Celebrities gather

"Glen Hill? Hugo found the name familiar, but he was certain he hadn't seen this man before. The man had a square face with prominent eyebrows and eyes behind a pair of black-framed glasses. His neat, light brown hair hinted at him being in his mid-thirties. He exuded an intellectual aura, dressed in a simple T-shirt and jeans, with a friendly and amiable smile. It wouldn't be a problem to call him a researcher or a doctoral student.

"Magic Al!" Pepe exclaimed with surprise, clearly recognizing the man. Hugo then noticed that even the reserved Neil was giving Glen a respectful gaze, which led Hugo to easily conclude that Glen must be a well-known figure in the underground rock scene. Just like Fukin earlier, Pepe and Neil knew him, and this man was called Magic Al... Magic Al? Al's Bar?

Suddenly, it all clicked in Hugo's mind. Today, Alfonso had told him that the owner of Al's Bar was named Glen Hill! Everything made sense now.

Glen was evidently a rock music enthusiast, and his Al's Bar had become a gathering place for underground rock, providing a stage for bands pursuing their rock music dreams. It seemed that this sponsorship had been ongoing for more than just a year or two, accumulating over time, and naturally earning Glen the admiration of the rock community. Although Glen didn't directly sponsor any particular band, Al's Bar had become a gathering place for insiders in the scene. This feat alone was enough to garner the admiration of Pepe and Neil. Hugo felt the same way.

Looking at Glen in front of him once again, Hugo understood the meaning of not judging a book by its cover. It was said that Glen had a background in some secretive military dealings, but such rumors were always unreliable. Even as a successful businessman, Glen didn't exhibit the appearance of one. Instead, he resembled a refined scholar.

"Yes, I am Glen Hill, also known as Magic Al," Glen confirmed with a positive response. "I saw your impressive performance earlier and wanted to get to know you all. That's why I appeared here."

Glen wore a constant smile on his face, not only friendly and polite but also carrying a hidden passion deep in his eyes. It was evident that he was a genuine rock enthusiast, not driven by business considerations or commercial interests. He relied solely on his passion, and Al's Bar had been supporting underground rock without expecting anything in return for such a long time.

"The Rock Night is about to start, but it's not easy to secure a good spot by entering from here. How about you follow me through the back door and secure a favorable position? What do you think?" Glen's eyes sparkled with the enthusiasm of children, which was quite unexpected. Perhaps in the face of one's interests and hobbies, people tend to shed their disguises and reveal their truest selves."

Pepe immediately became excited, but Hugo was somewhat hesitant. He didn't think it was a good idea, and to his surprise, Neil looked at him with a hint of hesitation in his eyes as well. Hugo knew that he and Neil shared similar thoughts, so he spoke up, saying, "The essence of Rock Night lies in the fact that no matter which corner you're in, you can join in the frenzy together. So, whether it's in the front row in front of the stage or standing outside the bar, it doesn't seem that important."

In fact, it's not that Hugo was being pretentious by not wanting to take the backdoor. If it were a ballet performance or an opera, why not take advantage of the opportunity to secure a good spot? But this was not highbrow art; it was a rock celebration for everyone to enjoy together. The process of queuing up, the crowded crowd, the deafening sound system, and the sea of people were all part of the party. So, while it's important to be in the front row, if the opportunity is lost, it's more important to naturally enjoy everything as it is.

Hugo's words were actually quite tactful, but Glen instantly understood. He couldn't help but smile and said generously, "My mistake." This was different from the title of "Magic Al". Initially, Hugo thought Glen would be some decisive and ruthless figure, but now it seemed he was very affable. Was this the real Glen or the power of Rock Night? "So, you don't mind if I join in the celebration?"

From Glen's attire, it was evident that he intended to join the ranks of everyone and enjoy the night. If he intended to watch the performance from a VIP box, he wouldn't need to come out directly. Even if he wanted to meet Hugo, he could easily send two bodyguards to extend an invitation and wait for Hugo to be pleasantly surprised and approach him. But Glen didn't do that. He personally joined the queue of people and even proposed taking the backdoor to secure a spot in the front row of the stage. These details revealed some clues about Glen's character.

"Of course, of course," Hugo said eagerly. "If you hadn't suggested it, I was planning to invite you myself. Because I was thinking, after the performance, I don't know if you could introduce me to Green Day and The Cranberries? I really, really like them."

"Do you also like their music?" Glen's smile also bloomed instantly. "I thought you weren't familiar with these bands."

"Are you joking? Of course, I know them!" Hugo said, which surprised Pepe and Neil. It made Hugo realize that his thoughts were a bit ahead of them.

The Cranberries, the alternative rock band from Ireland, led by their soulful frontwoman Dolores O'Riordan, had created countless musical wonders. Alongside U2 and Enya, they were hailed as pioneers who have brought Irish music to the world. Dolores's unique vocals infused the band with a distinct charm, and she became an inspiration for many female singers, such as Wang Fei.

The band The Cranberries was established in the late 1980s, but their first album was not officially released until 1993. In the first half of this year, The Cranberries released their debut single "Dreams", which received rave reviews from music critics, but did not perform well on the charts. In order to gain more recognition, they had to join other bands on tours and rely on their strong live performances to accumulate more listeners, which would eventually lead to the release of their album.

Their invitation to Rock Night was actually an opportunity for The Cranberries to test the American music market. Even Pepe and Neil, who were familiar with the underground rock music scene, didn't have enough knowledge about the situation across the Atlantic, as this was a time without the "seamless" access to the internet.

On the other hand, Green Day, which originated from the underground punk scene in northern California, was more well-known. Green Day was also established in the late 1980s and released its first album in 1991. Although they didn't immediately achieve fame, their second album "Kerplunk" released in January this year received a great response within the underground rock scene, attracting significant attention to the band.

It was said that Green Day had recently signed with a record company, indicating their move towards the mainstream market.

Pepe and Neil knew about Green Day, but they were completely unfamiliar with The Cranberries. So when Hugo expressed his intense love for both bands, it naturally raised their suspicions.

Hugo quickly said, "Great music knows no boundaries, right? I've listened to their music before, and I've been looking forward to meeting them today."

Although Neil wanted to ask Hugo how he managed to obtain The Cranberries' music, this was clearly not the right place for a conversation, and Neil didn't pursue it further. He spoke up, saying, "Yes, absolutely. I've been looking forward to today's live performance as well." Neil then shifted his attention and curiously asked, "What genre of music is The Cranberries?"

"You should pay attention to the lead singer Dolores. Her voice is truly amazing, and her singing style is unique," Hugo said enthusiastically. These bands used to be posters on the glory-to-death band's guitar case, idols that seemed out of reach. But now, Hugo could listen to their performances live and even have the chance to get up close. This excitement could only be understood by true rock enthusiasts.

The surging crowd slowly gathered at the entrance of Al's Bar. The bar, which could accommodate three hundred people, quickly became packed. Hugo didn't even have time to pay attention to the bar's decorations before the first performing guest, the recently renowned Green Day, took the stage.

Although Billie Joe Armstrong had always had a baby face, seeing him less than ten yards away from Hugo, he appeared as a twenty-year-old young man. The vigor, confidence, and innocent smile bloomed on his youthful face. Most of the music they performed was unfamiliar to Hugo because Green Day's first two albums were independently released through Lookout! Records, a local independent record company in California, and circulated only within the underground rock scene. Finding their music was difficult, let alone obtaining original cassette tapes.

At this point, Green Day's music still had a hint of youthfulness, but their future potential could already be seen. The retro elements of classic 1970s punk music, catchy and melodic tunes, and straightforward and raw lyrics were expressed through each musical note. Although Hugo hadn't heard these songs before, it didn't hinder him from fully enjoying the music and the atmosphere.

Hugo quickly became completely immersed in the madness. He temporarily let go of everything, including the fact that he had traveled back to 1992. He entered the world of music completely, as if he were still Chen Yuguo instead of Hugo Lancaster. This exhilarating feeling made Hugo's mind go blank, reaching a state of pure bliss.

"Snap." What was that sound? Was it the sound of a belt breaking? Why did the waist of his jeans suddenly feel loose? Could it be... no way?