Rising Appalachia with Buffalo Kin at Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR (Early Show)

Rising Appalachia plays the Aladdin Theater in Portland, Oregon, for an early show with Buffalo Kin. It is a folk concert for people drawn to roots music with a conscience: listeners who love Appalachian string-band sound, Southern soul and gospel, and who care that music can carry ideas about land, community and cultural memory. The folk duo is led by sisters Leah Song and Chloe Smith.

What to Expect

This is an evening of live music rather than a workshop or ceremony. Rising Appalachia is known for layered vocal harmonies and for an instrumental palette of fiddle, banjo, guitar and upright bass. Their songs draw on gospel, work songs and mountain ballads, and bring in international roots music alongside the traditions of the American South. The show is billed as the early show, and Buffalo Kin appears on the bill.

About Rising Appalachia

Rising Appalachia is a folk duo founded in the early 2000s by sisters Leah Song and Chloe Smith. 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 politically engaged, grounded in environmental activism and cultural preservation.

What sets them apart from the mainstream Americana revival is how openly they weave social justice themes into their work. They have also worked with traditional medicine practices and built partnerships with Indigenous and immigrant communities. The duo has positioned itself within the Slow Music Movement, a philosophy that emphasizes sustainable touring.

The Venue

The Aladdin Theater is a concert hall in Portland, Oregon, and a fitting room for a duo whose music depends on close harmony and acoustic texture. Anyone planning an evening around the show should check the start time for the early performance before setting out.

Before You Go

No experience or preparation is needed. If you already know Rising Appalachia's records, expect the voices and string instruments at the center of the night. If you are new to them, this is a good chance to hear how Appalachian ballads, gospel and world roots music can sit together in one performance.