only friend,"

The crowd joins in straight away, knowing every word. I do the first verse with just my guitar, but when I get to the lines.

"She sees my good deeds, and she kisses me windy

Well, I never worry, now that is a lie,"

I walk behind my full setup....It's show time....

I let it hang while absorbing the atmosphere and the tension I've built. Then.........

"I don't ever wanna feel

Like I did that day

Take me to the place I love

Take me all the way,"

I move to the music and strut around the stage. The faces follow my every move; as far as I can see, it is an ocean of raised arms. I glance at my friends, who are all moving to the music. I close my eyes and get lost in the music.

I move back over to my setup. I activate a couple of the sound peddles and set the synth to blend into the next song. The crowd notices straight away, and another roar goes up.

Again, I start to sing, and the crowd is there...

"I let it fall, my heart

And as it fell, you rose to claim it,"

I'm not sure if I can be heard over the crowd's noise. But who cares? This is what I came for; this is what I dreamed. I walk to the front of the stage as I approach the chorus...

"But I set fire to the rain

Watched it pour as I touched your face

Well, it burned while I cried...

The crowd is jumping and singing along; I can't help but smile with delight as I make my way through my friend's song. She will have a go at me when I see her later.

As I play the last notes, the joy overflows, and I laugh. "Thank you, now that I've warmed up a little," I say. Christ, I'm sweating, and I wipe it with a towel that's hanging up. I take a deep breath. "I'd like to bring out some friends I've brought and have agreed to sing along with the next song with me." There are some cheers. I wonder if they think Miley is here or something. "So, without further ado, I introduce my Girlfriend, Emma, and My friend James and his girlfriend, Isabel. Last but no means least, My new friends Sam and her girlfriend, Hannah."

The look of fright on their faces is obvious, but they still walk out and wave to the crowd.

Sam doesn't disappoint and walks straight up to the mic. "Hello, Glastonbury," she shouts, getting a roar back; she looks across at me and grins as we all laugh. That seems to settle their nerves a little. I need to check that James still wants to propose, so I walk over and kiss Emma to the crowd's catcalls and whistles.

I put my hand on Jay's shoulder and ask if he's alright. This is my way of checking he still wants to go through with this. He nods, so I wink back. Jay returns it with a confident smile. This man is on a mission; I admire him, and we both know what's going to happen next.

"Now, before we start," I say, standing next to the middle mic. "I believe my friend James wants to say something."

I see a moment of confusion flash across everyone's faces on the stage as I step back and put my arm around Emma's shoulder.

"Thanks Mac," Jay says; he looks out to the hundred thousand faces looking back. I see a confused-looking Isabel staring at her boyfriend, not getting what is happening. "These last four years, I have been dating the most incredible person. Today, I want the world to know that Isabel, I love you so much." He pulls her arm so she is facing him fully and changes hands. There's an audible scream from Sam and Hannah and the females in the crowd as James gets down on one knee. James doesn't seem fazed because his focus is only on one person. "Isabel, will you make me the happiest man alive and agree to become my wife?"

This is when Isabel's brain clicks in and realizes what's happening. Both her hands go up and cover her mouth. Tears well up, and she starts to nod. James removes the ring they both wear and replaces it with the engagement ring. He stands, and a round of applause grows as Isabel throws her arms around him, and then a loud roar goes up.

I can just hear Sam and Hannah jumping up and down and screaming. "She said yes."

I walk back over to my keyboard and watch my friends momentarily. Isabel stares at her ring with pure delight; she loves his choice. It reminds me of the face Emma pulled when I gave her the necklace on her eighteenth birthday.

I close my eyes for a moment and then start to play the keyboard. The crowd screams as the first live performance of "Emma" on British soil starts. I glance at Emma; she looks at me like she always does, with pure love. She then looks forward, takes Jay's hand, smiles at him, and mouths, "Well done."

As I begin to sing, I feel that love being sent right back. Then I notice the crowd isn't singing back. I see people transfixed to the screen or holding the person they love, just listening to the lyrics that Miley wrote.

I see some uneasy shuffling from my friends as we approach the chorus. The moment they open their mouths, the audience joins in with them. I can't hear anything besides my music through my earpieces and one hundred thousand people singing along with us. They again stop and listen to me sing as I start the second verse. The same happens in the second chorus, and then we go into the third verse, where the guys have to harmonize. I sing the line, and they all repeat it back. To my delight, they are in tune and sound quite good. The song lasts over six minutes, and having my friends there to enjoy it is incredible.

The song draws to an end, and I watch them almost run off the stage as the crowd shows their appreciation. "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank my friends for doing that for me at the last minute, and congratulations to Jay and Isabel on their engagement." I clap toward the side of the stage before sitting back.

I thought I would have a breather and talk to the crowd for a moment while I reset my instruments. "When I was first asked about doing Glastonbury, the question I asked myself wasn't whether I wanted to do it or not, but what I should play."

A couple of people in the crowd who have seen me on TV or YouTube start to call out songs. I laugh at their suggestions, and then someone shouts "Bohemian Rhapsody." "Making your own requests now, are we?" I say, but then a section starts to sing it, so what can I do? I begin to play the Queen classic, and the crowd roars again.

"Mama,

Just killed a man,

Put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger,

Now he's dead...."

As I start to sing the second chorus the crowd drowns me out once again. Everyone's hands are in the air as one hundred thousand people get lost in the moment. The song goes into a blur as I get lost in the music again, and it doesn't seem long until I finish and go straight into my next.

I stand and put one arm in the air; it's time for a song I've wanted to perform for a long time but never had the guts. I lay the synthesized baseline down before walking to the front of the stage and singing...

"Na Na Na, come on."

I see many shocked but delighted faces when they realize what I'm singing.

I continue with the 'Na Na Na, Come on's I add my twist with my guitar, doing what a keyboard should do.

Then I start singing...

"Feels so good being bad (oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)

There's no way I'm turning back (oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)

Now the pain is for pleasure

'Cause nothing can measure (oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)..."

I sing the second verse, and then I stop everything but the beat, and I sing...

"'Cause I may be bad, but I'm perfectly good at it

Sex in the air, I don't care, I love the smell of it

Sticks and stones may break my bones

But chains and whips excite me..."

Christ, I love this record for its pure power. What it's about, though, doesn't matter to me. I go back and play the keyboard to mix it up before blending it into the next. I had played this at Donna many times before Emma and I got back together. The crowd reacts as I sing.....

"Feeling my way through the darkness

Guided by a beating heart..."

As I sing Avicii's 's "Wake Me Up", I glance over toward Emma; she blows me a kiss. I see Isabel showing James how much she loves her ring, and Sam is dancing away with Hannah. I'm pleased my friends are enjoying the experience. As the song winds down, I set my synth to count in.

I move to the front and strum my guitar rhythmically as the crowd claps along to the beginning of "Wrecking Ball."

"We clawed, we chained, our hearts in vain

We jumped, never asking why,".....

I sing the version I did for Miley, a heavier version, and the crowd is jumping and dancing where they can. Where the crowd is tightly packed in, they jump in unison, and it looks like waves on the sea. I am having one of the best times of my life; it will be hard to eclipse this.

I don't stop there, and as the track winds down, I blend into "Maroon 5 and Girls Like You." Again, I put a heavier slant on it. I've never got so lost in the music. I'm on autopilot as I seamlessly go into another record. I keep it up-tempo, but I know that my time is coming to an end, and as the penultimate song ends, I take a breather and wipe my face.

"Wow," I say. "You guys have been incredible. I have time for one more, and tonight, I want to finish where all this started. It seems like a lifetime away, back in Charlotte, North Carolina, when my now close friend Donna live-streamed me at a gig where my bandmates hadn't turned up. My opening song was this....."

I start playing the opening rift to Metallica's "One." Shit, I am in heaven as I sing a song that means so much more than when I played it at that gig. I notice the crowd is silent as the sound of my guitar drifts over the site. Looking out over the sea of human beings, no one is moving; even in the distance, people have stopped to watch and listen as I sing my heart out. Someone once said in one of the music magazines that I seem to bare my soul when I play. At this moment, I can truly feel what they meant. As the song comes to an end, I feel a sense of loss as the sound from the crowd grows to a deafening level.

It's only now I feel the tears that have run down my face as the emotion of both the song and the event gets to me. I bow and thank the audience before walking off with a huge smile.