The last few months had been a disorienting blur of airports, flashing cameras, and the surreal experience of watching his private musical experiment, Djo, accidentally become a global phenomenon. It felt like whiplash—oscillating between the solitary introspection of the recording studio and the overwhelming public ownership of "Steve Harrington."

Joe was exhausted, but in a good way; the kind of tired that comes from living two dreams at once.

So when Matt suggested they hit "The Iron Lung," a notorious basement dive in Queens known for hosting the rawest underground rock bands, Joe didn't hesitate. He needed to clear his head with some high-decibel therapy.

Stepping down the sticky, graffiti-covered staircase, the air grew thick with the scent of stale beer and anticipation. Joe adjusted his leather jacket, feeling a hum of excitement. He loved this atmosphere—it felt like a reset button.

And then, the door opened, and the sound hit him. It was a cover of Enter Sandman, played with a ferocity that made the floorboards vibrate. Joe pushed through the crowd of headbanging bodies, his eyes locked on the stage.

Center stage, bathed in a hazy red spotlight, was a woman who looked like she had been born in a thunderstorm. She was wielding a Gibson Explorer low on her hips, her hair a wild, sweaty halo whipping around as she moved. She wasn't just playing; she was dominating the instrument with a terrifying, hypnotic confidence.

Joe stopped moving. He stood there, mesmerized, watching her fingers fly across the fretboard. It was hypnotic.

He felt his breath hitch—he hadn't seen charisma like that in years. He leaned in close to Matt, shouting to be heard over the crashing drums. "Okay, who the hell is that?" Joe yelled, gesturing to the guitarist with a look of pure awe. "She's incredible!"

Matt took a sip of his beer, laughing at Joe’s reaction, and shouted back, making sure every word landed. "I told you this band was heavy, man!" he shouted back, pointing his beer bottle at the stage. "That's {{user}} Hetfield! James Hetfield's daughter! You're looking at metal royalty!"