David Wax Museum Ready to Party at Big Noise

Wikipedia may classify David Wax Museum (DWM) as a band specializing in “Mexo-American music,” but the group’s titular front man finds the label “less than helpful.” In fact, on a recent call from his home in Charlottesville, Va., the guitarist and vocalist no longer subscribes to the notion of any genre.

“That label may have applied to us 10 years ago, when we were just getting started on the Boston scene, and were drawing on American roots influence and listening to traditional Mexican folk music,” Wax says. “But now when we write music, our only thoughts are, is this a good song, what does it need, and what can we add to make it great.”

Anyone in attendance at David Bromberg’s Big Noise Festival June 8 and 9 will have their chance to be the judge of that when DWM takes the stage. Wax says the band pulls from Americana, rock, roots rock, Mexican folk, a touch of mariachi, and plenty of crossover to keep things fresh.

“We’re working on a new record, and for the most part, our music is based on colorful instrumentation and rhythms from many different traditions and backgrounds,” Wax says. “We’re bringing an entire horn section to make up a seven-piece band; we’ll be playing more of an up-tempo party set for the crowd, with songs that are intended to get people up and dancing.”

DWM’s band will include Max Jaffe (drums), Ben Kogan (bass), Ryan Dupree (electric guitar), Alec Spiegelman (saxophone), and Cole Kamen-Green (trumpet). Of course, the seventh member is Suz Slezak, who Wax met in 2007 while living in Boston. The two have since married and had two children.

“Suz and I love playing festivals, because it’s represents one of those rare opportunities to get in front of people already primed to connect with your music,” Wax says. “But now that we have a family, it gives us the chance to hang out with our kids, instead of just unloading, playing late, and the moving on. So, in that way, it’s even more special for us now than when we started.”

DWM has played Delaware several times, most notably at The Queen Theater, and the entire band is excited to share the stage with Los Lobos, a staple in the Mexo-American rock genre (if you believe in genres). Wax says he’s a huge fan of the excited to share the bill with the Latin legends.

“We’ve played a festival or two with them before, so it seems like we’re a good fit to share the stage,” Wax says. “I’m hoping we can throw a few audibles into our set, depending on what moment calls for; either way, I think there’s gonna be a tremendous amount of energy on that stage.