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indie-folk for journalers
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Germany Tour Blog 3: Fast Highways and Slow Dinners

Samuel Bodary May 16, 2024

After landing in Berlin and picking up our rental car, we made our first drive to Dresden. After driving behind some trucks at around 90kph, I took my opportunity on the autobahn to push it close to 200kph, which is around 125mph. And it was smooth, both with the rental car and the borderline perfect roads, but honestly there’s no reason that anyone should be driving that fast in their normal life — not to mention how much gas that burns. So I’m finding my middle ground bouncing back and forth between living behind semi’s and passing when it makes sense, but not really going above 80 really. That doesn’t stop supercars flying by us at 125-150mph or so, but that’s their problem.

We got to Dresden and met up with Lars, the friend who is to blame for all of our excursions in Germany. He’s behind K&F Records who we’ve worked with for our records in Germany and these tours after meeting him in Columbus when his wife was doing post-doc work at OSU, around 2016/17 somehow? He got us settled into an artist’s apartment above a theater, and we caught up over ice cream. We’re both pretty clear-eyed about the state of the small-time live music industry — tl;dr it’s unsustainable for most people. We hope to at least break even this tour, but it’s always a risk, definitely even harder now than it was four years ago. But we love the music, believe in the songs, and would like to give it our best.

Lars arranged an amazing dinner at a nearby restaurant with the whole cast of Dresden friends from throughout the past years. Hanna, Hannes, Ronny, Elmer, Annette, Lars’ wife Nelie and their daughter Ani. Ani is about as old as my niece now, and I remember getting a text from Lars when they moved back to Germany, mentioning that they were with child on their flight back home. Wild how time works.

← Germany Tour Blog 4: From Instagram to Real Life in KarlsruheGermany Tour Blog 2: The Fashion Designer from France →

archive

  • 4-Track Cover
    • Dec 19, 2023 4-Track Cover | "Lua" by Bright Eyes Dec 19, 2023
    • Oct 9, 2023 notes in gratitude to The Tallest Man 
on Earth (and a cover video) Oct 9, 2023
    • Oct 2, 2023 a few thoughts on ”sun in an empty room” by the weakerthans (and a cover video) Oct 2, 2023
    • Jul 10, 2023 4-Track Cover | "Like the Wheel" by The Tallest Man on Earth Jul 10, 2023
    • Jun 5, 2023 4-Track Cover | "Nowhere" by Charlotte Cornfield Jun 5, 2023
    • May 22, 2023 Our song found its way into a NYT bestseller! May 22, 2023
    • May 11, 2023 4-Track Cover | "Hide" by The Cordial Sins May 11, 2023
    • Apr 18, 2023 4-Track Cover | "Marie" by Ben Stalets Apr 18, 2023
    • Mar 3, 2023 4-Track Cover | "Grace Cathedral Hill" by The Decemberists Mar 3, 2023
    • Feb 14, 2023 4-Track Cover | "I Needed You" by Eliza Edens Feb 14, 2023
  • Book Report
    • May 22, 2023 Our song found its way into a NYT bestseller! May 22, 2023
  • Not a Thinkpiece
    • Oct 2, 2023 a few thoughts on ”sun in an empty room” by the weakerthans (and a cover video) Oct 2, 2023
    • Sep 25, 2023 A post about our use of social media Sep 25, 2023
    • Mar 28, 2023 remembering an art project Mar 28, 2023
    • Mar 14, 2023 Go see Sweet Teeth and Xioma and Mercedes Aviles at Kafe Kerouac in Columbus on Saturday Mar 14, 2023
    • Feb 7, 2023 “Children with the Blues” comes out on February 24th — pre-save it today. Feb 7, 2023
    • Feb 1, 2023 New song on 2/24 + release show w/ Eliza Edens at Columbus' Rambling House! Feb 1, 2023
    • Jan 26, 2023 Free stickers! Jan 26, 2023
    • Jan 24, 2023 “How to Cook Everything” turns three // our plan for 2023 Jan 24, 2023
    • Nov 16, 2019 an amazing message from a stranger | a new song on friday Nov 16, 2019
    • Jan 26, 2019 three reasons i play shows | three reasons i never close them with “hallelujah” Jan 26, 2019
    • Dec 29, 2018 An open thank-you note for Ezra Furman's "42 Tenets of Songwriting" Dec 29, 2018
  • Recommendations
    • Sep 25, 2023 A post about our use of social media Sep 25, 2023
    • May 11, 2023 4-Track Cover | "Hide" by The Cordial Sins May 11, 2023
    • Mar 21, 2023 listen to these musicians in columbus, ohio Mar 21, 2023
  • Show Reflections
    • Nov 20, 2023 On local shows, modest virality, and free shipping Nov 20, 2023
    • May 2, 2023 Post Show Glow May 2, 2023
    • Mar 1, 2023 Show Reflection: Friday 2/24 at Rambling House with Eliza Edens Mar 1, 2023
  • Shows
    • Apr 12, 2024 “Folk music is just storytime for adults” Apr 12, 2024
    • Mar 29, 2024 our new album is out! Mar 29, 2024
    • Mar 12, 2024 Germany tour dates + 
Pre-save our FINAL single Mar 12, 2024
    • Sep 5, 2023 Two shows next weekend, a November retreat, and a cover video Sep 5, 2023
    • Sep 1, 2023 Don't miss this early show on Sunday, Sept. 10th Sep 1, 2023
    • Feb 23, 2023 New music comes out tomorrow... or at 5:35p on CD 9.29 FM! Feb 23, 2023
    • Feb 21, 2023 Children with the Blues comes out this Friday! Feb 21, 2023
    • Feb 7, 2023 “Children with the Blues” comes out on February 24th — pre-save it today. Feb 7, 2023
    • Feb 1, 2023 New song on 2/24 + release show w/ Eliza Edens at Columbus' Rambling House! Feb 1, 2023
    • Jul 17, 2022 Solo show on Friday 7/22 with Tall Heights at Rumba Cafe (all ages) Jul 17, 2022
    • Sep 5, 2021 shows in september! Sep 5, 2021
    • Jul 14, 2021 July shows! Wow! Jul 14, 2021
  • Song thoughts
    • Mar 29, 2024 our new album is out! Mar 29, 2024
    • Mar 15, 2024 new single and music video out now! Mar 15, 2024
    • Feb 2, 2024 Listen to “Tupperware for Glass” today! Feb 2, 2024
    • Dec 19, 2023 4-Track Cover | "Lua" by Bright Eyes Dec 19, 2023
    • Oct 2, 2023 a few thoughts on ”sun in an empty room” by the weakerthans (and a cover video) Oct 2, 2023
  • Thank-You Notes
    • Jan 7, 2020 thanks | jon weisbrot, saxophone & more Jan 7, 2020
    • Jan 6, 2020 thanks | dru batte, photography Jan 6, 2020
    • Jan 5, 2020 thanks | stephen forster, cello Jan 5, 2020
    • Jan 2, 2020 thanks | rachael keplin, viola Jan 2, 2020
    • Jan 1, 2020 thanks | devin copfer, violin Jan 1, 2020
    • Dec 16, 2019 thanks | leah anderson, violin Dec 16, 2019
    • Dec 8, 2019 thanks | corbin pratt, pedal steel Dec 8, 2019
    • Nov 16, 2019 an amazing message from a stranger | a new song on friday Nov 16, 2019
    • Jan 6, 2019 i have a friend named Tom Ebner whose name is also Nemo Bathers Jan 6, 2019
  • Tour Stories
    • Jun 1, 2024 Germany Tour Blog 15: Old Friends and New in Berlin Jun 1, 2024
    • May 29, 2024 Germany Tour Blog 13: One More Show with Husten in Kassel May 29, 2024
    • Jan 10, 2023 Feeling like public radio rockstars in Bremen / "Am I the Midwest?" live performance and interview Jan 10, 2023
    • Feb 8, 2020 Nürnberg, Customs Police, and Folk's Worst Nightmare Feb 8, 2020
    • Feb 3, 2020 Cookbook Giveaway in Vienna Feb 3, 2020
    • Feb 1, 2020 Day Three and Four: Offenbach, Thomann, and Chemnitz Feb 1, 2020
    • Jan 27, 2020 German Tour Update: arrival in Frankfurt, first show in Köln Jan 27, 2020
    • Sep 17, 2018 Closing out tour with Lilly Among Clouds Sep 17, 2018
    • Aug 31, 2018 On National Radio in Berlin Aug 31, 2018
  • Updates
    • Apr 12, 2024 “Folk music is just storytime for adults” Apr 12, 2024
    • Mar 29, 2024 our new album is out! Mar 29, 2024
    • Mar 15, 2024 new single and music video out now! Mar 15, 2024
    • Mar 12, 2024 Germany tour dates + 
Pre-save our FINAL single Mar 12, 2024
    • Feb 23, 2024 new single (+ my favorite music video ever) Feb 23, 2024
    • Feb 5, 2024 new full length on 3/29/2024 via Anyway Records Feb 5, 2024
    • Feb 2, 2024 Listen to “Tupperware for Glass” today! Feb 2, 2024
    • Nov 20, 2023 On local shows, modest virality, and free shipping Nov 20, 2023
    • Sep 25, 2023 A post about our use of social media Sep 25, 2023
    • Jan 26, 2023 Free stickers! Jan 26, 2023
    • Jan 18, 2023 GCAC artist fund grant applications due february 1st! Jan 18, 2023
  • Videos
    • Mar 15, 2024 new single and music video out now! Mar 15, 2024
    • Feb 23, 2024 new single (+ my favorite music video ever) Feb 23, 2024
    • Feb 2, 2024 Listen to “Tupperware for Glass” today! Feb 2, 2024
    • Sep 5, 2023 Two shows next weekend, a November retreat, and a cover video Sep 5, 2023
    • May 11, 2023 4-Track Cover | "Hide" by The Cordial Sins May 11, 2023
    • May 4, 2023 Official Music Video for "Forever Stamps" May 4, 2023
    • Mar 16, 2023 Official Music Video for "Children with the Blues" out now! Mar 16, 2023
    • Mar 9, 2023 Listen to a song about stamps for Gems in the Rough 2023! Mar 9, 2023
    • Mar 8, 2023 Listen to a brand new song for NPR's Tiny Desk Contest! Mar 8, 2023
  • listicle
    • Jan 26, 2019 three reasons i play shows | three reasons i never close them with “hallelujah” Jan 26, 2019
    • Oct 19, 2018 Hello Listicle: Three reasons to listen to the Roof Dogs and three reasons to avoid lukewarm coffee Oct 19, 2018

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