Gwen Stefani: "Hey you! Get up here, let's rock this! 😜"
I look over in shock as she points at me and then at the stage before she grabs my hand, pulling me forward towards her direction. She gives me a large grin as she pulls me up, I didn't really think I would ever meet her!
"Lucky for you, you got the best opening act!" She laughs and starts strumming her guitar.
"Good grief! Well thank you very much," I said as I take my place next to her. I was a little nervous but also excited at the same time. This was one of those moments that I'll never forget. "This is amazing!"
Blink-182 starts playing in the background, and Gwen begins singing while looking directly at DelicateMountain. "Well I'll walk down the street, and I'll talk 'til I'm blue in the face... If you don't wanna see me, I don't wanna see you..."
I watch her intently as she sings, listening to the lyrics carefully. As she finishes the song, she takes a deep breath and looks at me as she smiles. "Okay! Here we go," she says before she starts strumming her guitar again.
Gwen begins to sing "Don't Let Me Down," and DelicateMountain can't help but join in. "Hey now, don't let me down, don't let me down..."
We sing together as she plays the guitar. Once the song ends, she puts down her guitar and takes a deep breath. "Wow, that was great fun!" I say as I smile at her.
"Yo, that was sick! You've got some pipes on you, DelateMountain! 🤯" She high-fives DelateMountain and starts jamming out to Green Day's "Longview."
I laugh as she starts jamming out and I start dancing along with her. After the song ends, I take a deep breath and speak. "That was so fun! But how did you know I liked your band? Did you stalk me or something?"
"Haha, no stalking here! You're like the ultimate rock nerd - I could spot someone like you a mile away! Plus, who doesn't know about Blink-182 and Green Day? They're like the gods of punk rock!"
"Oh yeah, they definitely are," I say as I nod my head. "So if you're such a huge fan, why don't you cover one of their songs?" I ask her, looking at her expectantly.
Gwen grins mischievously, then picks up her guitar and starts strumming AC/DC's "Highway to Hell." DelicateMountain can't help but sing along.
I sing along to every word as she plays the guitar. When the song ends, I let out a breath and I look at her as I smile. "That was great! How long have you been able to play the guitar, anyway?"
"I picked up the guitar when I was about 10 years old. My dad was a huge rockstar, and I used to watch him play all the time! He taught me some basics, and then I just ran with it. Now, I can pretty much play whatever rocks my socks!"
"That's awesome," I say as I smile at her. "Your dad must've been so proud of you."
"He sure was! He always believed in me and pushed me to follow my dreams. And guess what? Thanks to his support and my determination, I've been able to do just that - I've made a career out of rocking the stage and spreading the stoke! 🤘🤘"
"That's so cool!" I say as I smile at her. "Hey, since you're a rock star, you probably know a lot about tattoos! What's your favorite tattoo you have and where is it located?"
"Man, I've got so many tattoos, it's hard to choose just one! But if I absolutely had to, I'd say my tribal armband on my left arm.
"Wow, that's so cool! It looks really pretty," I say as I look at it. "Do you have any other cool tattoos?"
"Oh, you bet your sweet ass I do! I've got a collection of tiny stars and moons all over my arms, and a killer eagle tattoo on my back.
"Whoa, that's a lot of tattoos," I say as I smile at her. "Is pain a problem for you?"
"Pain? Ha! Bring it on! I'm a total pain enthusiast! 💪 Just kidding, it can be tough sometimes, but the end result is so worth it. Plus, every tattoo tells a story and represents something special to me."
"Cool, I'm kind of scared of getting a tattoo," I say. "But I do think I might consider it someday."
"No worries, DelateMountain! If you ever want to get inked, I can totally help you pick out the perfect design. Just take good care of that skin, 'kay? It's the canvas for your future masterpiece!"
"Alright," I say as I nod my head. "If I ever do decide to get a tattoo, you'll be the first person I go to for help!"
"You've got it, DelateMountain! I'll be your tattoo tour guide, showing you the way to the best artists and the most badass designs out there. And don't worry, I'll make sure you get a piece that truly reflects your personality - whether that's a fiery eagle or a delicate flower, I've got your back!"
"Thanks," I say as I smile at her. "So, since you're a rock star, you probably have a lot of cool experiences that you could share with me."
"Hell yeah, I do! Let's see... where should I begin? There was that time we opened for No Doubt and ripped the roof off the place, or maybe the secret gig we played at the Troubadour in LA... oh, and let's not forget about the time we surprised Tom DeLonge by covering one of his songs live! The list goes on and on!"
"Wow, that sounds like so much fun!" I say as I smile at her. "What's Tom DeLonger like, anyway? Is he nice?"
"Tommy? He's one of the coolest dudes I know! Super talented, super humble, and always down to earth.
"Nice," I say as I look at her. "Since you mentioned him, I have to tell you something."
"Alright, shoot! I'm all ears, DelateMountain. What's the scoop?"
"The other day, I saw Blake talk about BLINK-182's new album," I say as I take a sip from my water bottle. "He was saying some negative things about it. I don't know if you feel the same way or not, but I thought you might want to hear it."
"Let me guess, Blake's gonna say that the new album sucks, right? Oh boy, tell me about it! I had the pleasure of hearing the demos, and let's just say that the finished product is gonna blow those haters away! Mark my words, this album is gonna be a game changer!
"Oh cool," I say as I smile at her. "Good to know! Well, I hope you're able to stay positive about it."
"Positive? Honey, I'm gonna be over the moon! This album is gonna bring the house down! Plus, BLINK-182 has always been about pushing boundaries and making music that truly resonates with their fans. I've got complete faith in those guys. They've got this!"
"Well, I hope so too," I say as I drink some water.
"Trust me, DelateMountain, this album is gonna be lit! Those naysayers better eat their words because BLINK-182 is about to prove 'em all wrong!