David Helmers Talks 250LEX’s Month Of Music And Expanding Kentucky’s Music Scene
Concerts continue through the end of April
By Matt Wickstrom
Music and the literary arts have always been integral to the City of Lexington’s identity, and this month officials are shining a light on that legacy as part of 250LEX, the year-long celebration of the city’s semi-quincentennial.
The spotlight comes during 250LEX’s Month of Music, which has resulted in instruments and voices of all kinds booming from barrooms, clubs, parks and other venues around town like a musical spring blossom. In total, there’s over 70 shows officially under the Month of Music banner, ranging from Tyler Childers at Kroger Field to Brit Taylor at 2 Fisted Willies and Nappy Roots at the Lyric Theatre.
“Some of those we booked, curated and set up ourselves, and others were existing shows that we thought it was worth calling attention to,” explains David Helmers, a co-founder of Railbird Festival who curated the Month of Music roster. “It also shows the scale and diversity of the offerings that are out there. We definitely added to the calendar this month, but the other thing that was so exciting about this was there’s always stuff going on every month, not just during this month of music. May, June and the remaining nine months are just as busy.”
On that note, Helmers sees the month-long lineup of entertainment as a vehicle to get folks who may not engage with the local live music community much to get their feet wet, and perhaps discover a new artist, bar or friend group they wouldn’t have otherwise. As a result, many of the shows including Luther Dickinson at The Burl (4/18), Ben Sollee at Al’s Bar (4/30), and the aforementioned Brit Taylor and Nappy Roots concerts are free to attend, further breaking down a barrier to entry that may keep people on the fence from making it out.
“While you or I might be very familiar with The Green Lantern or Al’s Bar or The Burl, we also wanted to have free shows at all those places for that segment of Lexington who’s never been to them,” says Helmers. “From a macro perspective the idea was something for everyone all over town. Let’s tell the story of all the different kinds of places you can see music, from small rooms like The Fishtank and 2 Fisted Willies up to Rupp Arena and Kroger Field.
It’s also a great way to support our local bars, restaurants, hotels and other small businesses near these venues that provide us with entertainment, nourishment and hospitality year-round.” The idea for the Month of Music goes hand-in-hand with a decentralized festival concept Helmers has been exploring recently and sees strong potential for in Lexington. April’s festivities serve almost as a trial run for that and is something he’s hopeful to continue doing with the city in some capacity for years to come.
“We’re used to big festivals like Railbird and smaller ones that you have to travel to a destination for, but over the last few years I’ve spent time thinking about this concept of a decentralized festival that takes place at multiple spots in a town,” says Helmers. “I’d love to see this evolve into something in the future with all these venues, similar to a Big Ears in Knoxville (Tenn.) or Mile Of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Will it be a whole month? Probably not, but Lexington already has burger, taco, pizza, and a bunch of other themed weeks, so maybe a music week capped off with a big concert is something worth considering too.”
For more information on not just the Month of Music, but all of 250LEX’s offerings, visit 250LEX.com.
Notable Concerts Remaining In 250LEX’s Month Of Music
4/15 — Bonnie Prince Billy, The Local Honeys at The Singletary Center 4/16 — Bibelhauser Brothers at The Green Lantern
4/17 — Ode to Kentucky music w/The Swells, Jenkins Twins, Possum Queens at Thursday Night Live
4/18 Luther Dickinson (of North Mississippi Allstars) at The Burl
4/19 Tyler Childers, Wynonna, S.G. Goodman at Kroger Field
4/22 Big Richard at The Burl
4/23 Brit Taylor at 2 Fisted Willies
4/24 Magnolia Boulevard at Thursday Night Live
4/24 Avett Brothers at Rupp Arena
4/25 Daniel Donato at Manchester Music Hall
4/25 Nappy Roots at the Lyric Theatre
4/27 Bee Taylor, Rebecca Rego, Ella Webster at the Tahlsound Concert Series 4/27 Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at The Burl
4/29 The Magpies, Otto Helmuth at 2 Fisted Willies
4/30 Ben Sollee at Al’s Bar
Wick’s Picks Podcast
Next week on Wick’s Picks I’ll be joined by Candace Barbee, talent buyer and marketing director for Glasgow based outdoor music venue The Grove, which will hold its season opening concert on April 19 featuring Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle and Them Coulee Boys.
Listen “live” via 96.1 Hound FM, The Hound mobile app or HoundFM.com on April 16 at 7 p.m. ET or wait to stream it on demand here and on Spotify.
