As he sat down in the stands while looking at the stage he knew that it would be anything but a calm night.
He unconsciously pulled up his coat collars hoping on the effectiveness of his costume to keep his identity a secret. The hall was filled to the brim, and at every pillar there was an armed officer whose every countenance meant business.
The main act was scheduled to arrive in 15 minutes and Joshua was scared for his life.
Heading the fan group of a political activist musician sometimes can be as dangerous as a job one could ever have. Rebel has released numerous songs criticizing the government. All whose lyrics and tunes have settled on the citizens' lips, trending with each song by the media and threatened for each lyric by the very government who he criticizes.
For this song though, it's popularity is one that hasn't been achieved before, even getting international acclaim, although it hasn't been released yet.
A week ago, Rebel had come online and dropped a single video that had a single write up.
Berus show, live, 8pm at Berus.
That was all he said and that was all that was enough.
It was no secret that his compound had been raided by policemen a month before, although the attack was claimed to be a rescue operation for the General's daughter Rebel had taken into the compound, everyone knows that was a hoax.
Rebel severely beaten and imprisoned, thirty five other workers, producers and family members present at the compound at the time suffered the same fate. Some didn't survive.
The whole country was on a standstill and it seemed that after that video tweet on the Internet, the cogs started moving.
Even with the stadium full, people poured in, some sitting on the steps, some standing and a few sharing a seat.
Seven minutes left and Joshua could feel his pulse racing.
He felt that sooner or later his disguise would be blown and he would be arrested.
The government was bad and he did agree with Rebel's music and thoughts; but was he willing to die for the cause?
The government didn't reply to the video but with the clear brandishing of guns and weapons now it was clear what their response was.
He had it when two teenagers passed behind him and mistakenly shifted his beanie.
His disguise shifted and he quickly readjusted it. In the chaos of the preparation nobody had noticed him.
He was lucky, and he was scared. He didn't want to take any more risks.
He didn't want to get arrested, beaten up or lose his life because of music.
He wasn't strong enough, he wasn't bold enough, he wasn't able to rebel.
Immediately he rushed out of the stadium, content with watching from outside or even better on a video; far away from the crowds, screams and bullets that would follow.
At the gate, while rushing out he looked at his time, 7:55pm. The streets were abandoned.
It seemed like everybody in Berus had fitted into the stadium and they were all ready to hear Rebel sing.
Joshua speed walked back home, not noticing when he bumped into a man who was holding a saxophone.
"S'cuse me bruda, please time your clock say?"
Joshua stopped dead in his tracks. He knew that voice anywhere and as he took a step back and looked at the individual in a dark cloak he could see the bloodied bandage across his head but the bright lovely eyes and strong sure gait.
Joshua was dumbfounded. He looked at his idol for the first time this close to him, in flesh and blood.
"Bruda, the time?"
Rebel asked again, snapping him out of his daze.
"It's 7:57." He replied after looking at his watch.
"3 minutes left. Gentlemen, is everything ready?" He asked towards his group who were setting up on a truck.
"Soundcheck is done. That fat vulture would hear our voices through the billions blocking his ear."
"And he'll feel our words through the trillions settling in his stomach." Rebel replied laughing.
"They are waiting for you. With guns, clubs and cutlasses. Hundreds of police men in the stadium."
Joshua said out loud, wondering how the wounded man could still laugh.
"That's just proof that they are as stupid as they are greedy, no?"
Rebel said while polishing his saxophone.
"The video said 8pm at Berus, last I checked I'm in Berus and we would start before 8:05. The whole city would hear this song."
He walked to talk to his backup singers.
"But aren't you scared? You could die." Joshua asked, running after his icon.
"This country would die if no one said anything. We are all dying in silence."
"Everyday someone is cheated, politicians be getting fatter while the common man be getting smaller."
"It shouldn't be so."
"Yes I could die now while singing and making noise, but if I keep quiet, we all would surely die later."
"Rebel. It's time." An attendant called out to him.
He nodded and climbed the truck.
"Young man, a voice is meant to be heard, so use yours and speak out. No animal is silent when it's being eaten, the animal fights back, and if it's losing at best, the animal screams so that his friends could come for help and be more informed."
With that, he blew on his saxophone, a note so loud that it reverberated through my bones and throughout the city.
The note lasted for 4 seconds, then it stopped.
"Seems loud enough eh?" He asked, laughing at his crew who cheered back.
"Alright now, you all ready? Let's start this."
The truck blared to life and started moving as Rebel started playing.
Joshua followed on foot, listening to the song.
In minutes, he wasn't alone, the people came in droves, first ten, then a hundred and then a lot more.
He was just one of the very many who walked and watched as he performed his magic.
It was a danceable song, a full song filled to the brim with instrumentals, yet a very sad song.
A song telling how his compound was raided, how his home was broken into.
Joshua spotted the police around them, yet the street was too crowded and packed for them to take any action, the people walking in front moving in tandem with Rebel's moving stage.
There was no way to stop him, his voice was being heard.
The most impressive part was when the show came to an end.
Fireworks flew off the truck and then a smoke screen.
Rebel and his band jumped into the crowd and dispersed leaving the truck and the set-up behind.
The police were stunned and overpowered.
The message was passed, the show had been held and was done.
Tomorrow by 8am the news was all around, the paper filled with details of what Rebel had recounted on the Berus Show. The president and the Police General hadn't made any statement yet but the picture of Rebel with his saxophone and the headliner topic "The Berus Show" was another massive win.
It was all over the Internet and media. The animal's scream has been heard.
Story inspired by the Kalakuta Show by Fela, the government hasn't changed and his voice has all but gone out, but during his time, it sure was loud.
Header image created using Chat GPT