There was a plucking of strings, a wheeze of reeds and a rattle of drum skins as the ‘Dead Music’ band prepared their set.

Patrons noticed that they would argue a lot, often about when to come in and why their instrument was the most extinct.

The owner of the little music bar had his migraine pills ready as they played, horribly, into the few people drunk enough to appreciate any time at all.

The vocalists sung in Latin, fights began silently and then were blown out of proportion when a bizarre sounding instrument broke.

The music ended and there was no applause but they bowed anyway.

The music bar owner watched them leave and then relaxed his shoulders as they dragged instruments out with them, casting not one shadow despite the lights.