I watch Rex process this, watch his jaw work beneath the mask. He doesn't like being managed. Doesn't like anyone having authority over him or his band. But there's something about Carmine's directness—the complete absence of bullshit or pretense—that seems to hit differently than I expected.
"So," Carmine continues, pulling up something on his tablet. "Let's talk logistics."
What follows is the most organized band meeting I've ever witnessed.
Carmine has done his homework. And by homework, I mean he's essentially written a dissertation on Vespyr's entire history. All the way from the early days of Rex and Nash building the band from nothing, through the rotating lineup of vocalists, the tragedy of Nash's death, the hiatus that followed.
He knows about Stephen Hughes and the falling out, though he's careful not to dig into specifics. He knows about The Reverie and my departure, framing it neutrally as "creative differences" without pressing for details.
He even knows about the rumors surrounding Nash's songwriting and how some industry insiders have whispered that certain Reverie tracks sound suspiciously similar to unreleased Vespyr material.
"That's being looked into," is all Rex says when Carmine mentions it.
Carmine moves on smoothly.
"Venue sizes first," he says, swiping through his tablet. "Meridian wants to start with regular bookings at mid-sized venues and scale up based on ticket demand. Conservative approach, but it protects against the embarrassment of half-empty arenas while building momentum."
"We'll fill arenas," Rex says in a flat tone.
Carmine meets his eye without flinching. "The last time Vespyr went on a real tour, Nash was alive and you had a different vocalist. The fanbase has been dormant for over a year. Bells is an unknown quantity to most of your audience. Starting smaller and scaling up looks like organic growth. Starting big and scaling down looks like failure."
I hate that he's right.
"The tour arc," Carmine continues, pulling up a map on his tablet. "West Coast first. Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, LA. Then across the southern states to build momentum before hitting the major markets. Chicago, New York, Boston. Eighteen cities total, with options to add dates if demand warrants."
Rafael whistles low. "That's a brutal pace."
"It's anefficientpace," Carmine corrects. "Momentum matters in comeback tours. You want to hit fast and hard before the initial buzz fades. Drag it out too long and people lose interest."
He swipes to another screen. "Setlist structure. Meridian wants a mix of catalog favorites and new material. The ratio's up to you, but I'd recommend front-loading with songs people already know—build trust, prove you still have it—before introducing the newer tracks. I need to see what works, what the chemistry looks like, how the songs translate live with your current lineup."
He saysyour current lineuplike it's a neutral observation, but I catch the implication.
Bellsis new.
Bellsis untested.
Bellscould be a liability.
I resist the urge to bristle.
"Merch strategy," Carmine continues, flipping to another folder. "Standard tour packages. Shirts, hoodies, posters, limited-edition vinyl. But I want to talk about masks."
That gets everyone's attention.
My eyes flick to Rex.Oh fucking boy.
"Vespyr's mask aesthetic is a significant part of the brand identity," Carmine says, pulling out what looks like mockup designs. "There's an opportunity here for exclusive tour merchandise. Replica masks, maybe even customizable options where fans can design their own. The engagement potential is substantial."
"The masks aren't merchandise," Rex says, and his voice has gone cold enough to freeze oxygen. "They're not abrand identity. They're?—"
He stops. Jaw tight. Eye burning with something that goes deeper than anger.
"They're personal," I finish, and Rex's gaze snaps to me. "Not a gimmick. If you're going to sell replica masks, they need to be clearly differentiated from what the band wears on stage. Inspired by our masks, not imitations of them."
Carmine studies me for a long moment. Then he nods.
"Fair point. We'll workshop the designs with that in mind." He makes a note on his tablet. "Moving on. Media training."