Old-Time Meets Field Rock: Tahlsound Night One
The Local Honeys/Derek Spencer
at Tahlsound
April 24, 2022
Sun-speckled and warmed by the early part of her set, Montana Hobbs leaned into the mic and said, “If you’re in walking or biking distance to this thing, I’m jealous— ‘cause I drove an hour and fifteen minutes to get here!!”
As far as I’m concerned, catching a buzz at Tahlsound was the perfect ending to a perfect day. Golden hour, late April in Kentucky. Slight breeze, high of 83. Packed up a picnic and the kiddo and headed a couple miles up the street to the Oleika Temple Great Lawn, aka “that little field that’s behind the Supermercado and Shriner’s on Southland Drive.” If you don’t know what I’m talking about…Tahlsound would put it on the map for you, too!
A few years ago, Tahlsound started as a three day festival. In recent years, they spread it out over the whole summer, one Sunday evening a month. A musical gathering like this is just perfect for a Sunday night, and each event is brought together by a certain theme.
The latest concert was centered on Appalachian songwriting, with Derek Spencer and The Local Honeys (fronted by Linda Jean Stokley and Montana Hobbs) featured. It’s a good pairing: all these artists write story-songs about the culture of the Appalachia region, for sure—but their creative phrasing and perspective on unique family experiences, as well as rich, imaginative scenarios, are what keep me coming back to hear more.
Gates for the show opened at 5, so I showed up around 5:30 to get a nice spot. Music started right at 6, with Derek Spencer opening up the night.
Once I heard Lexington referred to as ‘the foothills of Appalachia’ which in my opinion feels a bit too much like riding coattails—and also straight up false, we’re not even considered in the same geographic region—Fayette Co. being strongly ‘Bluegrass’ and Estill and Lee counties (whence the aforementioned musicians hail) are situated in the Appalachian Plateau. Tangential info—oops! But: As a Kentucky native, I think these matters of geography are important. Incredibly diverse state we live in here: even if it gets flattened out to Horses-Bourbon-Fried Chicken around the world. What point am I trying to make??
There are just about 9 gagillion oodles of songwriters and musicians that grow like *Digitaria ischaemum* in the rich music-making history of this region, and you’d do well to listen to what they have to play.
(Source: ecologicalregions.info)
Derek Spencer, ballad belter. Photo by Chris Reynolds.
Derek Spencer at Tahlsound. Photo by Chris Reynolds.
Derek Spencer sings folk stories with a solid, low-range voice, playing a very mellow acoustic guitar to carry the rhythm. Some of his songs are ghost stories, murder ballads, or romantic epics—others are more personal. I love the fairy-tale way of Derek’s song writing—the fantastic themes and lyrics that feel like full-color illustrations in a story book: old-timey and old-world. There was lots of socializing going on during Spencer’s set, but those listening in won the pleasure of some real laundry-airing ballads in addition to his fairy tales. Derek told the story of each song in turn, about love gained or lost, cherishing a family member, or childhood memory. A stand-out tune for me was “Drop Me Off, Ronnie,” intro’d with the explanation that Spencer’s family is very religious and over the years he has grappled with that religious raising. The chorus refrain is a zinger (hope I caught it right): I’m not going down to ask for God’s forgiveness, but to offer him mine.”
Montana Hobbs of the Local Honeys, Queen of Stage Banter. Photo by Chris Reynolds.
Tickets for Tahlsound concerts are Pay-What-You-Can and Bring-Your-Own-Chair, but packages that include a table, 6 admission tickets, and a commemorative poster are available!
During the show, I took some time to wander the Tahlsound field, eavesdrop on your conversations, and snap some pictures of my family enjoying our picnic in the golden hour. The field was comfortably full of folks of all ages, but not too crowed. Tahlsound has a wholesome and laid-back atmosphere, as if we were just gathering in someone’s yard. It essentially is someone’s backyard, and so I was pleased that the modest PA system kept things quieter than a typical music festival. The Honeys and Derek Spencer are fairly acoustic acts anyway, so I’m interested to see if things get a bit louder for more electrified acts later in the summer. Toward the back of the field were the food trucks/tents and the Tahlsound Kids’ area with some creative activities, streamers, and frisbees. I liked having one option each for food (Rolling Oven), sweets (Sav’s Chill), and beer (West 6th). This encourages picnic-style eating, as well as purchasing food from the grocers on Southland Drive (Good Foods Co-Op, Critchfield Meats, or Aguascalientes).
The Local Honey’s jamming. Chris Reynolds taking photos.
Linda Jean Stokley and Montana Hobbs. Photo by Chris Reynolds.
I first saw The Local Honeys perform about seven years ago at the Niles Center for American Music at the University of Kentucky. Montana and Linda Jean have played mostly as a duo since then, but during the pandemic they ‘got bored and wanted to start a band,’ as Montana put it on Sunday night. “It’s like being 14 again!” she joked. The band suits them, and takes their modern Appalachian old-time sound into a stronger and edgier realm. The full outfit also gives Linda Jean the chance to shine on harmonium. That’s not an instrument you see everyday, and the gravelly organ sound adds grit as well as beauty. Fiddle or guitar are covered by Don Rogers, a prolific musician and songwriter on his own. The Honey’s have played songs Don wrote (“I’m a Kentuckian”, “First Church of God”) before he started playing with them. Josh Nolan (also a great songwriter and imaginative musical artist!) plays electric guitar, Logan Miller on bass, and Zachary Martin on drums. All together, the Local Honeys sextet rolls up rock with roots, fiery licks with personality, and old-time hospitality with girl-power attitude.
That’s what really keeps you coming back to see the Local Honeys live: the interplay of their instruments, the perfect vocal harmony, and their sharp wit, both lyrically and in stage banter. Stokley and Montana have two of the most beautiful voices I’ve heard, and their vocal and instrumental harmony is perfect. Safe to say I’ve caught the buzz!
Linda Jean Stokley plays harmonium, or “Floorgan.” Photo by Chris Reynolds.
Overall—April’s Tahlsound night was excellently programmed and wonderful to attend. I loved bringing my 1-year-old to see some live music and not feel like I was bringing a baby to a bar. Tahlsound was for sure family-friendly, but not in a ‘catering to kids’ way that can be off-putting for adults and turn an event into a kid-fest. I liked drinking West Sixth Cerveza and savoring Sav’s cinnamon ice cream, in perfect late-Spring weather. And I loved hearing great music in my own neighborhood, sitting on a blanket in the bluegrass.
The next Tahlsound event is May 22 with Magnolia Boulevard and The Jenkins Twins. You can reserve your Pay-What-You-Can Ticket here. Listen to tunes from The Local Honeys and Derek Spencer on streaming services, and buy some merch if ya like it!
Elizabeth Varnado is a musician and writer living in Lexington, KY. She writes music on her own and as a member of the band Lylak. She is currently pursuing a PhD in ethnomusicology at the University of Kentucky, with research focusing on live music and music festivals.