Time Slipping, Final Performances in New England

Time speeds up when the dance card is filled. I made the announcement to fellow Grau Garten members after a performance at 119 Gallery, Lowell back in August. It didn't go over so well. We'd all been finding our voice collectively, feeling where we fit in with each other. Now I change the plans.
Now in December, time is running out and I've been performing as much as possible before we depart.
Last night was a long evening at the Flandrew Flopera on Congress Street Boston. 10 sets, projections, etc. I performed solo sound second to last. Friend and projectionist Greg Kowalski accompanied me. Other sets of note were Marc Bisson in a quartet with Joshua Jefferson, Morgan the violinist, and a trumpeter I hadn't seen before, topless Dei wrapped in christmas lights with Crank Sturgeon self inflicting sneezing fits with black pepper liberally consumed. Oroboros with Dave Seidel electronics and Bill Bacon drums and flutes, Greg Kowalski doing an incredible mapping projection on the window spines in the loft. Walter Wright, Lou, and Joe Bourgio squalking, squeeking, shuttering, buzzing, moving.
The weekend prior was at the Wombat Zone in Somerville, former home to the Combat Zone punk house. The show was on the tail of a Russian party that hadn't yet concluded which meant a night of coming and going and incredibly over packed impossible enviornment. Set up was stressful and I was convinced I would leave something behind at the end of the night. But all that stress made for a great set, all of us packed into the kitchen, my speaker and Greg's projector perched on top of the refrigerator. Our set was concise, the three of us sounding off of eachother. I taped Marc's guitar to my mic'd wheel 3/4 of the way through until he was helpless in my packing tape web! Not a bad final show for the next 12 months. I have promised to return and visit and set up shows while back East in the future.
That was a long night. I dropped Greg off at home in Newburyport after 3am. Then I had another half an hour drive to get home to Kittery Point. The cold I had the previous day was raging the following morning.
Prior to that evening was our November 20th show at the Whitehaus. Eli and I had just come off a grueling bike swap trip in Dundee, MA. We drove from Dundee to Jamaica Plain where we delivered some bikes and components off at Bikes Not Bombs. From there we found the Whitehaus with help from Steve Norton. Eli and I were hours early and killed the extra time wandering the meandering streets of JP. Eventually we returned to find Steve, Greg, Marc and Dave Bacon in the living room setting up. Another great set, again consolidated into a confined space. 2/3 of the way though the set Marc Bisson was on the floor infront of my table when I became unamplified. For the remainder of the set the packing tape was flying every which way with some percussion elements.
It's an emotional time approaching our departure date, spending last evenings with friends in a performance scene unique and so rich compared to other similar scenes around the country. Something really special is happening in Northern New England and I have been so lucky to be a part of it. As I've told everybody, we will be back and Grau Garten will continue. But few and far between will be these moments. Out there in the West is another chapter in my life that has yet to begin. I know it will be rich and it will change me in some ways I am not yet aware of. I know to simply trust in the future and my will to continue growing and evolving as an artist and human.