Rock and Roll: Glorious Years

As he had predicted, the mentors became more cautious in the subsequent competitions. Even the folk singer he had the best chance of winning didn't score more than 20 points.

The 18th player to appear, Mu Mian, scored 17 points. In terms of pure technique, Bian Lang felt that he was about the same as her, but she was always a professional. He couldn't compare to her on-site performance and endurance.

The 20th round gave the mentors and audience a big surprise. As the only wind instrument player, his jazz-style piece immediately made him stand out from the crowd, earning him 21 points, a score that tied with Huang Kai.

Until Bian Lang took the stage, he and Huang Kai were the most promising contenders for the last S-level captain spot.

The recording has been going on for almost 6 hours now. Not only are the audience and mentors on site getting a little tired, but everyone in the dressing room is also exhausted.

Some of them didn't care about their image in front of the camera anymore and started snoring. The young heartthrob and Xia Yuxi and the others kept trying to stay awake and interact.

Only Bian Lang watched the whole thing diligently and carefully. Besides Lao Zhao, Huang Kai, Lunzi, and the keyboardist, he was most interested in the socially awkward girl from last night.

He never expected that someone with a formal piano degree from a foreign music academy would appear on this program.

Even during the break while waiting for his turn on stage, he was still listening intently to the folk musician playing the pipa, completely oblivious to the fact that he was about to go on stage.

When Niu Boyi called his name from the front, he finally gathered his thoughts, picked up his electric guitar, and walked onto the stage.

She wore black skinny jeans and retro pointed leather shoes on the bottom, a black tight vest and a black motorcycle leather jacket on the top, and her long hair was tied in a ponytail. She also wore a black leather octagonal hat.

Bian Lang paired this all-black retro leather outfit to pay homage to Dou Xian in the "No Place to Hide" MV!

The audience reacted differently to the somewhat outdated, or rather, somewhat greasy, outfit.

Nine out of ten people who come for the celebrities are basically complaining in their hearts, thinking that this outdated aesthetic is unworthy of competing on the same stage as their idols.

When rock fans saw this outfit, especially the veterans, it brought back their collective memory to the era when British rock music had just been introduced to China.

"This outfit has the right vibe, I'm just worried it might fall flat later!"

"Damn, you didn't know who Bian Lang was before you came? He's a master at Loop Station, do you think he'd mess up?"

"Just for getting Bian Lang to come, I'll rave about this variety show as soon as it airs!"

The five mentors also had different opinions.

Hong Kong drummer Lam Yiu-wing was one of the Chinese rock musicians most deeply influenced by Britpop. Upon seeing this man dressed similarly to himself, he blurted out in Cantonese, "Handsome, I'm rooting for you!"

Bian Lang, caught off guard, replied easily, "Thank you, boss!"

Female singer Long Qianwen followed up with, "You and Yaorong look very well together today. I hope your talent can match your outfit as well."

Long Qianwen, a top-tier female singer, has this problem with her way of speaking: what she intends to say as a compliment can sound like disdain coming from her mouth. Even her die-hard fans have to accept it!

Next up is Liu Yao. She had just received a few pointers from the director over her earpiece, and for the sake of the show, she directly asked, "Bian Lang, I heard you praised me in the dressing room. Aren't you afraid of being ostracized later?" The fact that she was called a traitor by the rock circle has been circulating for over 20 years and is no longer a secret that can't be told. Now, she's just saying it to give those people in the dressing room who don't like her a bit of a hard time.

"The real substance in a steamed bun isn't in its pleats, and being good with words isn't real skill. We're all in a band, so let the music speak for itself. Like Sister Long just said, I hope my music matches my mouth and my outfit today."

Upon hearing this, Pan Jianhu clapped lightly: "Well said, that's the attitude a rock musician should have. I wish you a successful performance!" As he spoke, he was thinking to himself: "Looks like he's willing to listen to advice. If he does what I said in my letter, getting an S captain spot won't be difficult."

At this moment, some audience members were unhappy. Previously, those who came on stage had started performing immediately, but they hadn't received the treatment of chatting with the mentors for a long time.

Besides, after recording for almost 6 hours, everyone must be exhausted and hungry. If it weren't for the concern about their idols' final team formation, nearly 9% of non-rock music fans probably wouldn't be left.

"Let's get started quickly, don't waste time!"

"Our Yu Xi brother still has to choose people later, so hurry up and get off the stage after your performance."

"If you don't want to perform, then leave! There are plenty of musicians out there; we don't need another one!"

Once someone took the lead, the entire audience immediately erupted into chaos.

Faced with the impatient audience and their unfriendly shouts, coupled with this completely unfamiliar environment, an unprecedented sense of loneliness rose in Bian Lang's heart.

This feeling is similar to when he first formed a band in his previous life. When he went out to perform, no one recognized him, and apart from his bandmates and his mother, no one around him supported him.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Niu Boyi added at the opportune moment, "Bian Lang, are you nervous right now?"

"Nervous!" Bian Lang blurted out without thinking.

Intending to help him relieve some stress, Niu Boyi then asked, "Why?"

Bian Lang didn't hesitate to express his truest thoughts at that moment: "I don't want to embarrass the musicians in my hometown."

Although he, as a transmigrator, doesn't have a system, the people and events he actually experienced in the industry in his previous life are his greatest source of confidence and his unique advantage in his wanderings.

The authors of those classic Earth songs in Bian Lang's mind were either his friends and brothers in the industry in his past life, or people he had met and interacted with in the industry. He had not only practiced many of these songs in private, but also performed them on stage, and he had even personally participated in the creation process of some of them.

The professionalism he had cultivated in him over the past 20-plus years of rock music made him completely absorbed in a powerful sense of mission and belief in spreading excellent music from the original Earth after he said those words.

If he doesn't perform well in his first variety show appearance and makes the music fans and musicians on Aquamarine look down on "No Place to Hide," then Lang will feel ashamed towards Dou Xian and Li Tong. In his past life, Dou Xian gave him some pointers, and Li Tong even personally guided him on how to play "No Place to Hide" on the guitar.

"I hope you can turn this responsibility and pressure into motivation! Do your best in the upcoming performance. So, will you be singing and playing an instrument, or will you be playing the electric guitar solo?"

Upon hearing Niu Boyi's words, Bian Lang nodded and closed his eyes. His mind was clear of all those other thoughts; he now had only one belief: "I just want you all to hear just how awesome Chinese rock music really is!"

"My new song, 'Nowhere to Hide', is dedicated to everyone!"

The moment the words "new song" were uttered, Pan Jianhu was greatly alarmed: "This kid, why does he only listen to half of what I'm told?"