LIVE: RISING APPALACHIA – St. Petersburg, FL, USA – April 25, 2024

Venue: Jannus Live

City: St Petersburg, FL

Dates: April 25, 2024

Review and Photographs by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur (www.toddstarphotography.com)

Stepping outside my musical comfort zone, but still wanting to experience great music in a live situation, I found myself at Jannus Live in St Petersburg, FL anticipating a night of music that fuels the soul according to the very cool crowd that cascaded into the venue from the minute the doors opened until the minute the headliners hit the stage.  Early arrivals were treated to a 45 minute set from Mountain Holler.  He took the stage armed with only his voice, his guitar, and his mood.  As he moved from song to song, he stirred the crowd and warmed them up nicely for what was to come.  The crowd dug what he did and the positive energy flowed from and to the stage over the course of his set.  He left the stage and manned his own merch booth selling what he could for $10 an item to avoid having to take anything home with him. To watch the fans lineup to grab a shirt or just to tell him they loved his set and get a handshake or a hug was cool to see.

As the clock ticked, the time for headliner Rising Appalachia fronted by sisters Leah Song and Chloe Smith.  The pair took their spots on stage to perform a cappella setting the pace and the bar for the evening.  Song after song, it was amazing to see and hear the duo along with their band entertain over the course of the evening.  Watching Chloe and Leah trade off vocals, instruments, and the spotlight during the performance weaving across the evenings musical landscape was inspiring and allowed me to not only experience, but ENJOY a different genre and vibe.  The band behind the sisters — Biko Casini, David Brown, and Duncan Wickel — are as proficient in adding to the vocals, but enhancing the show with their instrument acumen as well.  The fun was evident not only in the performance but in the enjoyment shown across the faces of the crowd, which ranged in age from infants to seniors.  The songs echoed through the venue from not only the sound system, but also the audience singing back word for word all while dancing, saying, and cherishing the evening.  The hope across the crowd is that the self-imposed sabbatical for the band to recharge, regenerate, and create is short lived and new music and live performances will arrive in the near future.  This extends to me, as I had a great time enjoying the music and vibe of the evening and cannot wait to find myself witnessing and enjoying an evening of Rising Appalachia live once again.

[Show as slideshow]

COMPLETE SET OF RISING APPALACHIA PHOTOS

RISING APPALACHIA LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

X – TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

TOURDATES

[Show as slideshow]

COMPLETE SET OF MOUNTAIN HOLLER PHOTOS

MOUNTAIN HOLLER LINKS:

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

Tags: featured

Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries