Lyndsey Battle and daughter, Vela bringing their twinning game

Lyndsey Battle is Holding Up!


For local musician Lyndsey Battle — who you may also know as a radio DJ or square dance caller — the forced hiatus from performing has not only provided an opportunity for her to pursue her other creative interests, but also to learn to be OK with doing a little bit less.

“This sabbatical of sorts has really given me some time to examine how much I affiliate productivity and output with self-worth,” Battle told the Outpost. “I think I’ve gotten to a better place with that and feeling a little bit kinder to myself.”

On this week’s episode of LoCO‘s Zoom-quality podcast Humboldt Holding Up, Battle stops by to discuss how much music she has not been playing during the last year, how she’s feeling about getting back to performing in public and what other things she’s been pursuing during her year-long break from live music. Topics discussed with Battle include:

  • What makes each of Humboldt’s live music venues great (we give her a list and make her tell us why people should go there)
  • Why Battle does not dig performing over Zoom
  • Her latest business venture in making her own mustard
  • Square dancing!
  • The passing of beloved local musician, recording engineer, composer and sound designer Tim Gray and Gray’s project “Footfall” — a soundscape meant to accompany a walk through Arcata’s Creamery District (you can check it out at this link)

As a bonus, Battle’s 12-year-old daughter, Vela also joins the podcast to talk about entering the sixth grade during the pandemic, what learning over Zoom has been like and how she’s coped with being isolated from her friends. 

Listen to Battle’s chat with LoCO’s Andrew Goff and Stephanie McGeary by clicking the audio player above, or listen in in your podcast app. You can also scroll through past guests below.

PREVIOUS HUMBOLDT HOLDING UP GUESTS: