We came back home from China in the middle of the night between May 5th and 6th… And 24 hours later, we were hitting the road again to go to Toronto, where we would play at the CMW. It was a bit of a crazy idea to do so, as we knew that after our tour in China, we would be pretty much beaten up. But nonetheless, the CMW is a tradition, a YFE Family gathering that we love and enjoy and that we look forward to absolutely every year! And this year was no exception! We were jet lagged, and we were all sick (we still are!), but we didn’t care; this family reunion really mattered to us!

We strolled downtown a little bit, doing some vinyl shopping. Time went by very fast. The first meet & greet with everyone took place at The Ballroom, a sports bar/live venue/bowling alley. We were awaited for by people from all over Canada, from United States, and from the UK! To make it even better, the Habs game was playing on TV. In Toronto, with people we love, watching a Habs game, eating burgers. We couldn’t have made the first night anymore “Canadian” than this… 😉 It was a very simple night, a simple moment, as a family gathering should be! But these simple moments are also amongst the best ones!

And then on the next day, the band got split! Jeff had business meetings to attend all day, Moose went on a ferry trip with every one to the Toronto Islands, and Alex, Ben, Sef and Miss Isabel stayed home to rehearse for the acoustic show that would take place the day after! It’s always magic to see them rehearse, to see how much emotion they put into it, how much of themselves they actually invest in their music!

And while we were all a bit jet lagged, I heard everyone of the YFE Family had great fun singing karaoke! Lots of pictures & videos were taken… I’m sure you’ll find some of them on Facebook!

And then came the day! 2 shows, an acoustic one at Steve’s Music Store, and a full band rock one, at the Hard Rock Café! The weather was really nice, and it allowed the band to play inside the music store, to a public that was on the sidewalk. It was the very first time we ever did something like this, and it’s really been a wonderful experience! Music and sun, there’s just nothing like it. The enthusiasm of all the fans who, for most of them, had not seen the band live in over a year, added to the effervescence of Toronto’s downtown, and mixed with Your Favorite Enemies’ passion made this set one that will be remembered for a long, long time.

We then went on to the Hard Rock Café, expecting to have a soundcheck, that finally couldn’t happen. Going back there, however, brought back lots of memories, as we had played there a few years before. And being so early also allowed us to set up properly for the live broadcast that would take place on the SFCC (our fan club!), a little later… And this time, the complete show, from beginning to end, was to be broadcasted…!

And then came the gig. It is hard to actually put words on everything that happened that night. Simply put, it was a magical night. Even if I could find words, I don’t think they would really describe what that concert has been all about. It has been more than a concert. So much more than 6 individuals playing music on stage and a crowd communing together. It really was an upper room experience. In everything it may mean individually and collectively for us.

And then came the last morning… The very last morning, a special time with everyone again. Saying goodbye never gets easier. To the contrary, the more you have to say it, the harder it gets. We are so privileged to be surrounded by such quality people. Oftentimes, the simplest moments are the best ones. And this morning, it proved true once more. There is nothing like being yourself, surrounded by people you love.

– Stephanie

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