HLM – Chapter 1040 Album Release Event

After seeing off Princess Eugénie and her husband, Wang Bo had something else to attend to: the album release of the Ryan brothers’ band.

As agreed, Wang Bo had set up a recording studio for them. However, due to budget constraints, the studio was rather simple, so the albums produced would be classified as C-grade.

In New Zealand’s music industry, albums are rated according to sound quality and production value into five grades: A, B, C, D, and F, in descending order.

• F-grade albums are essentially for home use—self-recorded for fun. Many music enthusiasts release them personally, but these albums cannot be sold and are only shared with friends and relatives as keepsakes.
• D-grade albums step slightly beyond home use. Many street performers opt for this grade. While the sound quality is still poor, it’s passable, and some street artists sell their self-recorded albums to earn money.
• C-grade albums are a dividing line: the lowest tier for professional-level singers. Although the sound quality remains average and the recording may occasionally distort, these albums are made in proper studios with complete equipment. At least the songs are legitimate recordings.

The recording studio and equipment Wang Bo invested in were basic but sufficiently equipped for Sunset Band to test the waters.

B-grade and A-grade albums require professional studios with top-notch equipment and expertise. Money alone cannot guarantee access—professional studios are responsible for the quality of the albums they produce. Without some fame, studios won’t accept your recording request even if you pay.

The Ryan brothers did have some recognition, but only in smaller circles within Sunset Town, Oak City, and Cromwell. In Auckland or Wellington, no one paid attention to them.

Fortunately, the four brothers were easy to please. Their dream was to tour the world, but that was just a dream. Simply releasing an album that could be commercially sold in their lifetime was already enough to make them happy.

The album release was scheduled for the weekend, when everyone was free.

Wang Bo had been loyal to the four, promoting their album everywhere in Sunset Town. Billboards advertised the album, and promotion vehicles circulated the town to spread the news.

Additionally, he ran ads in magazines, websites, and new media across the South Island. The total promotional expenses, calculated by Juan, had exceeded 1.5 million NZD.

Wang Bo didn’t mind spending—his bar was very profitable, and the four brothers were the bar’s golden draw, bringing in a steady stream of customers.

Of course, this was largely due to the Bar Heart’s secondary-level effect, but it didn’t diminish the contribution of the band itself.

By now, the bar could earn him over 2 million NZD per month, mainly due to high foot traffic—every evening, at least seven to eight hundred people crowded the three floors.

Viewed this way, the promotional expenses didn’t even match a month’s income. Wang Bo wasn’t stingy at all.

On Saturday, the large parking lot in front of Sunset Town’s department store was bustling. Uncle Bing directed the cars to move, clearing a large space. A stage was erected, promotional banners were hung, and the album sales event began.

The banner itself was twenty meters high and fifteen meters wide, costing 8,000 NZD.

It featured HD photos of the four band members—Ryan and Reddy—styled in the same steampunk aesthetic as the bar.

The background was a castle under a stormy sky. The dark clouds loomed over the city, while the castle had a fantastical style, full of propellers, gears, pistons, bearings, and robots, like a steam-powered factory.

The band members’ outfits matched the theme. Reddy, the lead singer, stood on a flame-spewing fountain dressed as a magician. Ryan wore a tailcoat, top hat, cane, and pocket watch in a gentlemanly style.

The Māori youth Tutu leaned against a door with a machine-gun-shaped guitar, while Scottish youth Budman-Files leaned on the drum kit, smiling.

The poster’s design wasn’t particularly amazing, but castles were rare in New Zealand, and with the steampunk background, the high-resolution image was quite eye-catching.

The album cover used the same photo, and the album was titled “Roaring Melodies”.

The supermarket had provided a storage room for the four as a dressing room, and Wang Bo brought a makeup company from Oak City to handle their makeup.

Ryan, being older at thirty-four or thirty-five, didn’t care much about makeup and just applied a simple foundation. Sitting nearby drinking water, he frowned as Wang Bo entered.

“Hey, buddy, what’s the matter? Why so glum?” Wang Bo asked curiously.

Ryan shrugged. “Boss, have a seat. I’m not unhappy—I’m nervous. Damn it, I don’t know if people will accept our album, but I think we’ve done a great job.”

Wang Bo punched him lightly on the chest. “I’ll tell you this, buddy: Eva and I will definitely buy two copies. I bet all eight songs will become classics!”

The Bar Heart effect was strong, especially at level two, enhancing the singers’ performance, vocal ability, and even creativity. Under its guidance, after two and a half years of devoted effort, the songs they created were indeed very moving.

Wang Bo had listened to them and was deeply impressed. Of course, different countries and cultures interpret music differently, so he couldn’t speak for all New Zealanders.

Still, he believed the album would succeed. The band had invested a tremendous amount of effort, taking nearly a year just to record it.

Because the studio’s recording quality wasn’t ideal, each song had occasional distortions. To avoid this, they repeatedly recorded each song until it was flawless.

With the other three—Reddy, and the rest—finishing their makeup, Wang Bo opened the door and stepped onto the stage as host.

Seeing his back, Reddy said emotionally, “Boss, you’ve done so much for our album.”

Ryan smiled. “That’s why we’re happy to use the name Sunset Band.”

“Isn’t it that our other brother band’s name was too generic, so we had no choice but to pick this one?” Tutu, usually quiet, joked, knowing everyone was tense.

Once Wang Bo stepped onto the stage, he knew the sales event would be a success. The audience was far larger than expected!

At least a thousand people had gathered. From the stage, looking down, the parking lot was already filled with cars—many had come from surrounding towns.

As soon as he appeared, applause and cheers erupted from the crowd. The media he had invited were flashing their cameras, capturing every moment.