September 12th & 13th, 1971

    The second of two nights of performances at New York City’s Ballroom had been just as successful as the first, and had wrapped up the first half of the American leg in fine fashion. At the end of the show, we all piled into the bus that would take us to the hotel.
    “What time is the flight, again?” Dale asked not long after the bus began to move.
    “We leave for the airport at eight,” Cameron replied. “So be ready for seven.”
    “Am I really that bad at being on time?” Dale asked offhandedly.
    He was being rhetorical, but that didn’t stop Willie, Lee, and Cameron from replying with a resounding “yes” at the same time. I couldn’t help but laugh, even if it was at Dale’s expense.
    “You said Geoff is meeting us at the airport?” Willie asked Cameron. I was sure he remembered, though, and was only asking to remind the others.
    Cameron nodded. “He’ll be at the gate when we arrive in Los Angeles. He’s spending the week with us to make sure everything goes smoothly with the festival.”
    “It will,” I said quietly, so only Cameron would hear me. I knew he was feeling slightly nervous about the upcoming weekend.
    He winked at me as he began to speak. “He’s booked a television interview as well. So don’t get too fucked up on the plane.”
    We arrived at the hotel not long after, and dispersed to our respective rooms. I unlocked our door and we stepped into the room; Cameron claimed the shower immediately. I didn’t mind, as I hadn’t been the one on stage tonight.
    We had spoken a little about the festival and Cameron’s feelings towards it. He was very excited for the performances and knew that these two nights could very well make or break Amoeba’s popularity in America, but he’d also expressed worry.
    Cameron had told me a few days ago that he wasn’t sure if they would be able to pull off a show of that caliber, especially two nights in a row. I did my best to reassure him, but I could tell from his furrowed brow whenever the festival was mentioned that the thoughts hadn’t left his mind entirely.
    I must have been frowning when Cameron walked out of the bathroom, because he asked if I was alright.
    I lifted my head and smiled at the sight of him, clothed only in boxers and his wet hair falling to his shoulders. “I’m fine,” I assured him as I stood. I walked to him and put my arms on his sides. “Are you still worried about it?”
    A small chuckle escaped his lips and he put his hands on my waist. “I suppose I have been restless lately,” he admitted.
    “You don’t need to be, Cameron,” I reminded him. As it often was when we were alone, his emotions were clear on his face.
    “I can’t much help it.” He had a slight frown on his face as he spoke.
    I moved to sit on the edge of the bed, keeping Cameron’s hand in mine so he;d sit beside me. “Talk to me about it,” I said to him.
    He let out a small huff and spoke in a quiet voice. “I know we can play,” he began. “We’ve proved that much already, with the live shows. I just feel as though anything could go wrong, Emily.” He paused for a brief moment. “Not that it will, but that it might.”
    “Things have gone wrong before,” I reminded him. “You always make it work, and it always turns out fine.”
    “In front of a few thousand people,” he retorted with a worried glance. “This will be a few hundred thousand.”
    I stayed silent for a moment, trying to phrase the thought in my mind.
    “I suppose I’m also concerned about Colin,” he added. “The biggest crowds he’s seen have been with us, and this one’s quite a jump in scale.”
    “I wouldn’t worry too much about Colin. He’s had a trial by fire so far, hasn’t he? And he’s come out unscathed.”
    Cameron tilted his head a little, which I took as agreement. But I could tell he was keeping something to himself.
    “What is it? Really,” I urged.
    He looked down to his hands and let out a shy laugh. “The festival… it could be a God-send for us or a complete disaster. I’m not ready for a disaster just yet.”
    “Cameron,” I said softly. He lifted his gaze to meet mine, and I put my hand on his cheek. “It won’t be a disaster,” I told him firmly. “The headliners won’t know what fucking hit them.”
    A smile crept onto his face, and he moved his head to kiss my palm. “You’re too good to me, Emily,” he uttered.
    “I’m no better to you than you are to me,” I assured him. “Let’s get some sleep, my love. We’ve got a plane to catch in the morning.”


    It hadn’t been easy to get everyone to the airport together and on time, but we somehow managed. The plane was scheduled to depart at ten o’clock, and we would arrive in Los Angeles at one in the afternoon, having crossed three time zones and four thousand kilometers in a little under six hours.
    Geoff, as promised, was waiting for us at the arrival gate. He briefed the band on the procedure for the next few days, though he spoke so quickly I had trouble following.
    It was only when we checked into the hotel and got to our room that I asked Camron to run it by me again.
    “All I registered was something about an interview,” I told him.
    “That’ll be in about two hours,” he answered me, glancing at the clock. “A local television station interview to promote the festival.”
    “Wear something cute,” I told him with a wink.
    “Everything is cute once it’s on me,” he retorted without missing a beat. “Other than that,” Cameron continued, “it’s just the standard stuff. We’ll drive to San Diego on Wednesday around noon, and drive back after the show. Then Friday morning we head up to Lancaster.”
    “What time do the headliners come on?” I asked.
    “Around ten, I believe. We’ll be on in the late evening, likely around eight or so.”
    I nodded, trying to commit the information to memory. Cameron gave me a swift kiss before heading into the shower and getting ready for the interview.


    I had no idea what street I was on, but I had the hotel’s address on a small piece of paper in my jeans pocket. As long as I could flag down a taxi, I’d be fine. After about an hour or wandering around, I passed by a music store and noticed a familiar poster in the display window.
    The California Rock Cannon poster was nicely designed, and featured a military cannon with a stack of ammunition in the center. Amoeba was the third band listed on the poster, just after the two headlines. Flintlock and Downtown Rundown were popular American rock groups, and from what I’d heard of them, they were very good bands.
    On a whim, I entered the store and was immediately greeted by an employee. I replied with a smile, and asked them if they had tickets to the festival.
    “Absolutely,” the teenager answered. “Do you want a one-day ticket or a two-day?”
    “I’ve already got a two-day,” I told him. “Just wondering hope the sales were going.”
    “Pretty good, actually. We have a hundred or so set aside to sell on Friday,” he informed me, “but we’ll probably sell out the rest before then.”
    “Thanks for the info.”
    I walked to the rows of crates filled with records, and began to look through the new releases. After I’d flipped through a couple rows, the teen behind the counter called out to me. “Miss?”
    I returned to the front of the store just as he pointed to the small television perched on a shelf in the corner.
    “That British band is doing an interview on our local station,” he told me.
    I looked over at the screen and saw that he was right. Amoeba’s interview had already begun, but I stood and watched it regardless.
    “It’s a live interview?” I said under my breath as I saw the flashing “on air” sign in the background. “Lord help them.”

    Host: So, this is your first festival performance?
    Cameron: Yes. We’ve been touring in Europe for two years now, but it’s very nice to be received so well in this country.
    Host: Now, Dale, you’re the singer?
    Dale: Am I?
    Host: (laughs) What is it like for you to perform your sections and then have nothing to do during the instrument solos?
    Dale: Well, there’s not nothing to do. Sometimes I go backstage for a few drinks.
    Host: I see. And, what’s it like having a new member join the band? That would be you, Colin, who replaced the previous drummer.
    Colin: Replace is a strong word (laughs). I have great respect for Clyde, and I was lucky to do well enough in the audition to be hired.
    Host: Is this also your first time in America.
    Colin: Yes.
    Host: And how is the tour going so far?”
    Cameron: Very well.

    I could see Willie’s face of moderate displeasure; he was sitting at the far end of the sofa and hadn’t said a word since I’d begun to watch. To his left was Cameron, Dale, and Colin, with Lee sitting at the opposite end.

    Host: Are there more difficulties in performing in the open than in, let’s say, a concert hall?
    Lee: Well, we’ve got a great mean at the mixing board, and⁠—what are you doing?

    I laughed at the sight unfolding on live television: Willie was practically climbing over everyone to get into the shot, as the camera was currently focused on Colin and Lee.

    Willie: You don’t know anything about the sound!
    Lee: Fuck right off, Willie.
    Colin: Are you a monkey? Get off!
    Dale: He smells like one, that’s for sure.

    I laughed, shaking my head. “They really are a bunch of fools,” I scoffed. I turned to the employee and thanked him for everything, before heading back out of the store.


    When I got back to the hotel, I’d been out for a few hours but only had one shopping bag with me. I’d seen a knee-length pleated skirt in a woman’s clothing store and decided to buy it, as it would match well with a blouse I already had.
    There was another purchase I’d made at the same store, however, that I didn’t want Cameron to know about until I was ready to unveil it. I had just stuffed it into the bottom of my smaller suitcase when he entered the room.
    “The interview was aired live,” he announced, his voice sour as he closed the door behind him.
    “I know,” I told him with a laugh. “I saw a few minutes of it, up until Willie climbed over all of you.”
    Cameron laughed. “I don’t know what goes on in his mind sometimes,” he sneered as he walked towards me. “How’d you see it?”
    I didn’t have time to answer before he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. I smiled when he pulled away. “I was at a record shop and they had it playing on their television set.:
    He shook his head, but the look in his eyes was tender. “What else did you do while out?”
    “I went shopping, but didn’t find much,” I admitted. “Basically just a nice skirt.”
    “I’d like to see you wearing it,” he said in a gentle voice.
    “You’d like to see me wearing nothing,” I chuckled.
    Cameron’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “That I would,” he confessed. “Have you eaten?”
    “No.” I shook my head. “Still feeling a little wonky from the flight.”
    “You’re not the only one,” he told me. “Though, I have an idea for something that’ll give us back our appetite,” he added.
    “Oh yeah?” I asked, mocking skepticism. “What would that be?”
    The look on Cameron’s face was all the answer I needed.