In retrospect, hosting a “Battle of the Bands” during a freak winter snowstorm wasn’t the best idea.

When Adam Crawford’s grandmother had decided to leave the pub business and spend her retirement travelling the world, she gave him the first choice of which of her two pubs he would inherit. The Crown and Anchor was right in the middle of town, and had stood firm as the home pub for A.F.C. Richmond fans. Football didn’t really appeal to Adam, however, and he didn’t want to take an institution away from that community (the three stooges that came with the place would have had something to say about that). So instead he took the other pub located a few miles out in the countryside, the Blithe Spirit Inn, and revamped it as a music venue. It had taken a while to catch on, but they now had a steady flow of traveling musicians from the U.K., Ireland, and other parts of Europe...even a few American groups. Mostly cover bands, but also some folk fusion, traditional music, even a hip hop group.

Two of the American acts, One Three Hill and The Warblers, had made it to the finals of his first “Great British Band-Off” (the irony wasn’t lost on him). The eliminated bands had gotten on the road long ago, and it was truly a coincidence that the remaining finalists also had roots in NYADA, his old college across the pond. One of the members of One Three Hill in particular, Kurt Hummel, was actually his ex. But it had been an amicable split, a case of “better as friends than lovers,” and Kurt was happy to help Adam out and bring his friends and bandmates, Elliott and Dani, to perform.

The other band, the Warblers, Adam was a little less familiar with. He only knew of the lead singer, Blaine Anderson, from online chats with Kurt, who had nothing but complaints about him. Apparently Blaine had come to NYADA after Adam graduated and returned to England, a year behind Kurt. Kurt made it seem in his chats that Blaine was completely full of himself and marched the halls like he owned the place.To be honest, after meeting Blaine this week, he didn’t get that impression at all. He did, however, sense the tension between the two.

It was why here he stood, on top of the actual bar, Kurt and Blaine loudly arguing in the middle of the room while Elliott and Dani were nursing pints alongside the Warblers, and the remaining pub patrons were buzzing with worry about the weather.

“Maybe if you didn’t insist on full vocal warm-ups, Hummel, we could have wrapped up this so-called competition and beaten the snow storm.”

“My voice and body work in symphony with my bandmates; if we don’t properly warm up, we don’t rise.”

“Only thing rising here besides the snow level is your ego.”

“You’re one to talk! At least we’re a fully integrated group, not Blaine and the Pips…”

“SILENCE!” Adam finally screamed in frustration. Everyone looked at him, startled. “Thank you. Now look, I don’t know when the plows are going to get here, but the roads are closed, your vehicles are buried under snow drifts, and we’re just going to have to sit tight and get along for now.”

“How long?” Kurt sneered, his eyes locked on Blaine.

Adam looked out the windows of the pub, as heavy wet flakes continued to fly past and stick to every surface. He was afraid to say the truth...that he honestly didn’t know.