We arrived in London late last night… The ferry ride has been 3 times longer than expected, nearly 5 hours instead of the usual 90 minutes. The winds were so strong they were shaking the van way before we entered the ferry! A few of the traveling circus members being affected by seasickness, they didn’t hesitate before taking some anti motion sickness pills! We got on the ferry, somewhat excited by the ride ahead, in this that it was our 1st ride at daytime – EVER! We’ve always taken the ferry by night before, and we were looking forward to enjoying the scenery!

We entered the ferry, overjoyed of seeing the incredible “lounge area” that was there for us! It was our favorite ferry! What? Riding it so often, we became attached to P&O… 🙂 We sat down, reserved the best couches there were, made ourselves comfortable, grabbed a coffee, and ate a little!

It was already sunset time when we finished eating, so YB and I decided to go on the deck in order to capture a few pictures! The wind was so strong we couldn’t face the ocean for more than a few seconds, as we weren’t able to breathe. The violence of the raging sea made the sunset an even more magical and peaceful moment for us to enjoy… Its beautifully warm colors contrasted with the dark sea.

We got back inside the ferry and I found everyone sleeping comfortably!

The drive to our hotel close to Heathrow has also been a very long one, many of the roads we were supposed to follow being closed because of the recent high winds damages and floods that occurred in the UK.

We arrived at the hotel super late, got a short night of sleep, and it was already morning… We woke up to a very nice sun, which surprised all of us! With the previous weeks and its usual weather, we didn’t expect to see the sun at all while in the UK…! But we took this lively weather as a good sign for what’s ahead for all of us!

The circus got split today… Some had to go around to drop off and pick up some equipment for tomorrow, others were going to meet the representatives of the Coffee House Sessions that’s about to start, while Alex, Ben, Sef and I stayed at the hotel, the 3 guys to practice, and myself to set some details for tomorrow and the days ahead!

And then, in the evening, we all gathered in the boys room for some acoustic soulful rehearsal! They played “Where Did We Lose Each Other”, but also a few other songs, that they will choose to play in different universities, according to their mood… Amongst them, “Kerosene”, “First Day Of My Life”, “Sketching Dreams”, “Old Noisy Friend”, “City On Fire”, only to name a few of what they played. It was intense, it was real, we could hear them through the walls 4 hotel rooms away from where they were, and through the complete hallway… I really felt privileged for being able to hear them rehearse like this, the way they do. It is always so inspiring, and life changing if I just allow myself to lose myself in the moment for what it is…!

The rehearsal finished, we talked a little about the day we’ve had. Well, you have to understand that “a little” means more in complete details…! We’re so used to being all together and sharing everything together all the time that whenever we are away, we make sure that our loved ones get the complete report of every little detail that happened! That’s how we like it… sharing every little detail, as we believe that each and everyone of them is important… 🙂

There’s only a few hours now before we leave for the Coffee House Sessions… 1 radio interview + live performance, followed by 3 performances in 3 different universities. We’re going to redefine what rock’n’roll is about… even playing acoustic!

– Stephanie

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We are about to leave France, direction London, where we will start the Coffee House Session Tour, 25 acoustic shows in 10 days! The 5 days we have spent in Paris have been really wonderful, way more than words can say!

It started out being very very busy for us, as we were getting ready all the final details for the release of the acoustic version of the song “Where Did We Lose Each Other”! We were so excited to finally present you this version, a version that is softer than the original rock version, but that is just as soulful, deep and intense! If you haven’t watched it yet, I strongly suggest that you do it now!!!!

“Where Did We Lose Each Other” is the 3rd single from the album “Between Illness And Migration”, a song that is very deep and meaningful… Alex wrote it back in 2010, and that song became to him the answer to quite a lot of desperate prayers he barely whispered in order to find true peace in his heart and soul.

While Alex was working on the artwork with Kanu who was at the HQ in Montreal (working with a distance is quite a hard thing, believe me!), Ben and Sef were rehearsing the acoustic songs that will be played during the Coffee House Sessions Tour… One of them is “Where Did We Lose Each Other”, the other will probably change from a day to another…! Let’s just say they made sure to adapt a lot of songs and make them ready for those special acoustic sessions! Alex joined in when he was finished with everything, adding a very special touch to this already very soulful duo. The power and intensity of the acoustic versions amaze me every time I listen to them… You can’t just stay there and remain indifferent. It’s something powerful that moves you, want it or not!

And on Thursday night, we had a very special night in Paris for Jeff’s birthday! Let me go back in time for you a little bit… Since the day we knew we were going to Paris for business, we thought it would be cool to do something special for Jeff’s birthday, even if it wasn’t on the day of his birthday directly. France has always been a very meaningful country, not only for Jeff but for all of us, so we were more than excited to plan this special evening with our loved ones! That was until Jeff told us we might have to go to London earlier… We needed to put everything on hold, and it allowed us to tell everyone only a few days before the event… And now, try to spread the word on social networks in a massive way without Jeff knowing… He’s everywhere! 🙂 Hopefully, Juliette & Valérie planned & prepared everything in a wonderful way from the HQ! From finding the place, to contacting everyone, and making sure Jeff wasn’t aware of anything… 🙂

Here’s how the day went! Jeff and I had a meeting in the afternoon, and we were going to meet the band a little later at a store in Bercy Village. Everybody’s there, but Miss Isabel, who’s “sick and decided to stay home”… After a bit of shopping, it is time to leave. There’s a little rush on our side, as we know people are waiting for us somewhere very special… So we get in the van and start driving to La Bodega. Hopefully for us, no traffic at all. But parking has been a true nightmare! Matt decides to drop us at the corner of the street and says he’s going to join us later. But then Jeff doesn’t understand… We’re “going for a walk in Paris”, how is Matt supposed to join us later? We walk a little, and then stop at a bar, because “the place looks nice”… Wrong place, but the place is full anyway. While the guys are paying a visit to the very filthy bathrooms downstairs, I am told the room that’s for us is just next door! So I tell the guys, get into the bar next door, and go downstairs. Jeff is the first one to go down. The ceiling is very low, the place is super dark… and it is PACKED! And then he realizes… Miss Isabel is there in the corner. And then he sees the different faces… all people he knows. You see his eyes changing. And that’s when you hear a roaring “SUUUUUURPRIIIIIIISEEEEEEE”, followed by a wonderful “Joyeux anniversaiiiire”, sung by everyone all together. Jeff was left speechless. And that, let me tell you, doesn’t happen very often. We made our way into the room and started saying hi and discussing with everyone. The place was way too small for all of us to be together at the same time, we couldn’t walk, we were walking on one another’s feet, it was hot and we were sweating – remember, we arrived a few minutes ago! But it was family time. From the top of the stairs where I was standing, it was hard to distinguish the faces… but one thing was really easy to distinguish: the stars in everybody’s eyes and the smiles. We’ve had great discussions, incredible moments, shared laughter & tears of joy, talked about music, about freedom, about letting go… about US, as a family. All different from one another, but all united by something that is so much bigger than us all!!!

Moments turned to eternity… This night is a moment we’ll forever remember!

We love you guys, and words lack to express just how much we look forward to seeing you again! (Alex says May or September… More news to follow soon!)

– Stephanie 

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We left Cannes who was covered in a very uniform grayish dress, white and very light yellow buildings offering very little contrast through the van windows blurred by raindrops. We were sad to leave this place, as it already holds so many meaningful memories for us, making the weather a perfect representation of our feelings. But at the same time, we were at peace, knowing that those memories were not located in Cannes, but that we were bringing them with us on the road, now a part of who we are. 

We stopped at the FNAC, French music stores chain, and bought some music DVDs, figuring out that we’d endure the screen as it was…!

So far, having slept only a very few hours a night, making our nights closer to naps than actual “nights”, we all enjoyed the ride and the few additional hours of sleep we were graced with! No snoring turbines, but I can tell you that most of us woke up their mouths pretty dry!

At around 8pm, all awake, we decided to watch a DVD, Ramones’ RAW documentary, filmed by Marky Ramone, showing the band on tour and backstage… A truly impressive documentary, which title totally fit the contents. If you’re a fan of the Ramones, or a fan of music in general, and that you haven’t watched this yet, I strongly suggest it for your next movie night! 

We arrived in Barcelona at around 10pm and started unloading the gear and bring it into the apartment. The good news is our apartment is very large, the bad one is the elevator is broken! Hopefully, it’s on the first floor, so it helps (a little)! Jeff received a call from the producer of the video, who wanted to meet us right away! Super excited about the video (and happy not to have to unload), we went to meet him… It was great walking those same streets we walked so often when we came last year in October, as it brought back so many memories… Even in February, the city is alive and filled with people… Yes, we are in love with that city! As Alex said, this city is our home away from home! The time we had with the producer was incredible! He is just as excited as we are about the filming of this video clip, the different scenes, the script, the locations! His enthusiasm made us even more enthusiastic! 

We came back to our apartment and told everything to the other band members, while telling them about the scenario, which had until then been kept secret! This scenario is one that Alex developed, based on one of the multiple layers of understanding that there can be to the song. We shared a meal and decided to go to bed early… Well, that is until we started talking about us, us as a family, including all of you, about the funny stories we’ve heard, about what we have been through, about who we have become, about the blessings we have received and are still learning to count… Then we skyped the family at the HQ and then we went to bed early… Or 2 am! Not exactly the definition of early, but it’s surely not that late in the YFE universe. Some of us pushed it, and went to bed past 4… 😉

6:30am, alarm clock! One of the worst feelings ever! But hey, the excitement didn’t have time to fade in those 2 hours of sleep, so waking up, at least for me, hasn’t been that hard. Quick detour at the Starbucks, and we were on our way to the filming location! 

Old wooden door, brick walls, interior court of what used to be an ancient castle… This is where we are going to film today! We haven’t set foot in the place that we are already in love with it! The door opens, it’s dark, it’s cold, it’s humid… Wow! We meet the producer we will be working with today, as well as the whole crew and actors! It’s early in the morning, everybody went to bed way too late, but we are all very excited about being here! 

Passion was at the rendez-vous from the very first moment we started filming! Lots of contrast between light and dark, not only with the lights but also in the play between the different characters and during the band’s live performance (and what a performance!), as well as in the camera play with the different shots, large or close. 10 hours of filming! And at the end of the day, completely exhausted, shivering and without any sensation in our feet anymore, even more excited than we were at the beginning! 

Another short night and we were on our way to the first of 2 filming  locations for today! A small place, but with a truly wonderful vibe. Clear, well lit, mostly white, and very warm, it seemed to be the complete opposite of where we were yesterday! We spent only a few hours over there, but those 2 hours were soulful and heartfelt! 

And we were on the way to the next filming location! We couldn’t believe how fast time went by! After getting a little lost on the way there, trying to turn back with the huge English touring van in the narrow Spanish streets, we made our way to the top of a mountain, in a place called The Bunker, that was used when the civil war was raging in Spain. 3:30pm, the  sun is shining… In what has been one of the most beautiful day in Spain, as in the distance we could see an island, Mallorca, something that had not happened in 15 years. Usually, even on good days, the island is invisible to everyone… A little wink reminding us that this video clip is blessed beyond measure! This mountain was very close to the one we’ve climbed last time we were in Barcelona, we could see it from our viewpoint… And it was a great testimony of yet another meaningful moment that we have allowed to change our lives. We stayed there until sunset, until the lights of Barcelona would start shining from down below instead of up high above us. 

Being too many people, we went back home in 2 groups. Miss Isabel and I with most of the crew, and the rest of the band with a few other crew members. And on both sides, we’ve had incredible discussions, meaningful moments, talking about us, about life in general, about the Catalan culture, about traveling & discovering who we are through it. Being stuck in traffic has never been that nice! 

Arrived in downtown Barcelona, we said goodbye to one another, promising we would meet again very soon. Then Miss Isabel and I ran to The Cat Factory, a bakery owned by very good friends of ours and that we discovered last time we were in Barcelona. They had prepared a special birthday cake for Jeff, in secret. So we ran through the small backstreets, trying to read the map as well as possible, finding ourselves in dead ends quite a few times…! We managed to make it in time to pick up the cake! On our way back to the apartment, we stopped at a public place that was having a multimedia presentation, outside, on the walls of a church. It’s February, people are gathered outside, taking pictures and filming, having a good time, and taking the opportunity to meet some new people at the same time… Yes, welcome to Barcelona!

We hopefully arrived before Jeff and thus succeeded in making this a complete surprise to him. We also went to buy one of his favorite food – burgers – as well as wine to make it a perfect evening for him. I mean, what more could you ask for? Burger, red wine, and cake… Perfect match, no? 😉 

And as I am finishing those lines, we are about to leave for a traditional Catalan restaurant, to celebrate the filming of the video clip for Where Did We Lose Each Other… But especially to celebrate the new friendships that were built during this filming! 🙂 

– Stephanie 

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We’ve spent our last full day in Cannes… Under a gray sky, one like we’ve seen every day since we’ve arrived, but for a few hours of sun on one day. Under such a cloudy sky, with such cold weather and such a high level of humidity, it is hard to think of the French Riviera as a glamorous prized destination. Yet, this place has known glorious days…

Alex being a fan of literature, we decided that on our last day, we would go to Juan-les-Pins, a half-hour drive away from Cannes, where many American writers used to spend their summer during the Roaring Twenties… We wanted to see that place where the Fitzgeralds spent their time with the likes of Hemingway, that town in which “Tender Is The Night” took place, where so many other artists, musicians, painters & poets found inspiration…

Having a lot to do during daytime, we left our apartment at 8:00pm, and headed to the city. One place in particular we wanted to see was Hotel Belles Rives, former Villa St-Louis, summer house of so many of them… We got there, drove past it, found a parking spot, and it’s all excited that we arrived face to face with a hotel that was closed. Closed! We didn’t even know a hotel could close… But we guessed that it would only open again in March or so, when the French Riviera came back to life. Juan-les-Pins, in January, is a dead city… You see no one walking in the splendor of her streets, and hotels, restaurants and bars alike are definitely closed, waiting for sunny days to come back before they open their doors again. So we walked past the hotel, thinking that we might as well walk the streets, who knows what we could find… That is until we realized that the gate leading to the garden terrace was not locked. Careful not to be seen by anyone, we made our way in, and came face to face with a breathtaking sight. It was night time and we couldn’t see much, it was cold and humid, but for an instant, it was a usual summer day on the French Riviera during the Roaring Twenties all over again… We had a peek through the huge glass doors of the hotel, letting us see the remains of a period frozen in time, long gone but not forgotten… We then walked a little more in town, where the bars, clubs and restaurants usually burst with life… Reminding the Cuban architecture, the presence of Hemingway, who spent a lot of time in Cuba, in that city, was easily noticeable!

It may not be the Roaring Twenties anymore, but its spirit is still very alive… Looking at the city and thinking of that period I so love, I couldn’t help but think of Your Favorite Enemies… After all, everything we are, this way-over-the-top, unreal and circus-like vibe that surrounds us is not much different from what I imagine those years were like. I mean… who can say they have a family that spreads all over the world the way we have? Our family may make no sense, but it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever been given to see… 🙂

Back in Cannes, Jeff showed us around his favorite place, Le Suquet, what they call the “Old Cannes”. Narrow backstreets made of stone, where no cars are allowed, with ancient architecture… We came back to our apartment after a little while, where we shared a moment of communion, like we do every time we leave a place… Bordeaux wine, bread and cheese… To this freedom we have of simply “being”, as we are, with no constraint, and to the happiness it brings. And yes, we had to drink our wine in regular glasses… No wine glasses where we are staying! Not so typically French, but hey, the wine was good… and glasses aren’t enough to alter a moment such as this one!

It is right now 4 am as I am writing this… I am surrounded by one of the most famous snoring turbines, someone who talks while sleeping, and someone who listens to the Montreal Canadiens hockey game just a little bit too loud…

We are soon leaving for Barcelona, where we will be filming the band’s next official video clip!
More details will come very soon! 🙂

– Stephanie

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Sunday morning in Cannes, a very difficult morning! Hopefully, we had something to look forward to, as we were going to meet some of our friends for a coffee! As none of us really knew Cannes, we decided to go to a place called Barista, just beside the Morrison’s pub. So we contact everyone, and leave our apartment. Getting there, what do we realize? It’s Sunday in France, and everything is closed. This is a concept we don’t know anymore in Canada, and that we forget every time we are back in Europe! We hopefully managed to find a nearby bakery. To the guys happiness! I mean, what better food is there in France than bakery food? And we were not disappointed! But that food was only a pretext to the incredible time we have spent with those very good friends of ours! We talked about the concert, of course, but also about music in general about ourselves… It really was old friends coming together after a long time. And the tiredness we knew completely faded away. It didn’t matter anymore at all, as those discussions we’ve had  were more than uplifting!

And then, we were invited to the circus. A real circus! With animals and people doing acrobatics, young and old, a true traveling family, the traditional way. So we headed to Antibes where we entered the magical and unreal universe of the Cirque de Venise. Tigers, horses, camels, zebras, snakes and ostriches gave place to trapeze artists, contortionists and dancers.

We headed back home, shared a snack, and then it was time for something Jeff had especially been looking forward to: Super Bowl! It was broadcasted live, so we all gathered in our apartment and watched the game. A very, very disappointing game, that we didn’t even watch until the end, as we knew that there was no possible turnover in what was going on. Broncos would lose. When we went to bed, we only hoped it would be not too much of a disaster for them!

I think the first thing we did when we woke up was to go and check what the score was. Not that we expected the game to have completely turned over, but hey, we hoped that the Broncos would have gone up the hill if at lest a little! But that didn’t happen, as the game ended 43-8… Poor Jeff, it’s 2 years in a row that the team he cheers for loses…

And then, as Alex said in his “Monday Socks” post on his FB page (a tradition he started a few weeks ago and that you can read here!), today was a little peaceful time in the craziness of what the YFE madness is all about! All of us were quiet, thinking about the last days we’ve lived, the moments we shared, how inspired we’ve been by the people we’ve met, and thinking about the different moments that are ahead of us. Not that we have any ambitions for these moments, nor any expectations either… But as those moments are fuelled by the times we are sharing with you, we can’t do otherwise than be excited at the only idea of meeting some of you again, and others for the first time!

It’s right now 2:45am. Jeff has just come back from his meetings, the guys are sharing a late snack (instant noodles that they didn’t expect to be so spicy and kept choking on) before going to bed, and we enjoy that simple time, just being together, as family, gathered in a place that’s way too small for all of us together… But hey, that’s just how we like it 🙂

– Stephanie

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