INT. TATTERDEMALION MAIN FLOOR - A FEW MINUTES LATER
Arden instructs a tolerant SOUND GUY (mid-20s) in his booth.
ARDEN
...keep riding my vocal levels during the choruses. And I need extra reverb and delay. Got it?
SOUND GUY
Sure. Whatever you need! Consider me your personal audio assistant.
Arden heads back through the crowd. Lots of true metalheads, but also slumming club chicks, drunken idiots, douchey frat guys, and others who only came out for the Battle.
ARDEN
(to himself)
Think about the prize... think about the fuckin’ prize...
DEEN (O.S.)
Okay cretins - it’s time to meet the fuckin’ judges!
Arden stops in the middle of the crowd to watch Deen.
ON STAGE
Deen takes a swig from a liquor bottle and pulls a few bent index cards from his pocket. He reads from the first card.
DEEN
A founding member of Decreed by Filth and producer of countless classic metal albums, the despicable... Cliff Fenger!
Deen moves to the side of the stage and gestures above him.
The crowd claps and looks up to a roped-off section of balcony where three judges sit.
AT THE JUDGES’ PLATFORM
The spotlight hits the first judge, CLIFF FENGER (40s), sporting a bald head and improbable facial hair. He speaks with an English accent.
CLIFF
Thanks for the love, fuckoes!
Applause from the crowd.
IN THE AUDIENCE
Arden looks at Cliff, shaking his head.
ARDEN
Has been.
ON STAGE
Deen reads from the second notecard.
DEEN
The original First Lady of Metal, and longtime manager of Forced Obsolescence, the magnanimous... Lezlie Skorch!
AT THE JUDGES’ PLATFORM
Judge #2 is illuminated - a stern-looking woman in a denim vest and dominatrix cap, LEZLIE SKORCH (40s).
LEZLIE
Honored to be here, my disciples.
More applause and a few errant catcalls.
IN THE AUDIENCE
Arden curls his lip at Lezlie.
ARDEN
Egomaniac.
ON STAGE
Deen reads from the last notecard.
DEEN
The man who personally raised the status of metal in the Land of the Rising Sun from the underground to the mainstream on his show “Direction for Joyful”, the mysterious... Tyrus!
AT THE JUDGES’ PLATFORM
The light shines on the third judge, TYRUS (40s), Japanese and looking fierce under his enormous futuristic sunglasses.
TYRUS
Arigato, yabo.
A smattering of confused applause.
IN THE AUDIENCE
Arden doesn’t know what to make of Tyrus. He struggles, and finally...
ARDEN
...uh... weirdo...
ON STAGE
Deen moves back to center stage, getting the crowd’s attention back on himself.
DEEN
There they are - the Unholy Triumvirate that’s gonna pick the winner of this fuckin’ Battle!
The crowd gives one final burst of applause and cheers.
DEEN
Now just sit the fuck back while we get ready for the first band of the night - Sinner Supremacy!
IN THE AUDIENCE
Arden sees a Crew Member carrying a bass drum with the VV logo backstage. He follows.