I have gone to a dozen or so Coyote Run concerts, in various venues, over the last four years. I have always been entertained. I have laughed; I have cried; I have been rendered speechless (in many cases after howling my throat raw).
I have never before been heartbroken.
Two things tore at me, as I watched this show: one, a realization of just what it means that Coyote Run has been playing MarsCon for the past nine years. It means that they’ve seen toddlers become teenagers, teenagers grow to adults, adults bear children of their own. Likewise, while the CR fan base has grown with each show (the ballroom was completely packed this time!), many of the “core” MarsCon fans have been there as the band evolved from a relatively humble beginning to the powerhouse it has become. We’ve watched David Doersch guide Coyote Run through its own growing up process, if you will.
So having Coyote Run play at MarsCon isn’t just another show. It isn’t just another act. Coyote Run is family. They’ve been escorted onstage by stormtroopers, chased by zombies, and clowned around onstage; they’ve bought stuff from the dealers room and sat in the con suite for a meal and talked to people in the lobby and even attended panels on occasion. They’ve become part of MarsCon.
Having them leave is shatteringly difficult all around, not just for the fans but–clearly–for the band as well. So that was one part of the heartbreak.
The second part, and the more frustrating for me personally, is that they have come through a tremendous maturation process over the years I’ve been watching them. For example, I mentioned in a previous review (on Green Man Review) that:
the violinist, Chelle Fulk, still seems to be finding her place in the band; while she’s loosening up and being more involved with every concert, she’s still displaying a certain nervousness at times. It’s a very small flaw, and one that will easily be hurdled with experience; she has all the makings of a perfect fit for the band, and her violin and viola playing is fantastic and passionate.
Well, after this concert I can say without reservation that Chelle has not only found her place in the band, but nailed it down and locked it up. She was as alive and passionate in her physical movements as she’s always been in her violin playing, and I’ve never seen her so relaxed and happy before. It lit that whole side of the stage up.
Another example: When Doug Bischoff left the lineup, I feared that they wouldn’t be able to find anyone to match his exceptional legacy. Once again, this MarsCon concert put my worries to rest. Daniel (unfortunately I don’t recall his full name, and the web site hasn’t updated the lineup info just yet) is as talented, enthusiastic, and cheerful as anyone could wish, and adds a unique spin to the songs with his dancing. He’s a terrific addition to the group.
David Doersch has proven, over and over, that he can take a change to the lineup and turn out a dazzling revision of their playlist within a matter of weeks. The way the old songs get reworked and new songs get chosen to incorporate and showcase the specialties and talents of the new lineup is nothing short of stunning, in my opinion: and they make it all look effortless.
As a performer, David is just flat out fun to watch; he projects absolute joy in his every movement, and is excellent at using facial expressions to convey emotion. Michael, while somewhat less physically exuberant, still puts out a solidly intense, powerful vibe during performances. And Cat–well, she’s an extraordinary drummer. Watching her during “Drummer Boy” is one of the best parts of any concert, in my personal opinion!
So the second part of the heartbreak is this: that after years of watching them grow and change and mature and finally hit this point–where the entire lineup is working in absolute harmony and I’m so caught up in several of the songs that it’s a small shock to realize I’m still in a hotel room, not out tramping through a forest or sailing the seas or watching a fire burn in the hearth–at this point–they’re folding up and calling it quits.
Makes me want to screech, it really does: What, you’re stopping NOW? *insert string of expletives here*
(I get the why and the wherefore. I do. Doesn’t stop my basic reaction, but then, that’s my problem, not theirs.)
They have a handful of other concerts scheduled this year, ending with one in July at the Kimball Theatre.
Then they’re gone.
And if you don’t go to at least one of the concerts between now and July–if you miss that final July concert, which I expect to be one hellacious blowout final performance–well–
I don’t care if you live in Florida. I don’t care if it’s a pain to get to Williamsburg for the show. If you’ve seen CR in concert–which, like Fleetwood Mac, is when they’re at their best–you already know what I’m saying. And if you haven’t seen them–this is most definitely the time to make the effort.
Because if you miss out on seeing this fantastic of a show, even just once, you’re missing out on something truly unique. And that is worth a little effort–and it’s worth experiencing a little heartbreak, on realizing what we’re losing.
To Coyote Run, past and present: Thank you. I don’t have enough words in my vocabulary to adequately tell you what your music, your passion, and your dedication has meant to me over the years.
As Robert Frost noted: “Nothing gold can stay”; here’s hoping the various members of the band each move on to gloriously fulfilling careers along their separate paths–and reap in their lives a threefold return of the gold that they’ve given out to others over the years.
And I really hope they come back to MarsCon next year–just as ordinaries, if you will, so that we can all catch up over a beer or ten. 
