Soul, R&B, and blues act Dwight and Nicole, based in Burlington, Vt., will perform at the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown on Friday, Dec. 20. Also featured will be nationally touring singer-songwriter Ryan Montbleau. Island musician and music producer Phil daRosa will open the show, and special guest Kate Taylor will MC and introduce the acts.
A silent auction downstairs in the Bailey’s Room will raise money for popular Island singer Sabrina Luening, who suffered a major stroke this fall, and is in recovery. All proceeds from the auction will be donated to Sabrina and her family to help pay for treatment-related costs.
Dwight and Nicole’s new single, “Wasting All My Time,” is available on all major platforms. I caught up with them via email to talk about writing, performing and more.
Where did you record your new single, and what was the process like?
Nicole: Dwight wrote “Wasting All My Time” at our house in Burlington earlier this year. We brought a living room demo to Joel Hamilton at Studio G in Brooklyn, and he produced and mixed the hell out of it. Joel is a genius at the top of his game, and one of our favorite people. We literally buzz for days after every session with him.
Our approach with the vocals on this one was really different from what we’ve done before in the studio. Rather than trading verses, we sang most of it together in unison, supporting each other like two people of one voice.
Is it part of a bigger project?
Dwight: It’s part of a full-length album that will drop summer 2020.
What is your history like with the Vineyard? Have you played the Island many times before?
Nicole: I LOVE it here, and have been coming with Dwight for years now, but he has a much longer history of coming to the Island.
Dwight: I started coming here when I was a kid, and I lived and worked here with my first band, Red Beans. We played the local club circuit in the late ’90s and early 2000s. It was a really great time for live music on the Vineyard.
What were some of your highlights of 2019?
Nicole: My 2019 highlights have definitely taken place in the studio. It has been one of the great joys of my life. At the risk of sounding over the top, it’s a deeply spiritual thing for me. Making new music is like witnessing a birth. It started with a feeling, a thought, a yearning, and something new is created that is in its own way eternal.
Dwight: I’m with Nic. Recording new music is so special. I’d also say touring during the festival season. We finished up summer playing for a huge crowd in Pennsylvania for Musikfest. It was epic.
Do you think you will play any holiday songs at this concert?
Dwight and Nicole: Ahhh, sorry, that’s top secret!
Friday, Dec. 20, Dwight and Nicole perform live at the Old Whaling Church along with Ryan Montbleau and Phil daRosa. Kate Taylor will MC. Doors open at 6 pm. Tickets are $20 presale, and $25 at the door. For tickets and more info, go to tpspresents.com.
