In May at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, the resurrected Wilko played with a different, equally brilliant sort of joy than at those "farewell" gigs.
Soon after, Campbell, now 78, co-wrote and recorded his final song, the recently released "I'm Not Gonna Miss You". But it's ultimately another song — the opener for those farewell concerts, "Gentle on My Mind" — and the tenderly sung lyrics "It's knowing I'm not shackled by forgotten words and bonds" that deliver a truly touching poignancy.
All those farewells — it was emotionally exhausting.
The Italian forward Carlos Nieto is among those saying farewell, Saracens having confirmed the 31-year-old prop will be playing for them next season.
A few blocks away, children in school uniforms were among those saying farewell to Felix Cash Lopez, who soon would have turned 18.
During the videos of those bidding farewell, Ian tried to make nice and Dan said he respected him and hoped there were "no hard feelings".
Even by those standards, however, the Farewell Address was special.
When those students read the Farewell Address, the whole address, they are surprised.
And when, weeks later, we gathered again at the house to say those formal farewells, I went up to your study looking for "Leaves of Grass" and found, instead, your orderly desk, unused, your manuscripts neatly stacked, the framed photographs of your girls, and, like a private message from Whitman, who saw things whole, the small dried body of a mouse.
And though those were farewells for a few months, and though we are past the days enumerated on that construction paper calendar, I do hope and believe I have not said goodbye to the Five Week Adventure.
Dickens is the early model of all kinds of later public fame, and so it seems fitting that he originated all those rock-star farewell tours that have followed.
