It was Saturday night. The light from the sky faded as a new light, the light of the city, it's buildings, it's lamps, began to come on. A certain suspense began in the nightlife of San Francisco. The Cafe Du Nord was no exception. the crowd began to file in to hear the music that would soon be played. People in the steadily growing crowd chattered and and other people enjoying their dinner or appetizers or drinks added to the suspense. The varying lineup consisted of foly rock acts to jazz. Well known local acts and a few mid level out of towners were set to play late. But first on the lineup was a curious artist. She was simply known as "Alice". Nothing about her music was mentioned. Her face wasn't anywhere on any of the promos.

As people continued to walk in the doors Ally was backstage. She tried not to think about most of what had gone on for the past six or seven years of her life. She had had plenty of ups and downs trying to make something of herself. Now was the time she could finally try to start again. This wasn't the gig she expected to get discovered at: she was the opening act for god's sake. But she hoped this was the beginning of her new beginning. She knew what to do. She didn't have many songs but she knew how to play them. She had spent most of the past six years playing songs and putting on shows. she was ready to get pumped, and she was trying. She tried not to create an expectation for this show though because over the years she had only been disappointed when she'd created expectations for a show and her career.

She peeked around to the stage. The leader of the house band gave her a thumbs up to show that they knew how to play her songs. she turned and had to laugh to herself. It was a remedy for her lack of faith in other people not to screw things up for her. That was another thing she had seen quite enough of. She snagged a pair of drumsticks and began tapping at the wall. She did this as she slowly closed her eyes and hummed melodies. She bit on her necklace. It was a small brass key with a pearl on the end of the handle. She didn't want to be so nervous, but she was. She wanted so much to be accepted by the crowd and for the gig to go well.

She was humming a sweet melody when she heard someone tap her on the shoulder and say "30 seconds" and then leave. she looked up. It was obviously the stage manager or something like that. But they had already left. They had told her it was her time and then left without a work. She shook it off and began getting ready. before she knew it her name was being announced. The host said something about Alice's moody and mysterious sound. Alice dropped the drumsticks, laughed again, and walked onstage in her white gown and big smile. Her necklace fell from her mouth as she did this and swung back and forth by her neck. Seeming to not pay attention to this Alice approached the microphone. "Hello Cafe du Nord" she said. The people in front truly paying attention gave her a respectful applause but behind them chatter had broken out. "I'm Alice and I've got a few songs for you tonight. So I want you to like them. Feel free to get up and dance if ya like." She wasn't nervous talking to the crowd. she appeared perfectly composed and strong as the band began playing her first song.

A piano began playing an uplifting melody as a classical beat was played softly on the drums and a bassplayer played root notes. Alice began spreading her arms and swaying back in forth as she sang. soon a harp joined in and the song was truly taking shape.

"I awoke from a sleep
From a deadly dream
I flew from the harem
Flew for open skyes
Flew for new scenes
It was full of clouds
Full of sad songs
Full of loud voices
So I ran away
And that's where I am today

This will be
Until its over
Come take my hand
And you can join it
Not that you'd want to
But you can

I went to the gallows
I found the dead and the ghosts
I painted a picture
With yellow and grey
And it never sold
It sat and gathered dust
And it's frame was chipped
The picture lots its name
And so the painter wept
she wished she'd always slept

This will be
Until its over
Come take my hand
And you can join it
Not that you'd want to
But you can"

The crowd began to take slightly more interest in the tall red haired performer. Her voice was diverse as she sang low and powerfully but showed off her falsetto too. A violin began to join in the mix as the song continued and Alice bagen to grab the mic-stand and walk around the stage.

"And I was sitting
Sitting on a bench
Where the rodents ran
They ran past
I watched them
I watched them run
As my naked skin burnt in the sun

This will be
Until its over
Come take my hand
And you can join it
Not that you'd want to
But you can"

Alice took her hands and ran them through hew wild red mane of hair before telling the crowd "Thank you". The crowd cheered politely now more of the crowd seemed to be interested in Alice. There was something intriguing about this tall red haired woman. She seemed very awkward yet graceful. Her lyrics were very fictional yet seemed to come from a very literal place. She seemed to be quiet and shy yet revealing her deepest life story at the same time.



Another song started and this time much of the crowd really was paying attention. They could hear the sweetly toned electric guitar loaded with reverb start the second song because they wanted to hear it and know what it was. The sounds of chimes on a keyboard came next and another soft drum beat. Alice began to sing full of wonder and mystery.

"Come with me to the ocean
Let's sink to the bottom
I want to drown with you
I want to drown in you
Come fly in an airplane
It can crash anywhere
I want to die with you
I want to die for you

But I know
That you wont
I know
That you dont love
I know
That you cant
I know
You cant be lovers with me"

At this point the song has an unexpected break and the bass joins in playing one note for a few seconds as Alice let out a high pitched scream. and the drums picked up as the other instruments now continued.

"We aren't lovers
And we dont love one another
We love pain
and I love being insane
We aren't lovers
Though I'm so in love
In love with my game
Where I pretend you love me the same

Come with me on the freeway
Come drive in the wrong lane
I want to crash with you
I want to crash into you
Come up to the building
Come leap with me
I want to leap with you
I want to fall into you

But I know
You wont
You know
We shouldn't
But I love
I love to say your name

We aren't lovers
And we dont love one another
We love pain
and I love being insane
We aren't lovers
Though I'm so in love
In love with my game
Where I pretend you love me the same

Fly with my
Die with me
Sink with me
Sing with me

We aren't lovers
And we dont love one another
We love pain
and I love being insane
We aren't lovers
Though I'm so in love
In love with my game
Where I pretend you love me the same"

Immediately a piano began playing a soft, beautiful melody. Alice swayed smoothly with the music. A certain calm came over her as she heard the melody. It brought back so many memories to her. She moved her hands from her shoulders down to her waist before dropping them to the ground and raising them to the sky again in movement that would have seemed random and awkward had it not gone with the melody. The crowd was waiting expectedly. This continued for about thirty seconds until Alice finally leaned into the mic. "This will be the last song" she said. "I'd really like to play more but there's a lot of acts and I'm the first up. Thank you for being a good crowd and enjoy your night".

The melody continued. Just that a piano melody as Alice began to passionately sing.

"Back in a distant place
Back when I was so small
A child with starry eyes
I could've done anything with my life
Back where the ocean meets the land
In a small house with a white fence
I would brush my hair
I would pet my dog

I remember it all
I remember being small
And I would give everything
If I could just go back and sing

In that house with the fence
I watched daddy and mommy watch me grow
I would roll in the mud
I remember all of the love
So how come this screwed it up
So how come I cant be in love
I want to forget the days
Days when ghosts found their way

I remember it all
I remember being small
And I would give everything
If I could just go back and sing

These ghosts can haunt my mind
Goodbye child
goodbye innocence
Hello whispers
Where did you come from
Honey where did my love go
For all I have forgotten
For all my wounds
Always let me remember
God help me remember
I wish I could remember
Goodbye"

And Alice sang he heart out. Trembling a little bit as her voice shook with passion and her eyes began to water. The key around her neck swayed with her body. The crowd became blurry as Alice tried to stay focused as her last song ended. She was trying not to lose her grip on reality as her head rang. All she could do was sing the last lines of the song. All she could do was this. It dawned on her that the piano had stopped. She had stopped singing. She was standing her arms raised as it still holding the last note. A single tear was rolling down her cheek. As she tried to focus once more on reality she realized someone was grabbing her shoulders trying to guide her offstage. The crowd seemed to be applauding but she couldn't focus. She managed to collect herself enough to stumble offstage and then she was gone.

Setlist
Paintings of My Life
We Aren't Lovers
Goodbye Memories