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Webster defines “FRIEND” as:

¹Friend : Pronunciation: \ˈfrend\ Function: noun

1 a : one attached to another by affection or esteem b : acquaintance
2 a : one that is not hostile b : one that is of the same nation, party, or group
3 : one that favors or promotes something (as a charity)
4 : a favored companion

Marshall Thompson embodied every aspect of this definition both in his life and actions.  I had the pleasure of calling Marshall a friend…in fact one of my oldest friends at that.  We first met at age 5 at Canal Woods where we swam on the swim team together for 10yrs.  We spent our summers reeking havoc on the Salisbury community.  As we grew older I  used to call him out in front of mutual friends by starting convos like “hey Marshall remember the time we used to wear Speedos with tiger paws on the ass”…that always brought out one of his infamous smiles.  Which looking back I’d have to say is his dominate trait…the kind of smiles that say 1000 words and yet still nothing at the same time….absolutely contagious.

There are many different flavors of friends in life, as I am sure you have a mixed bag yourself.  Marshall was a unique brand which I like to refer to as a shooting star.  His life bloomed at an early age and his energy was felt like a fleeting comet shooting across a star lit sky.  It’s hard to know this at the time, but retrospectively it’s impossible to deny.  It’s this personal characteristic that makes his memories that much more special…my only regret was I never got a chance to say goodbye.

Dealing with the death of a friend is something no one can truly be prepared for.  In the days following Marshall’s untimely passing his close friend Brian Johnston decided to immortalize his birthday.  It gives me great pleasure to announce that this October 10th 2009 Brian Johnston accompanied by the CKC United crew will be hosting a one day mini pig roast/music festival to celebrate the life of this shooting star, Marshall Thompson.  Musical acts include Damn Wrong! (Feat. Ian McGuire on Keys), Sonkin (Seclusiasis), Segway, Beam and Deam (Feat. Tommy Bradel), Sonic Spank (Ian McGuire and Ben Karp).

We at F5F were lucky enough to catch up with the host himself, Brian Johnston, to get a lil’ inside scoop on what exactly he has in store for us…. 

[F5F]  When did this idea first take flight?

[BJ]  I knew we had to throw a party to celebrate Marshall’s life. There was no way we could not have a party for the guy. Marshall loved spending time with his family and friends. He loved music and he loved knocking back a few Natty Boh’s. It was simple really. Take all of that and throw in a 130 lb. pig and you have what seems to be the only logical way to remember one of our best friends. I enlisted the help of some of Marshall’s friends and fellow CKC United members to help in the planning and production. And the wheels were set in motion.

[F5F]  Off the top of your head, is there a particular Marshall moment you hold particularly close to your heart?

[BJ]  It is hard to forget any of the moments that were spent with Marshall. He was always on his A game. His cleverness is something that I will never forgot. No matter what you were talking about with him, he always had a quick and clever response. It was nearly impossible to not be smiling and laughing when spending time with Marshall. He was a great friend to many people. 

[F5F]  Give us the 411 on this Pig Roast…a lil’ inside scoop on what to expect and any surprises up your sleeve?!

[BJ]   Well Marshall was a big part of the CKC United, so i found it only fitting that we donate all the proceeds from the Pig Roast to the CKC United. I guess this is perfect timing for a shameless plug: http://www.ckcunited.org. The Pig Roast itself is going to be a fun day outside with friends, family, homemade food and excellent music. The farm is great. It has a stage built off the side of a barn! The artists are very excited to be playing, as everyone of them has performed for Marshall at some point. I am excited to have as many friends and family members together as possible to enjoy what is guaranteed to be a special day. I look forward to seeing everyone.  Also a very special SUPER GROUP JAM is in the works so be prepared for something really special!

The party will be held on a small farm out in Sykesville, MD. Thanks to Lauren and Sean. A very cool place and rather intimate. The gates for the event will open at noon on Saturday October 10. The music will start at 2pm and go until about 10pm. Then after the music there is a bonfire pit and what not for everyone to hang out and party. Camping is available but limited on space. The price for the event is 32.50 in advance and 40 at the gate. PROCEEDS FROM THE EVENT WILL BENEFIT THE CKC UNITED .

..:: Tickets Include ::..

FOOD:
Pigs will start cooking around 6am that morning so come hungry. All food is going to be prepared by Double A, Brian Walsh and Matt Felice. None of that store bought garbage for this event. We are going top notch. We will have one huge pig, two types of ribs, two types of chicken, cole slaw, potato salad, baked beans, corn on the cob, corn bread and a whole boat load of the worlds best BBQ sauce prepared by Brian Walsh himself.

MUSIC BY:
Damn Wrong! (Feat. Ian McGuire on Keys)
Sonkin (Seclusiasis)
Segway
Beam and Deam (Feat. Tommy Bradel)
Sonic Spank (Ian McGuire and Ben Karp)

CAMPING:
Camping space is somewhat limited, depending on the number of guest who plan on staying the night and camping. Try to keep camping gear to a minimum. Try to share a tent with friends. Leave the EZ-UPS at home for this one as we will be hanging out in front of the stage or the grill all day.

PARKING:
As stated before space is somewhat limited. Please do your best to carpool with other friends.

TICKETS:
Tickets are going to all will call. You can paypal your money to brianjohnston1981@yahoo.com. Be sure to include all your information.

Also our boy Sol Montoya will be filming the event. So make sure to smile.

The event is BYOB and is 21+. NO EXCEPTIONS!! The event is also semi-private. We will not tolerate the festival mentality at this event. I think this is self explanatory.

And now a very special message from the CKC United crew…

The Marshall Thompson Birthday Pig Roast Fundraiser is as green of an event as we can possibly make it. Not only will we be using biodegradable paper products and recycling every can and bottle, CKC United will also be collecting used consumer electronics. Your used electronics will be recycled in accordance with EPA regulations or refurbished and sold. 100% of the proceeds will help fund CKC United. We are simply asking you to protect the environment by donating your used cell phones, ink jets, laptop / notebook computers, iPods, digital cameras, & digital video cameras (no accessories please).

We greatly appreciate your support and look forward to a wonderful event!!

Best Regards,
CKC United