Rising Appalachia with Paper Wings at Golden State Theatre, Monterey, CA

Rising Appalachia comes to the Golden State Theatre in Monterey, California, for an evening of folk concert music, with Paper Wings on the bill. It is a show for listeners drawn to roots music with a conscience: Appalachian string-band tradition, Southern soul and international folk sounds, performed by the sister duo Leah Song and Chloe Smith. If you follow the world of conscious and community-minded gatherings, this is a live concert from artists whose work is tied closely to environmental care and cultural preservation.

About Rising Appalachia

Rising Appalachia is a folk duo founded by sisters Leah Song and Chloe Smith in the early 2000s. They were raised in Atlanta and grew up steeped in the musical traditions of the American South. Their sound merges Southern soul, Appalachian string-band traditions and international roots music, and it is shaped by gospel, work songs and mountain ballads.

The instrumentation is fiddle, banjo, guitar and upright bass, with layered vocal harmonies at the center. The music is politically engaged and rooted in environmental activism and cultural preservation.

What sets the sisters apart from the mainstream Americana revival is how openly they bring social justice themes into their work. They also draw on traditional medicine practices and partner with Indigenous and immigrant communities. Rising Appalachia places itself within the Slow Music Movement, a philosophy that emphasizes sustainable touring.

The Setting

The concert takes place at the Golden State Theatre in Monterey, California, on the Central Coast. It is a theatre rather than a festival field or a retreat center, so expect a seated or standing concert room in the middle of town, an easy fit for an evening out before or after time on the Monterey Peninsula.

Spreading the Word

Rising Appalachia keeps a volunteer street team for its tour. Fans who want to help put up flyers at places like yoga studios, coffee shops and colleges around their own town can take part. It suits people already rooted in their local yoga, music and campus communities.

Before You Go

This is a general concert, so no experience, practice or preparation is needed beyond an interest in folk music, harmony singing and the traditions the sisters draw from. Come ready to listen closely: the voices and strings are the heart of the evening, and the songs carry the duo's concern for land, community and heritage.