Last night I went to see David Wax Museum at Common Ground Coffeehouse in Hastings. I wanted to write about that first thing this morning but I couldn’t. I’m posting late today but I have a good excuse; I went to the ophthalmologist this morning and he dilated my eyes. I couldn’t see well enough to type until the afternoon. I like my ophthalmologist, I love the work he did fixing my cataracts, I hate how much time I waste every time I go to see him. My appointment was for 9:45; I wasn’t seen until 10:45. Then my eyes were dilated and I had to wait another half hour for it to take effect. Finally I saw the doctor, he looked at both my eyes and said they looked good. That took all of one minute. I see him again in a year.
David Wax Museum is something unusual for me, a band that I love, that operates in my world, that I have no personal relationship with and don’t see nearly often enough. They are right in my wheelhouse; not at all generic. They are not an example of a type of band. They are a genre unto themselves. Last night was an unusual duo show, the married couple of David Wax and Suz Slezak. David plays guitar, an instrument that I forgot to ask him about, a guitar that is twice as thick as a normal guitar, and the charango. Who knows what a charango is? I’ve written about it before so you should. It’s a small Latin American string instrument, it looks like a skinny ukulele with more strings. On one song he played a small handheld synthesizer. Suz, plays violin, accordion, and the jawbone of an ass. She calls it a donkey jawbone but I can’t resist the biblical reference. The music has a strong Mexican influence but it’s not Mexican. They aren’t a string band. They don’t play pop music. They play David Wax Museum music, and they play it very well. On some songs there are beautiful harmonies. Other songs get you going with their rhythms. They get the audience not just singing along, but participating. On Yes Maria Yes half the audience sings the title and the other half responds with “No Maria No.” The audience members stand when it’s their turn to sing. I was delighted that the Common Ground crowd played along. I’d love to see them do that at Falcon Ridge. Having half the hill taking turns rising. They are a Budgiedome dream act.
I didn’t do merch, they brought their own merch person, so instead I helped set up. Good thing I’ve recovered enough from surgery to help put the chairs out. I have to confess that I spent some time confabbing with Carter while others worked on setup. That is fulfilling my primary place in the Folk World, sounding board and informal advisor. It’s especially fun with Carter as he feels the same way I do about trying to not present the acts that everyone presents. If you go to festivals and coffeehouses you know who the standard issue musicians are. Some of them are great, this is not a knock on them, but so many that are great don’t get a tenth of the exposure. There is a class of musicians that I never see do shows on their own because I see them so often at festivals. Every time you book, “Folk Legend X” you aren’t booking people like David and Suz. I have seen them only once at a festival, Clearwater. They were a highlight for me and everyone else that saw them.
Tonight I’m off to see Nobody’s Girl, the trio of Rebecca Loebe, Betty Soo, and Grace Pettis. I’ve seen them all individually and in pairs, but I think I might have never seen them all together. That is a situation that needs to be corrected. I’m suspecting that it’s going to be a gathering of the tribe but the only one I know for sure that’s going is Fred.
I’m supposed to wrap this up in a bow but it’s not coming to me. I took videos last night but I haven’t edited them. I know. I’ll just post a video that I didn’t record so you can experience David Wax Museum for yourself. It features the charango and jawbone.
Wise Madness 