A wonderful echo

Eugene had actually witnessed Hugo's mastery of band coordination. A representative example of this was the song "Kill Your Heroes" that he performed before, where Hugo demonstrated his skills in using the keyboard and drum beats. In terms of fusion alone, using just the keyboard and snare drum in "Kill Your Heroes" was not enough. There should be more instruments and electronic sounds to fully showcase the charm of the song. However, within the limited conditions, Hugo showcased his outstanding musical sense, which was truly impressive.

The coordination between the guitar and drum beats is different. They have a mutual response and assistance relationship, but without the bridge built by the bass and rhythm guitar, their coordination may seem monotonous, and it would be better to have a solo guitar performance accompanied by instruments like hand drums or bells for a better effect. Of course, nothing is absolute, and it is not impossible to create dazzling melodies using just the guitar and drum beats.

What intrigued Eugene even more was that Hugo handed over the initiative to him. Hugo just said, "I will accompany you with a guitar solo," which meant that Eugene's drum beats hold the guiding power in this audition.

On one hand, Eugene's pride was ignited by Hugo's confidence. Eugene was a well-known figure in the Los Angeles underground rock scene, and although Hugo had already proven his ability, Eugene didn't believe that Hugo had the same level of skill as himself. On the other hand, Eugene was very curious about how Hugo would respond. After all, drum beats are rhythms, and rhythms are the backbone of a song. This is why the drummer's position is crucial in a band, as a drummer's mistake can easily lead to consecutive errors in other aspects of the music.

Was Hugo simply blindly confident and arrogant? Or did he have the real talent to back it up?

Fujin didn't know Hugo well, but he could sense that Hugo's confidence had undergone a tremendous change since the end of last year's rock night. However, Eugene couldn't fathom the reasons behind this. Since that was the case, let them have a direct confrontation! Eugene's heart also swelled with great spirit, sweeping away his previous desolation and frustration.

Eugene picked up the overturned chair and quickly reassembled his drum set. He calmly began to tune it after confirming that everything was in order. Then he looked up at Hugo, who was standing next to the drum set, carrying the guitar left behind by Eugene's teammate. Hugo had a relaxed expression on his face, clearly prepared. Joseph stood three steps behind Hugo, wearing an inquisitive expression, showing his interest in this impromptu street performance.

The distance from here to Times Square was less than a hundred yards. Looking over, one could see the hustle and bustle of Times Square. Behind them, 42nd Street appeared somewhat desolate as there were not many open shops at the moment. After nightfall, this place would become the famous red-light district on the East Coast. But now, in the lazy afternoon sun still slanting on the rooftops of the Empire State Building, the street lacked the embellishment of lights and the crowded presence of streetwalkers, making it less lively. However, even so, people continued to pass by in an endless stream.

Unfortunately, none of the passersby stop, and no one recognized the man standing on the roadside with a guitar as Hugo, or even bothered to slow down and watch the yet-to-start performance.

Compared to Los Angeles, there were only a few more street performers in New York, and it might have been even more difficult to attract passersby to stop and watch. Although there were more tourists and people in New York, the pace of life here was extremely fast, and few people were willing to waste time standing on the roadside to watch performances, even if they admired the performers. At most, they would throw a few coins while passing by and then continue with their own lives, hastening their steps.

Therefore, there was a strange illusion at the scene, as if Hugo, Eugene, and Joseph were standing in a separate space on a different level, surrounded by the bustling and busy environment, contrasting with their stillness and stagnation. However, this stillness was soon interrupted by a series of drum beats.

Eugene's drumstick struck the cymbal first, and the resounding and powerful sound seemed somewhat feeble amidst the car noises and the clamor of the crowd. It was quickly overwhelmed by the surrounding noise, to the point that even Joseph couldn't hear it distinctly. However, Hugo keenly caught the slow yet powerful sound of the cymbal's "clang clang". He had often performed live without amplification equipment before Death or Glory, so he knew he had to concentrate his attention, always keeping an eye on the drummer's movements. Once the melody started, his attention would shift to the bass-driven melody, connecting the guitar and the drums.

With his guitar in hand and no pressure to be the lead vocalist, Hugo felt at ease. This had always been his most comfortable position, although he now had experience as a lead singer, he still found comfort as a melodic guitarist. So without hesitation, Hugo began to pluck the guitar strings with his right hand.

Hugo's right hand didn't play with a fast rhythm; instead, he increased the strength, making each string sound thick and solid. Since there was no amplification equipment at the scene, his technique needed some adjustments, but it was not difficult for Hugo.

Hugo attentively listened to Eugene's drum beats, but to his surprise, Eugene had no intention of playing the drums. Instead, he used a series of ordinary and plain cymbal sounds as the opening. The speed at which he struck the cymbals was not fast, leaning towards a moderate tempo. This rhythm was highly inclusive, allowing for sudden accelerations or decelerations in the subsequent rhythm. Apparently, Eugene intended to see how Hugo would perform before making further decisions.

Facing these cymbal sounds, Hugo didn't hesitate much and played the melody that he had casually sketched in his mind. Actually, if Hugo had an electric guitar in his hands, it would be more suitable for the current situation, but unfortunately, he was holding an acoustic guitar. Therefore, Hugo made his fingerings more concise, making each note sound crisp, like rolling jade beads.

Hugo was clearly in a good state today. After visiting Michael Jackson and Katharine Hepburn one after another, his brain was filled with a thriving scene. The melody he played with his fingertips carried the lightness and cheerfulness of early spring, jumping at his fingertips.

Influenced by Hugo, Eugene instinctively incorporated heavy drum beats on the floor tom. Both of them seemed to be searching for their rhythm. It was their first collaboration, without any rehearsals, playing a completely new melody. This made both of them slightly tense in their initial steps. Whether it was Hugo's melody or Fukin's drum beats, they were relatively simple for now.

Eugene and Hugo didn't look at each other but focused on their own instruments. After repeating the simple rhythm for six measures of eight beats, suddenly, Eugene struck the bass drum. The heavy drumbeat landed on Hugo's guitar melody like giant footprints, and Hugo immediately sensed the challenge from Eugene.

Indeed, Eugene increased both the intensity and speed. The rhythm of the bass drum, combined with the pedal cymbal, created a moment where the music shifted from slow to fierce. The overwhelming wave seemed to surge from zero to a hundred in an instant, unleashed in an irrational manner. If these drumbeats were amplified through speakers, they would be enough to drive the entire audience crazy. They carried the strong characteristics of grunge rock and metal rock, possessing an unparalleled impact that accelerated heartbeats and blood flow, challenging the limits of endurance at the temples.

This was a typical style of the Nirvana band, currently the most popular and classic interpretation in the rock genre. This style demanded a lot from the guitar, as discussed by Hugo, Pepe, and others during the Rock Night. The trend in rock music was for the guitar to take the lead, and Eugene noticed the synergy between him and Hugo's guitar, so he chose this rhythmic form that posed a severe challenge to both the drumbeat and the guitar.

Hugo maintained a high level of concentration and immediately heard the heavy and impactful beats of the bass drum. His left hand immediately slid up the fretboard, lifting the entire melody to match the power of the drumbeat. The speed and force of his right hand instantly increased by two levels, exerting all his effort to bring out the weightiness of the melody. Although Hugo didn't have the support of a bass guitar or rhythm guitar and only held an acoustic guitar, his overall strength seemed weak. Surprisingly, his guitar strings weren't overwhelmed by Eugene's forceful drumbeat.

What was even more astonishing was that Hugo's flying right hand skillfully traced out an exceptionally beautiful melody, causing Eugene to involuntarily nod in rhythm. In fact, Eugene's job was to keep the rhythm, and his entire body was pulsating with rhythm, yet at this moment, he was still captivated by Hugo's melody, highlighting the tremendous infectious power of Hugo's composition. Not to mention Joseph, who was watching from the sidelines with a dumbfounded look.

In Joseph's stunned gaze, Hugo and Eugene didn't engage in malicious competition but unexpectedly found their rhythm harmonizing. The drumbeats accentuated the guitar melody, and the guitar followed the rhythm of the drums, gradually filling the composition. In the absence of bass and keyboard, the melody could still be sensed to have imperfections by professionals, but to the layperson, it was a flawless performance!

Hugo and Eugene didn't engage in a hostile competition but, within the realm of healthy competition, they combined the guitar and drums, creating a marvelous resonance between them and performing music that left people speechless. Unconsciously, two powerful competitors who had never collaborated before showcased their maximum abilities in their respective roles and embarked on an incredible collaboration.

Before Joseph could react, it felt as if time and space around them had frozen. The crowd of people who had paused their steps grew more and more.