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Count 'em.

Eight hundred and fifty-eight days.

Twenty-eight months and 5 days.

Two years, one hundred and twenty-eight days.

However you want to say it, as of today, that's how long it's been since The Kitchen Party last took the stage.

But we'll get to that later. So, what have the boys been up to during all that time? Some have gotten married, some have purchased houses, some have had kids, some are touring the world. Nobody said we weren't going to stay busy. ;)

James has relocated to Acton where he purchased a home. He acquired a familiar face to Failte faithful for a roommate in Sheldon Thomas, from The High Rollers fame, and is trying to keep the neighborhood awake on the weekends, playing with his sister Charlene, Sheldon, the infamous Steven Dunn, and Marc Butcher in a new band called "Second Wind".

Travis moved a little north of the GTA and settled in Tottenham, where he became the first KP member to enter the Real Estate market. He and his wife Karen recently gave birth to their first child, a beautiful baby boy, Cael Geoffrey Firth. Congratulations going out to The Firth's from the rest of the band!!!

Jon has been extremely busy with his original band Billy Talent, who are doing quite well for themselves, having just released their self-titled major label debut. Leading with the first single, "Try Honesty", which has been added into rotation on MTV2 and FuseTV down here in the United States, the boys are currently touring North America and Europe to promote the CD. Congrats to Jon, Ian, Ben, and Aaron! Jon also married his sweetie Alexis back in the spring of this year, which deserves another round of applause.

As for myself, Kevin, I've been spending the last two plus years getting acclimatized to the desert sun down here in Phoenix. I recently entered the housing market as well, my wife Beth and I purchased a home in Glendale, two exits down from the new hockey arena, where a Canadian boy can go watch his favorite sport. Go figure, huh? I'm also still playing music with my bud Wade Newhouse in The Woodby Jones.

Now, at first glance, it would seem that The Kitchen Party as a band simply fell of the face of the Earth since our last show, but that is not entirely true. After relocating to the States in June of 2001, I had to go through a waiting period before I was allowed to leave the country, so playing together again at that point was not an option. We actually came very close to a reunion last year, in fact I already had a plane ticket booked and shows lined up, when Lady Luck decided to frown upon us and James had a very unfortunate accident involving his hand, which basically required two surgeries and months of rehabilitation. As I'm sure you all know, use of your hands is fairly essential for a guitar player, so all plans for getting together were put on the self until James was ready to go. By the way, he has recovered 100% and is showing no ill effects (sigh of relief).

About a month and a half ago I received a call from Travis, informing me that Failte had contacted him about their upcoming 5th anniversary, and the possibility of us playing. Well, I couldn't think of a better reason for us to pull out the instruments again than to help celebrate the birth of the place that basically became our home. So, after numerous phone calls back and forth, the pieces were put in place for the first Kitchen Party reunion: October 16th, 17th, and 18th at Failte's Irish Pub in Mississauga, our old stomping grounds. And let me tell you, I couldn't be more excited!

A couple of notes about the shows: we are pleased to have "The Turbulent Eddy's" opening up for us, two local Mississauga natives you might recognize as former members of Streetsville's own Snapper. Kevin Woodburn (who doubles as our soundman, and is affectionately known as "Woody") and Brendon Brezynskie will be warming up the crowd.

Also, Jon will not be able to perform with us, as Billy Talent will be in Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and Kansas City on the 16th, 17th and 18th of October, so Mike has graciously agreed to strap on the 4 string and hold down the low end for us. Mike has been keeping himself busy as well, being the first KP Alumni to enter parenthood when he and his wife Karen brought Mark Anthony MacDonald into the world last year. If my calculations are correct, Mark will have just celebrated his first birthday, so congratulations to the little fellow and the proud parents as well!

It's been a while since we've helped you all along during a night of drinking and carousing, so we're going to cross our fingers and hope it's just like riding a bike. Well, hopefully not a really, really fast bike that crashes at the end anyways! We hope to see you all out there at Failte, it's been far too long.

I finished off my last update with lyrics from Simon And Garfunkel, this time I'll leave you with The Indigo Girls:

Back Together Again

Leaving ain’t fair you know
Parting ain’t just
People got to move on
People got to do what they must
And we’re back together again
And I’m never gonna lose you as a friend

Growing up free
Growing up wild
If you want to know the secret behind the smile
You got to ask a tuesday’s child
And we’re back together again
And I’m never gonna lose you as a friend

Well I guess that highway got a hold of me
Thinking crazy thoughts like it was going to set me free

This ain’t my place you know
This ain’t my home
And I’m not going to feel right
Til you get us back behind the microphones
And we’re back together again
And I’m never gonna lose you as a friend
No I’m never gonna lose you as a friend
No I’m never gonna lose you as a friend