Lanois Trio to Perform Pedal Steel Set at Westhampton Beach Venue
The veteran producer will join bassist Jim Wilson and drummer Jermaine Holmes for a Nov. 13 show featuring four songs on his signature instrument.
By Natalia Costa ·
Music fans in Westhampton Beach can hear a rare instrumental set from a producer who has shaped the sound of some of the most recognized names in rock and folk. Daniel Lanois, known for his work with U2 and Bob Dylan, will perform as the leader of a trio at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center on Nov. 13. The concert offers a look at a different side of the 75-year-old musician, one that focuses less on pop production and more on the atmospheric textures he creates in the studio.
Lanois has released 14 studio albums under his own name. His most recent work is Belladonna Nocturne, an instrumental collection that serves as a sequel to his 2005 album Belladonna. He said he decided to make the new record after many listeners asked about the specific midnight sounds he achieved on the earlier project. He wanted to revisit those values and the compositional process that went into creating that mood. He noted that he treats each phrase of music as a separate artistic decision rather than applying a single effect to an entire track.
He will be joined on stage by Jim Wilson on bass and vocals, and Jermaine Holmes on drums and vocals. The trio has been working on harmonies that Lanois describes as a central part of the live experience. He met Holmes while collaborating with the late D’Angelo, who had sung with the drummer previously. Lanois said he valued Holmes’ background in church music, which informed his sense of arrangement. His connection with Wilson dates back at least three decades, facilitated by Henry Rollins, whom Lanois has worked with on numerous shows.
The pedal steel guitar will be a focal point of the performance. Lanois learned the instrument at age nine in Quebec, where he grew up in poverty. His mother encouraged him to take lessons, and he has continued to play it for decades. He refers to his instrument as a personal church that he carries with him. The setlist includes four numbers performed on the steel guitar. One of these is a hymn called Sonho Dourado, which closes the show. Lanois said the song is designed to leave the audience with an ancient feeling, a quality he associates with traditional hymns that transcend specific demographics.
His history with Emmylou Harris also informs his approach to collaboration. The two worked together on the 1995 album Wrecking Ball, which featured contributions from Neil Young, Steve Earle, and Lucinda Williams. Harris is also featured on a harmonizing track in Belladonna Nocturne. Lanois recalled meeting Harris at her home after she picked him up from a hotel. He described the house as having an unspoken dignity and a deep connection to the American musical tradition. He said he wanted to work not just with a great singer, but with a person who carried that history with her.
Lanois has worked on a wide range of projects outside of pop music. He oversaw the soundtrack for Red Dead Redemption 2 and collaborated with conductor Gustavo Dudamel during Dudamel’s time with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He also has a long creative partnership with Brian Eno. He described his creative process as drawing from what he calls an orphanage of sounds and ideas. This approach allows him to shift between different genres and moods, from the atmospheric instrumental work of his recent albums to the heavier textures he has produced for other artists.
The concert is scheduled for Nov. 13 at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, located at 76 Main Street. Lanois said the group has spent time refining their live sound to ensure the harmonies and steel guitar parts translate well to a stage setting. He expressed that the pedal steel pieces are a special part of the show for him because they allow him to connect directly with the instrument he has played since childhood. The performance will be a chance to hear these compositions in a live context before the release of further material from his recent sessions.
Tickets and more information are available through the venue’s website at whbpac.org or by calling 631-288-1500. The show fits into a broader pattern of Lanois returning to his roots as a performing artist after decades of working behind the scenes. His career spans from a teenage start with a flea market two-track recorder to high-profile productions for major labels. The Westhampton Beach stop highlights his current interest in the quiet, detailed work of building a song phrase by phrase.
