Each night as we play, people ask where we’re playing next. I rattle off a few city names or pull out my weeksheet that has all of our dates included on it. As I’ve done this, people have given us recommendations of places to go or things to do — but several people had words of caution when we mentioned Hof. “There’s nothing to do there” was the clear message from several strangers. But we were optimistic.

We rolled into Hof to play a house show run by Anna — she’s a supportive fixture of the local folk/diy/punk scene, hosting artists at her flat often. She’s a classic example of someone who doesn’t play music, but is absolutely critical to the music scene itself. One of the many people in a small town who does the unglorified work that allows both musicians and listeners to come together and have shows worth remembering.

When we arrived, she was setting up some benches in the garden behind her flat — the weather was perfect, so we would play outside tonight. Jens brought a small amplifier for the guitar and piano, and I sang unamplified, about 10 feet in front of the drums to find a good mix.

We played for about 20 people or so — friends, friends of friends, neighbors who walked down to join us, or just listened at times from their windows opened up to the garden. We played for a 4-month-old — his first concert ever. We played for a man who loves Guided By Voices and The Breeders — both bands from my hometown of Dayton. He said that Hello Emerson is the third Ohio band that he knows now — and I’m grateful to be in such good company. A man sitting in the front row mouthed along the lyrics to almost every song from the newest album. Talking to him after, I learned that he listens to our new album every morning when walking his dog.

After the show, we talked at length with Jens and Anna in the kitchen about the US and Germany, hopes and worries and everything in between. We ate home cooked food from Anna, and found soft places to sleep in the big room, with an invitation to stay as long as we needed to before leaving the next day.

For me, Hof was perfect. A reminder of good people outside of big cities who keep the first burning and the music playing. Thanks for everything, Anna.