The depth and breadth of talent by musicians across the DMV is staggering and a reminder of how lucky we are to live in the region. Each day countless musicians practice, hone, and perfect their sound. One band that stands unique in the region's musical landscape is David Wax Museum, which are based out of Charlottesville, Virginia. This indie-folk band, consisting of David Wax and Suz Slezak, have crafted a unique, effervescent, and exuberant "Mexo-Americana" sound. This spirited and dynamic duo recently completed their first full-fledged tour since 2020, and DC Music Review was lucky enough to see them perform at Jammin' Java on Friday, February 11th.

The evening started with DC-based quintet Water Bears, whose relationship with David Wax Museum goes back to a childhood friendship between Water Bears' multi-instrumentalist Sam D'Agostino and David Wax. Water Bears provided a perfect start to the evening with an acoustic harmonized sound that painted a perfect backdrop for David Wax Museum.

Pulling into the final days of their tour, David Wax and Suz Slezak took the stage with beaming smiles. Joining them on stage was multi-instrumentalist and collaborator Alec Spiegelman. Spiegelman has worked with David Wax Museum for nearly15 years and joined their tour to make the David Wax Museum (Trio). The band had a lot to be happy about as they took the stage at Jammin' Java – not only were they successfully wrapping up their first tour in two years, but they were also celebrating the release of three recent albums; Remember My Future (2021), Euphoric Ouroboric (2021), and Suz Slezak's Wing May Be Featherless (2022) which was released only a week earlier on March 4th.

What is immediately noticeable about David Wax Museum's stage presence is how genuine and accessible they are and how they authentically connect and communicate with an audience. Shortly after taking the stage, they indicated how the DC region was so important to them in their early days and how they played almost 30 private house concerts in DC - although David and Suz would have to debate this playfully on stage. David mentioned that they had to take the prior evening off in Delaware to deliver their best performance for their beloved DC and Vienna audience, followed by a playful quip indicating he could have performed in Delaware and skipped tonight's performance. A subtle and singular "No!" rose from the crowd that was then accompanied by cheers and applause of approval. It was evident that the audience appreciated them as much as they appreciated the audience. 

David and Suz performed for nearly two hours as they shared playful and affectionate banter between songs. Topics ranged from musical instruments such as clarinets and flutes, tales of David's beloved smartphone Georgette, childhood holiday presents, and stories from the road. Each exchange left audience members wondering what twists, turns, and delightful interplay their conversations would turn. As The Melomaniacs noted during a recent 9:30 Club appearance, "The only parallel is Johnny Cash & June Carter - two incredibly talented artists whose ncredible music was only surpassed by their obvious and palpable love for one another." When David Wax Museum broke out their first signature song, "El Ahualulco," one couple felt so moved and inspired that they rose from their seats to dance in an open space beside the stage. 

After the Our Wings May Be Featherless medley, the concert would take on lighter notes as Suz would rib David on his brand new smartphone that he named and even wrote a song for –  "Georgette." Another memorable moment of the evening was when David asked if there were any fans of the Grateful Dead in the audience before performing an inspired version of "Cassidy" that was unique and transformed this classic into a song all of their own. As their performance concluded, David talked of their barn in Charlottesville that is nearly complete and how they looked forward to hosting each of us into their guesthouse as the band segued into a sincere version of their effervescent tune, "Guesthouse."

Because of their stage conversations and audience engagement, David Wax Museum found themselves running out of time. Being well-seasoned performers, David told the audience that they would forgo walking off stage and waiting for the audience to cheer them back so they could perform their encore. Not missing a beat and wanting to show their appreciation, the audience broke out in spontaneous applause as if David Wax Museum was triumphantly returning to the stage. The affection between the crowd and artist was complete this evening.

With their performance concluded, both David and Suz could be found at their merchandise stand where they greeted and engaged all their fans. Despite David's voice clearly waning, both he and Suz made sure to take the time to connect and thank their fans sincerely.

Turning our thoughts back to the band's barn/guesthouse – based upon their reception at each venue they perform at, we hope that this barn is larger than they planned because they will need every square foot of the barn to house their adoring fans.