AFTER A QUIET day on Wednesday, with walks on the beach, antique shopping and street café coffee stops, the Beach Babes – along with their families, who were coming to watch the performance and lend moral support – headed down to the beach in good time for the sound-check rehearsals.
The families took their seats while the girls had a team chat behind the scenes. A big stage had been set up with lots of sound technology, fancy microphones and amps. Poppy really hoped that everything was working properly. Then she reminded herself that the whole point of tonight was to see what problems there might be and to fix them in time for the big show on Saturday. Daisy would have to get used to the drum kit provided, and they would see how much space they had to move around in too, as they might need to adapt their dance routine slightly.
The judges were seated behind a big desk. Johnny McDonald was flanked by sweet-faced Julianna, a former pop star herself; on the other side was Bronwyn, a record producer, and next to her was GT, a successful band manager. The production crew and presenters wandered around taking instructions from producers and directors as well as engineers. Suddenly it hit Poppy what a big occasion this was. It was all so professional. Maybe their dream of being as successful as their favourite girl band, Rubies and Pearls, would come true after all.
All the performers were given a sound-check order list and the Beach Babes saw that they were due to go on stage second to last, just before Lilac and the Mermaids. But as all the performers milled about backstage, Poppy noticed that Lilac’s dad was in a huddle with the judges. It soon became clear that he was asking if his daughter’s band could go on before the Beach Babes. Lilac was apparently too nervous to go last. When the judges asked the Beach Babes if they minded going last instead, they had a quick chat and decided that in fact it would be an advantage as everyone would go away remembering their act best, even though it was only the sound check and not the real contest.
“OK then,” agreed Daisy, the unofficial spokesperson for the band. “that’s fine with us.”
Lilac smiled. “Thanks, girls, that’s really sweet of you.”
Poppy, Honey, Daisy, Rose and Lily all took their seats backstage, anxious to hear what the competition was like, but feeling quite secure about their own chances, especially after what Grandpa had said about Lilac and the Mermaids.
The first few acts were pleasant enough, and a little girl from Strawberry Corner called Blossom Darling was especially cute with a song she had written herself about ballet. Any screeching in the sound system was quickly adjusted by the production crew. But so far, it didn’t look like any other group had put the same time and effort into their numbers as the Beach Babes had. They were sure all their practice was going to pay off. Poppy thought that Caves ’n’ Rocks were really good, despite what Lily’s brother had said about their song, and so were an Abba tribute group – although they were not original.
Soon it was time for Lilac and the Mermaids to perform. Lilac got up on stage, followed by her band, and took the microphone. She looked very glamorous in a mini-dress and high heels. The rest of the Mermaids were dressed much more simply, so that Lilac looked even more stunning. Her long blonde hair had been newly styled and, with a flick of her golden tresses, she began to sing. Her song was: Chocolate Sundae Girls.
The Beach Babes couldn’t believe what they were hearing. Surely Lilac didn’t think she could get away with pinching their song.
Granny Bumble, Mum, Dad, Uncle Daniel, Aunt Delphi and all the other parents were completely dumbstruck. Grandpa was appalled. He had heard Lilac and the Mermaids practising their song in the cave two days before and it wasn’t this one. How had Lilac got hold of his girls’ song? He looked over at the Colonel, who had also heard Lilac’s dreadful rehearsal in the cave, to see him smiling proudly, just like Grandpa should have been at his two granddaughters. But what was odd was that Mr Farrington, rather than looking happy for his daughter, looked rather disconcerted and puzzled.