I'm traveling this week, off to Hamilton, ON for the annual Hamilton Music Awards and Conference, which I have been attending since 2007. It's a fun, music-filled event that I have the distinct honour of being an invited participant, MC'ing, guest speaking, introducing bands, that kind of stuff. I really enjoy these yearly visits. But this year, there's a fly in the ointment. One of the gigs I was looking forward to for several months is happening, of course, exactly when I go away.

It's not, you know, U2 (I missed that one too, because somebody's sister decided that was the perfect day for a wedding....), but it's a show I wanted to attend because the group doesn't do that many, and I've never seen them. The band in question is Moncton's Great Balancing Act. Festival-goers from the past summers will know that they have become one of the in-demand local groups at some of the outdoor events, because of their fun, birthday party atmosphere. But the members all have so many other projects on the go, it's hard to catch them.

Nina Khosla, for instance, has that other group of hers, Lovestorm, going great guns. JP Morin is always cooking up some other groove in film/art/animation/more art. And Sara Parks has that whole little Ph.D. in something to do with obscure sources of The Bible to finish up at McGill. She ain't even in the province. Gigs, they are rare.

So, this little tour of New Brunswick was finally going to be my chance to catch the fun-filled, Seuss-meets-Devo-inspired group on stage. It's not to be. When they are in Fredericton on Thursday night, Nov. 17, at the Charlotte St. Arts Centre, I'll be in Hamilton. Same thing Friday, when they role into the Bistro in Petit-Rocher. And that house concert in Moncton Saturday, same deal. Don't get caught, like me. Check the band's website, www.greatbalancingact.ca to get the details.

Oh, and website hints/internet rumours suggest the trio may soon become a quartet. Watch out for some of that action on at least one tour date.