All Ages
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Dwight + Nicole, based in Burlington, Vermont, traces its musical roots through the blues, soul, and R&B traditions by exploring the spaces between these genres, connecting them with themes found in dream pop and alternative rock. Dwight Ritscher’s warm, soulful tenor would be the envy of many bands, but it is Nicole Nelson’s four-octave vocal range that wowed a national audience during season three of NBC’s “The Voice.”
Dwight, the band’s principal songwriter and guitarist, first started performing live as a child with his grandfather, and it wasn’t long before players were sneaking him into blues clubs around Monmouth Park, New Jersey to man the tubs. Nicole, also a major songwriter for the band, plays bass, her first love was the musical theater, but she also explored musical expression through violin.
Dwight started his first bands while in college in Burlington, and, after graduation, he relocated to Boston to fulfill a recording contract for his band, Red Beans and Rice. He further developed his craft on stages throughout New England. Meanwhile, Nicole was being recognized as a standout jazz vocalist throughout Boston. Their paths crossed around town, and they discovered they shared an obsession with the soul and blues greats like the Staple Singers, Albert King, and Etta James. As a result, it wasn’t long before Ritscher and Nelson formed a duo.
Dwight + Nicole, the duo, began with Dwight on electric guitar and Nicole on tambourine, with both stomping their feet for the beat and singing in harmony. The couple later moved to Vermont, where they met and joined forces with powerhouse drummer Ezra Oklan and keyboard wizard Leon Campos, thus completing the band. They have toured throughout North America with Mavis Staples, Melissa Etheridge, and Norah Jones, among others, as well as performing as headliners
The band’s live shows have become legendary, with fans expressing that they find comfort in the performances, and the band members’ chemistry has been described as intoxicating. Dwight + Nicole is the recipient of accolades and many awards over the past decade. The band and its members have been named “Band of the Year,” “Vocalist of the Year,” “Best Blues/R&B Band,” “Female Vocalist of the Year,” “Blues Act of the Year” at the Boston Music Awards and also won “Video of the Year” at the Independent Music Awards, as well as earning Daysies Awards from the Burlington, Vermont weekly paper, Seven Days.
With numerous releases in prior years under their belts, Dwight + Nicole released The Jaguar, The Raven, and The Snake in 2024, featuring the single, “Saying Goodbye.” Produced by acclaimed producer Joel Hamilton and recorded at his Studio G in Brooklyn and Ocean Sound in Giske, Norway through 2022, the album features musical guests the Daptone Horns and Arkai Strings, among others. The band rejoined Hamilton in Studio G in January 2025 to record a new album, Day or Night, which will see release on March 20, 2026.
You may also like the following events from Higher Ground:
- This Friday, 30th January, 07:00 pm, Driftwood in South Burlington
- This Saturday, 31st January, 07:30 pm, Venna in South Burlington
- This Saturday, 31st January, 08:00 pm, Fare Thee Well, Bobby in South Burlington
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Music events in South Burlington,
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