We had to free days after our shows in London… We are privileged to travel around the world and meet the heart & soul of every city we visit, its people. We rarely have enough time to do anything that would even be close to sightseeing though… So we decided this was how we’d spent our 2 days off in London! Jeff had several ideas of what we could do, from the Russian Circus in Acton Town to parachute and bungee jumping, to any type of other extreme activities. They were all discarded though 😉

We first met in front of Big Ben, from where we would walk along the south bank of the Thames River. And for once, it’s been a very sunny day. A bit cold, but sunny nonetheless. We couldn’t have asked for more. The place itself was amazing, very beautiful… And Sef made sure we wouldn’t find it boring… Just by being Sef! After a few minutes walk, we came across a carousel, and after he insisted so much, we all figured our it would be less trouble to let him ride it than to try and say no… So Sef did have his long-awaited ride on the carousel (and Jeff almost felt like he was a the Russian circus he wanted to go to!). Sef also decided he would dominate the city of London by taming its wildest emblem, a fierce dragon of steel and fire… 😉

We then headed to Covent Garden, where we met with 2 more friends, and where we have witnessed a wonderful sunset, a rare sight in London 🙂 Covent Garden is a wonderful place, one that we all loved very much, and a place where we definitely will go back 🙂 we finished the night at a pub, that we weren’t much impressed with. The times we shared, however, are times we will remember forever.

The next day, we all met close to the Tower Bridge, a bridge that we all wanted to see before we’d leave, the iconic bridge of London. And we weren’t disappointed. The bridge in itself is a pure beauty, and the area that surrounds it also is! We spent the afternoon walking around, talking and laughing, taking our time to be amazed at absolutely everything that surrounded us. After a much needed coffee break at a Starbucks, we got back outside to a night view that will forever be in our minds. Looking at the other side of the river, where the thousand lights of one of the world’s most important financial district shine on us, we couldn’t help but realize how blessed we are. Not to travel the world and see its wonders, but to have memories with the ones we love that are a thousand times more beautiful than this unique night view. There lies the true treasure that we are blessed to discover a little more every time…

We finished the night at another pub, one we really enjoyed this time, where we met other people from all over the world. A last night all together that we forever will remember… Shining much brighter than the lights of any city.

We then hit the road for our next destination… As we are all going to spend a few days in Spain… We arrived in Barcelona after a very sleepy ferry ride, and witnessed on the way one of the most beautiful sunset we have ever seen… Yes, definitely, great things are ahead!

We arrived in Barcelona it was 3am. We brought all if our suitcases in our apartment, and decided to watch a movie, starting it halfway because that’s where we watched it last time, because it was a movie we have already watched… But hey, World War Z is always good, no matter when. By the time we unpacked everything, ate a little and watched the movie, it was 6am… We went to bed looking forward to what the next day would bring!

The place where we are staying in Barcelona is very lovely. Barcelona is as artistic as it gets, from it’s sidewalks, to its buildings and their architecture… Everywhere you lay your eyes is a special sight, without exception. We started the day with the noise of an orchestra that was performing outside the cathedral that is just around our house, followed by a parade of giant people, and an outdoor circus. Definitely, we would be more than satisfied by the artistic soul of this city! We had breakfast, and then headed outside, where we followed the steps of Gaudi, one of Alex’s favorite Spanish artist. We went to see La Sagrada Familia, La Pedreda, and La Casa Battló, just to name a few of his most important works… 😉

We finished the night at a local tapas restaurant, where we tried a few of the local specialities, seafood, to Ben and Moose’s displeasure… But it’s been, even for them, a very happy experience over all!

We came back home around midnight, planning the places we will see tomorrow, and watched Elysium… Another day tomorrow still waits to be defined… 🙂

– Stephanie

Today was a late morning, but not so late considering what time we all went to bed yesterday. Our bodies sure were exhausted, but last night, jet lag had nothing to do with us staying awake so late. It was all about the vivid emotions we shared at the concert at The Water Rats, and that time we spent all together at the Starbucks after. They were still too real for us to shut our minds to them and just go to sleep.

We shared breakfast, that was meant to be healthy before Jeff added his special touch to it… And we were also privileged to get some very special Welsh cakes, a gift from our dear Sue.

We were supposed to have today a phone interview with Kerrang! Magazine at 2pm. Having receive no phone call at 2:30, we called our PR in the UK, who announced us that the guy who was supposed to interview us finally had a car accident, and that the interview would be postponed. After making sure things were ok with him, we laughed at the situation. Every time we are in Europe, something seem to go bad. From the phone interview, to the ceiling falling down at The Water Rats, to the venue in France that had to be changed last minute because the original one went bankrupt… Little events that we faced with a smile, with a renewed determination to make this a moment we will remember for a lifetime despite the circumstances. And this phone interview was just another moment like this… 🙂

We left the home around 4:30, and made it to the venue around 6pm, where the team for magazine 55 pages were waiting for an interview, in which Alex and Jeff talked about how happy they were to be back in London, a place that feels like home to the band, with this unique bond they share with people through music. They also discussed the tour in Australia and in Japan, a perfect representation of that bridge music can be, despite language and distance.

Right after this was time to get the gear in the venue, a place that’s relatively small, with a stage that’s even smaller. So tiny in fact I wondered how all the gear would fit in there. But the guys, when they saw that, looked at each other with a confused look and then all started laughing, as if they had all agreed that this was a pure punk venue. It’s with a smile in their face and burst of laughter that they brought everything on the stage, at times puzzled as to where things should go. It’s when they were setting up that we learned that the sound man that was for the night couldn’t make it, forcing Matt to do the sound for the 2 other bands playing. Yes, definitely, tonight would be a very punk rock night, true essence of DIY… 😉

And the show tonight, even if it was on a tiny stage, seemed to give off even more energy than it did yesterday. Even though they could hardly move on stage, they raised the tension that was in the room to a level that had never been reached before. The energy, the interaction on stage… You could see that the band in stage enjoyed themselves just as much as we did in the crowd! Once again, it was however a bit too short! 🙂

Tomorrow is a day off, aside from a few interviews… We will see what it has in stock for us 🙂

– Stephanie

Early morning for Your Favorite Enemies. Well, early is a big word, considering we started waking up at 7:00. We’ve already done worse 😉 We all got ready slowly, and then shared breakfast all together. And that’s when the true action started. All of a sudden, it was time to load the van before leaving, time to choose what the guys would wear for the show and for the photoshoot, time to do everyone’s makeup before we leave the home, and time for all of those other last minute things we never think of before we hear “time to lock up, are you all sure you forgot nothing?”. All of this in an hour time. I am telling you, you have never seen so much action in so little time in a home before!

Then we drove to the studio where we would do the photoshoot with the Kerrang! Magazine. It took us quite a while to find the place, despite it being very close to the house we are renting! This is one more thing we have learned about the UK road system. The door numbers follow absolutely no logic. Talk about having the address 160, 159 and 157 one beside each other on one side of the street and 158 on the other side, in a back alley… So much for the usual address system. Obviously, we were looking for the missing 158… It reassured us to see that everybody else who joined us in studio also had the same problem.

The guys left for coffee, a well needed thing after such an early morning, while the studio was being prepared for the photo shoot. They came back happy, coffee in hand, ready for their photoshoot! One main concept, different variants. And we really had a blast! From start to end, it’s been a good time, filled with a lot of laughter! The studio was nothing but an empty white space, cold and humid, but it didn’t take long for the place to be filled with this vibe that is so characteristic of Your Favorite Enemies!

Came time to leave to go to the Water Rats, our venue for the night! As soon as he arrived, Alex sat down with a cup of tea in his hand. I must say I have never seen him drink so little coffee, not only on tour, but on a regular day, and I have never seen him so quiet and laid back either! Could it be the tea that’s affecting him? We unloaded all the gear, and continued with the sound check, Alex with his cup of tea. Some of you might have heard this before, but the ceiling of the venue collapsed a few days ago. And it might be because of the music that’s so loud, but the ceiling still kept falling apart while the guys did their sound check… in small pieces, but still!

By the time we emptied all the stage from our equipment and finished the sound check, there was only about 1 hour before change over. Jeff spent this time doing an interview while the other went back to the van to grab a bite before the show. Time went by fast… We were already back on stage before we knew it!

The Water Rats is a venue we played at on our very first European Tour, in 2007. So it’s almost 6 years day for day that we were here last time. We had with us people who saw us live there 6 years ago, friends we’ve met last time we were in the UK, people who saw us play for the first time tonight, and met incredible people.

It was a short set tonight, to the disappointment of many people 😉 here’s what they played:

– A View From Within
– Where Did We Lose Each Other
– Open Your Eyes
– I Just Want You To Know
– From The City To The Ocean

A show that didn’t last long enough, but that still made us go through so many different emotions. The show tonight, though only half an hour, was a voyage of 6 years, from then to now. So much has changed, but we are still the same, united as one, crazy enough to live according to our dreams when everyone and everything tells us we shouldn’t. But this is what Your Favorite Enemies’ spirit has always been about… Believing in the impossible!

– Stephanie

We landed in London yesterday! 7 of us, as this time Alex and Jeff will be joining us tomorrow morning! We all made it through the customs after a long but very uneventful wait! London welcomed us in all its splendor! Her gray dress can hardly hide the fact that it rained minutes before we got out of the airport!

We loaded the van, and thankfully this time we won’t have to jump over any suitcases to sit! The van is very similar to the one we had on our previous European tour, spacious and comfortable!

Our first stop was at McDonalds – we needed wifi, you see 😉 well, we actually really needed wifi so we could set the GPS. And the guys wanted to eat, too 🙂 I can say it was the first time we had breakfast in a McDonalds. The guys are so sure we will be back there often that they even got themselves the McDonald’s coffee loyalty card! Sorry Jeff we didn’t wait for you… That was a force majeure type of situation 😉

Our next stop was at London Drums, to pick up Moose’s cymbal. Then we went to John Henry’s.

A stop at the grocery store later, we then came home, got everything inside, and cooked dinner! The guys wanted to eat healthy on this tour, junk food is cool they said, but it’s nice to stay healthy too. And on these words, they started eating their pizzas. Yes, pizza with a s at the end, as in more than one pizza… 😉

After unsuccessful attempts at turning the TV on (yes, it’s that much different in London!), we gave up on the idea of watching a movie, and all went to bed… An early night that was very welcomed!

Sunday morning, we were joined by Jeff and Alex. Unable to sleep at all during their flight, they went to bed while we had breakfast. We then went to John Henry’s. And we met some Sunday afternoon traffic. No matter what day of the week or time of the day it is, it seems that traffic in London is a permanent thing you can’t escape.

We set up all the rehearsal studio, studio #3 this time, the same one wherefore we met Nick Cave last time we were in London, and then it was time for music!

A few hours later, we took a short break to eat a little… On the menu, instant noodles & pizza. Yes, that’s still the healthy menu 😉

And then it was time for music again, as we still had a few hours ahead of us! It was noisy, loud, sweaty. It was real. And once again, it gave me the very same feeling I have every time I see them live. It simply is surreal. Every time they put their hands on their instruments and gather around music, a miracle takes place. Life creates life, and no one can doubt that these guys are very alive!

See you guys tomorrow at The Water Rats! We will be on at 8:00pm!
328 Grays Inn Rd, London WC1X 8BZ, United Kingdom

– Stephanie

After this it was time for  Canadian beards and back tickling barnets. I didn’t recognise this band as on their videos they seem pretty clean cut, but they are quite the opposite now, it was time for Your Favorite Enemies. The 6 piece squeezed themselves on to this small stage, the drummer must have forgotten his t-shirt as he was exposing his Bull tattoo across the entire front of his body. The first song started with roaring tom hits with the singer chanting “I grew up in a storm.” The guitarist on the floor messing about with his effect pedals creating spine tingling effects. The two guitarist had some brilliant interlinking guitar lines which were extremely enjoyable to listen to.  A thing that annoyed me a bit wasn’t the band at all it was their 3 man (and woman) strong  ‘entourage’ blocking the front of the stage for pretty much the duration of the gig, standing with their cameras wedged in the bands faces.

Their massive sound bellowed into  crevice of The Hold. The singer quipped “We are from Montreal, Canada. We bring a bit of Canadian French, hair and beards and a lot of noise!” I think he hit the nail on the head. He has a fantastic voice which really was enforced by the massive sound created by the band behind him. Every member seemed really up for the gig and it was joy to behold. More cameras seemed to wangle their way in front of the stage to block the view of the audience as the set went on. The singer on their last song managed to find his way through them to serenade an unsuspecting young girl in the crowd who seemed to be extremely happy about the situation. He marched back on to the stage as the band walloped the audience with an atmospheric sign off. They received an enormous cheer as they walked off stage and deservedly so!

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