Why I wore my library name tag at a sold-out show.

I wore my library name tag on stage at a show last weekend.

As I put it on, I talked about the deep cuts that the Ohio House was proposing to our nationally-renowned public libraries. And I invited the crowd to do something about it.

The absolute roar of three hundred people stuffed into a venue is not something many people get to stand in front of. But that’s what I experienced. All before I sang a note.

We care about our libraries. We care about our music. We care about each other.

Deep thanks to Doc Robinson for the invitation to open up the night. Deep thanks to George Barrie ripping a guitar solo over a Daniel Johnston cover at the end of the set. Deep thanks to Woodlands for hosting. And deep thanks to the sold out crowd whose attention offered us “pin-drop” moments of pure attentiveness and great conversations after (many about the library).

The latest update on the library funding fight in Ohio is below. I’m wishing you well. Take action using the kit here.

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The Ohio House is still defunding your libraries, they are just think that Ohioans are too stupid to read the fine print.

They did this by reinstating the Public Library Fund, but changing the most important part of it — how it’s actually funded.

Instead of funding it with a percentage from our General Revenue protected by law — how it’s been for a literal century — they decided that they will personally fill it each budget cycle. This cycle, they’re offering a $90 million cut — and if they get this through, they can easily cut more in the following years.

Unfortunately, they did forget that they represent Ohioans who are used to being underestimated. And frankly, they are scared of the thousands of calls and emails that have flooded their offices and threatened their reelections.

So, the budget proposal now goes to the Ohio Senate. Time to call your senator. Tell them that the House’s false promise doesn’t fool you. Tell them how much your libraries mean to you. And tell them that you are reading the fine print — we want 1.75% going to the Public Library Fund. Find your representatives here.

Midwesterners are nice. We are not stupid. And we love our libraries.

Germany Tour Blog 21: Coming Back Home

In short, we packed things up and made our way back home. We drove to Berlin. We waited in lines. We got on the plane. We waited in our seats. We got to Iceland. We waited in lines. We got on the plane. We waited in our seats. We got to Detroit. We got to my Aunt Jenny, and back into our car. We drove all the way back to Columbus, after stopping at Taco Bell. I dropped off Dan, then Jack, then me — falling into bed about 22 hours after waking up in Dresden that morning.

There are a lot of things to be thankful for. No health emergencies or accidents, no getting stranded in strange places. Always people to play to, old friends to see, new friends to make.

People are the main story of this tour — I suppose they always are. People who offered us food, drink, and a place to sleep. People who sang along to our songs, and traveled from far and wide to come see us. People who have seen us on old tours before, and people who became fans after seeing us by accident. People who gave us recommendations on places to see, things to do, and food to eat.

Music at our level doesn’t happen without people going out of their way to support it. I don’t take it lightly. And I’m coming home more inspired than ever to invest time, care, and attention in fostering our own music culture here in Columbus. I’m more energized than ever to host bands from out of town, pull together shows, and give artists a great crowd of attentive listeners who deeply care about songs. I am lucky enough to have eight years and three albums with this band — and even luckier that our music has found a remarkable group of listeners who are thoughtful, attentive, patient, and so open to hearing new music.

So, I’m home now in Columbus. I’m working at my library. And I’m going to sponge up as much writing, art, and music as I can.

See you around town,

Sam

Germany Tour Blog 20: Saying Our Goodbyes in Dresden

Our last show was in Dresden — our second hometown — at the Blue Note. I met up with Elmer from Hometown Caravan to settle up before the show, cash stacked up on the table like we were up to no good. We paid off the plane tickets, the rental car, and then split up merch. After all of that, we were essentially sitting at zero — all of our profits on top from this tour would come from that last show.

Our friend and host Flo from Berlin made the trip to come see us play. We finally me Helen in person who booked out most of the tour (and provided support several times when we were in small jams). We got to see Mario and Hanna from K&F one last time to have an excuse to stay out late.

Two folks, Mario and Alessandra, found our music through our journaling videos on Instagram and flew from Italy to see the show — that’s absolutely humbling and amazing. Jack played piano on a song with Jens — amazing. And Mirko, Johannes, and Katie (the whole staff working the venue) bought records.

We sold every single copy of the new LP that we brought in our little car that night. We cleared 400 euros in donations, and another 400 in merch. It was the most lucrative night on tour, and I think my personal favorite show.

After, I could bask in some happiness, appreciate a long tour completed, fancy cocktail in one hand from Johannes, and döner in the other from a kebab shop down the street.

As tired as I was, I didn’t want to leave. We talked on the curb for longer than we should have. I would sleep on the plane tomorrow.

Germany Tour Blog 19: Old Friends in Langenberg with Garda

KGB at Langenberg was the last show that we played on our 2020 tour, just a few weeks before covid became reality and touring became a long lost dream. They are good people in this little town, and a beautiful venue in a converted rail yard with great sound, lights, and listeners.

This was one of our last chances to see some of our best friends — and meet a few others who play with them in Garda.

I can’t recommend listening to Garda enough — they feel like an alternate reality version of The National from Germany — maybe a bit more on the singer-songwriter side, but still creating these big swarming soundscapes and dynamics that swell and pop and dissolve back down into just a voice and acoustic guitar.

We were treated to two special collaborators on our set — Filip plays violin in Garda and joined us to play fiddle during “Ohio.” Thousands of miles away, it felt just like a laid back session with friends. Gunnar also stopped by the show; he ran sound for Lilly Among Clouds when we opened for them on a string of dates during an older tour, and he asked if he could run sound again for old times sake! He got behind the board, and it was the best sounding set all tour (at least in my opinion).

We had some hangs outside the hotel, breakfast together, and said our goodbyes. I’ll be missing them for a long time.

Germany Tour Blog 18: Time to Reflect in Hamburg

Tours at our level are impossible without the kindness of strangers. Friends of friends are drawn together by a love for and belief in songs, supporting the artists traveling far from home for weeks at a time with food, a place to sleep, and a stage (or at least a space to put an amp).

We spent part of our day off getting lunch with Dave in Hamburg at his wife’s restaurant. The food was incredible, the people lovely, and his dog adorably alternating between lounging with us and chasing away pigeons.

Dave had a few things to say about music that resonated with me. He talked about writing some songs “for the sky.” Meaning, some of the songs that we play and write actually aren’t for other people. They don’t need to be recorded and released, they act as signposts leading us to the next thing — enjoyable in and of themselves without anything else required of them.

He talked about piggybacking — a songwriting strategy where you write a new harmony vocal line to a favorite song, then remove the original melody and chords. You begin anew with just the harmony vocal line, and build an entirely new song around it as the foundation.

He talked about finding an approach to music that works for you as an individual — something that shifts and changes over time. He spent years working odd jobs and limiting his economic needs to ensure that he had enough time and space to make the art he needed to make. And some of that time must be empty — time spent being bored, listening to the birds, reading a book, seeing a movie, being open to the world and breathing in the fuel that inspires songs.

After lunch, we met our hosts Anton and Joey. They moved into a new flat about three weeks ago, which made it all the more generous of them to host us. Joey shared that they moved into it knowing that they wanted to be able to share the extra space with friends and musicians passing through — they both have such a laid back spirit of generosity.

We picked up some döner and shared it around the kitchen table, having a few beers and talking music. Anton shared a bit of his playing, and a bit of his dad’s music as well.

It was a perfect day.

Germany Tour Blog 17: Running Around Lübeck

I was overly ambitious about maintaining my personal habits while on tour. I had this idea that I’d run most mornings, keep up with my journaling, and maintain the same foundational rhythms of life at home. I ran for the first few days, but lost the thread after that. Lübeck was my redemption run.

Lübeck is a small tourist town in Northern Germany. It has a sort of northeast US feel — lots of picturesque shops and high prices (at least from what I could see). The inner part of the town is surrounded by water — a river runs up to the town, then splits to encircle it. The cutest.

We had played at the venue before — Tonfink — and had meet Carolin behind the bar before. She’s sweet as can be and made sure we had some good warm curry to eat just like last time (both Dan and I had particularly fond memories of it). Last time we played, it was winter and folks were huddled inside the warm bar. It was packed. This time, the weather was beautiful. So, a few folks joined us inside, but more sat just outside the window, soaking in the breeze coming through the narrow streets. Paul and Otto manned the bar, offering a few special shots throughout the night — and serving some of Carolin’s amazing chocolate cake.

During a sweet moment, a woman poked her head inside after we finished a song — she had been sitting outside, and her friends were listening to the performance. She asked the name of the song, then returned back outside to share with her table. Even if the room felt sparse, the donations flowed, and it was a good night.

The next morning, the weather was crisp, I had slept well, and I wanted to see more of this little town. So, I followed the path next to the river that encircled the town for about four miles to get right back where I started. I saw folks sitting by the river with their laptops, kayaking through the water in pairs, walking their dogs, and doing their groceries. I looked forward to finding my rhythm at home again on the other side of tour.

Germany Tour Blog 16: St. Pauli Til I Die

Part of tour is being willing and open to the unexpected. We played a nice little set at Knust in Hamburg — but Hanna from K&F said that her friend was going to come and see the show. I noticed a slim man with wild dark hair watching in the middle, nodding along. This turned out to be her friend Dave Doughman

He grew up in rural Ohio, and moved to Dayton (my hometown) after falling in love with records by Brainiac and the Pixies. He quickly fell into the scene as an engineer, then as an artist himself. He makes music under the name Swearing at Motorists, and he toured with some of our personal songwriting heroes during his time signed to Secretly Canadian. But, to keep this from sounding like a resume, I’ll just say this: he’s full of stories, love for songs and songwriting, and a bounding enthusiasm for supporting artists and art in the middle of a chaotic world.

After the show, he made us an offer we couldn’t refuse: “want to come see my recording studio in the football stadium 5 minutes away?”

And all the sudden, we were walking on the field. 30,000 people gather there every game, and they had just finished a winning season — they would be moving up to the Bundesliga next year due to their success, and he described the city as collectively sleeping off a hangover from the massive celebrations. Just two days prior, he had played for a crowd of 50,000 revelers — “St. Pauli Til I Die” was the hook.

And then we were in the studio overlooking the field as artists pained “water is life” on the field, while phrases like “no human is illegal” and “no football for fascists” adorn the stadium. Even during losing seasons, they stood for the right things — this is what made Dave such a fan of the club over his past 20 years in the country, eventually finding work there.

As part of his job with the club, he teaches music lessons to kids in the space overlooking the field. I kept looking at our night’s host Andre, a fan of the club, as if to ask, “is this as cool as I think it is?” His eyes would meet mine as if to say, “absolutely.”

Germany Tour Blog 15: Old Friends and New in Berlin

This is our fourth Germany tour, and it is a gift to see familiar faces from past shows smiling back at us, almost wherever we go. In Berlin, we brought together several little communities from our different worlds into one picturesque little show.

We played at a biergarten on a little island in the middle of a river running through the city. It was out of a movie, with people out on kayaks and boats going through the water as the day winded down into a sunset shining through the leafy trees. We couldn’t drive our car onto the island, so Robin at the venue helped us load our stuff onto a golf cart to set up and soundcheck.

We caught up with our Ohio friend Michelle(an artist friend who made some early album art for us and lives in Berlin now) and met her community of friends excited to see the set. We saw German friends who went to previous shows in Dresden and Berlin and elsewhere. And we played for new strangers and made a few friends both behind the bar and at the little tables.

The weather was perfect, and didn’t get too cold after sunset either. We got some Turkish food after the show — and I had kokoreç for the first time (described to me as “drunk comfort sandwich” consisting of chopped lamb intestines and organs, seasoned to perfection and cooked on a grill). I wasn’t drunk, but it was still perfect.

We spent our morning with our host and friend Flo having coffee and breakfast in his flat alongside the long ambling conversations that always seem to happen in the kitchen after a show. He played in a hardcore band for a while, and now does design consulting work — still finding time to host bands or go out to shows. He’s an absolute gem with a killer record collection — not to mention some of the best coffee we’ve had on tour. He’s a joy to see again.

Germany Tour Blog 14: Our Second Family in Dresden

The only reason that we tour in Germany is because I made a friend in Columbus almost a decade ago. Lars was in Columbus while his partner Nelie was doing post-doc work with researchers at OSU. And at the very beginning of Hello Emerson, I got an email from someone putting together show — they said that a German band called “The Gentle Lurch” was going to play at Kafe Kerouac, and that our music might be good to open.

I listened to it and was blown away by Lars’ writing. We opened the show, and I remember being absolutely captivated by it — even in a room as small as Kerouac. We hit it off, and he came to our first cassette release soon after. And then we made it a bit of a habit to meet up at Dick’s Den for a drink from time to time.

Now, I have a new little family of kind, creative, and joyful folks in Dresden. And that night, we all met up at Lars and Nelie’s flat for a big “family” dinner.

This was my happiest moment thus far on tour, and it was maybe the simplest. Just good friends, gathered around a table with food and drink, good music on the stereo, and gratefulness in the air. We played a game a charades with their daughter, Ani, which helped us learn some more German vocab just as much as it helped her learn some English vocab. We strummed some folk instruments that we didn’t really know how to play. We told stories and jokes and helped ourselves to seconds. I didn’t take many photos — but I think the ones that I did take captures the energy.

There are many reasons not to go on tour as an independent indie-folk band. It can be unhealthy, destabilizing, financially damaging, isolating, and difficult. But it can also be life-affirming, illuminating, surprising, elating, and full of so much love. I’ve felt both extremes across our four tours over here. But I’ve never felt more love than this moment, this night, with these people.

Germany Tour Blog 13: One More Show with Husten in Kassel

photo by Thorsten Domeyer

I love iteration. First drafts, second chances, repeated attempts at making something special and ephemeral. I’ve gotten more comfortable with accepting our records the way they are, even the first recordings when we were just figuring out the basics. They represent earnest attempts at meeting the moment with the skills I had at the time and the friends who offered theirs as well.

Tour offers another chance at this; playing a different show every night, trying out new setlists, new transitions, and new approaches to songs. A bigger room may offer possibilities to bring an entirely different set than a small room — same with audiences.

This is a rambling way to say that each night, we get a new chance to find the intersection between where the audience is, what the venue can accommodate, and where our songs can take the night. It’s a delicate balance, but after eight years or so, we have enough songs that work live to give us plenty of options.

At Kassel, we played a lean support set that I was really proud of. I love a short, 25 minute opportunity to surprise people, demand attention, and dip. I love short sets like this just as much as the longer ones. All killer, no filler, etc etc.

photo by thorsten domeyer

We spent the night in a hotel room with bunk beds. Being in a band is also just being grown men having sleepovers, watching a German dub of Airplane 2 on the television. Not everything is so heady — and those jokes transfer even without subtitles.