The living room stage fell silent and peaceful as a pianist's emotive compositions flowed from within to the keys of his instrument. An audience of Eau Claire listeners leaned in as Romain Collin, a Grammy-nominated and French-American pianist, quietly hummed along to the ebb and flow of the octaves — all eager to hear what came next.

On Friday, Nov. 14, Eau Claire welcomed the return of Collin — joined by collaborators Mike Lewis (bass, saxophone) and S.Carey (percussion, vocals) to a private house show in downtown Eau Claire.

Colin last arrived to the Chippewa Valley to perform alongside the Shadowlands ensemble in early October of this year. This past weekend, he shared original arrangements from his 2025 release, Dust.

As S.Carey and Lewis took the makeshift stage halfway through the night, the trio seamlessly blended improvisation, electronic soundscapes and indie-classical imaginings with each song. The performance featured S.Carey hits like "Starless" from Break Me Open and "Alpenglow" from Range of Light, as well as covers of songs by Bob Dylan and Radiohead.

Colin expressed a deep appreciation for the musical collaborations and artistic voices within Eau Claire that have shaped his relationship to the region — among other stories of creating Dust and landscapes which shaped his relationship to the piano.

This intimate audience shared stories and quiet contemplations with one another — as the artists' sound built to a crescendo — with drinks and laughter flowing throughout the night.