Carnival's video is really live. The musicians really played their instruments. The cops really came. The Beautiful People really started the riot. I know. I was there when they made the video.
I learned about the video shoot when Neil phoned me from his car. "Randy, we're going to a concert."
"What band?" I said. "Which net?"
"I don't know what band," Neil said, "but I know it's not performing in VR. It's appearing in the flesh, in a Sacto club."
"Live in Sacramento? Right. Is Jesus Christ returning to introduce the band?"
"The band's from Sacto, Randy. Sometimes a band plays a live show when it makes a video, you know."
"Live?" I said. "Hardly ever. Too expensive. Anyway, most bands are just software."
"This band's flesh," Neil said, "and it's playing at Club Trode tonight. I scored tickets. We're going."
Live concerts were dangerous; the insurance costs had stopped bands from touring when Neil and I were babies. "I bet this 'live concert' is just another rave revival," I said. "Club Trode's a jack-dance club, all we'll see's a DJ playing remixes. If we see anything. Didn't that club close last year?"
"Yeah, but the space is still empty, so the concert organizers are 'liberating' it for the night. It'll be edge."
"Yeah," I said. "But I can't go. I'm working."
)
Carnival's video is really live. The musicians really played their instruments. The cops really came. The Beautiful People really started the riot. The Beautiful People say they're just normal people downloaded into robots, but they're the walking dead. I know. I was there when they made the video.
