Rising Appalachia

Rising Appalachia play the Neighborhood Theatre on Friday, October 9, as part of the Confluence Music Fest. The duo is made up of sisters Leah Song and Chloe Smith, who grew up in Atlanta in a blue-collar bohemian family with a fiddler for a mother and a sculptor for a father. They've released ten albums and toured North and South America, Europe, the Celtic Isles, and Australia, playing venues like the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and Red Rocks and appearing on NPR's Tiny Desk. Their sound pulls from folk, soul, Americana, and world music, held together by their harmonies, songcatching, and storytelling.

Beyond the music, the sisters pioneered the Slow Music Movement, a set of sustainable touring practices, and have worked with groups like the Prison Yoga Project and Honor the Earth, performing at the Hopi Reservation and Standing Rock. This show comes as they're preparing to release Trade My Troubles in October 2026, which features guests Aoife O'Donovan, Ayla Nereo, Bonnie Paine, and Brittany Haas.

Opening the night is Abigail Dowd, a singer-songwriter and guitarist from North Carolina's Sandhills. Her album Saints & Warriors blends blues-rooted Americana with soulful storytelling, and since she's a local, it's a good chance to catch her on a home-state bill.

Doors open at 7 PM and the show starts at 8 PM at the Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E 36th St in Charlotte.