Photo by Fernanda Pineda
Wax Tailor moves the crowd with fine electro swing at the Music Box
The sold-out show at the Music Box on Saturday night came as no surprise. Wax Tailor’s gift to reach a broad and diverse group of listeners through his downtempo glazed beats was evident in the packed venue. A young lady with a flower crown swayed on the floor in the orange lit room. A couple of gentlemen out on a date danced and rocked with drinks in their hands and smiles on their faces. A security guard I spoke to said the venue was expecting 800 people that night. The unifying reason was no other than the elegant urban music of Wax Tailor.
L’Orange opened up the night. Music from the North Carolina-born artist created an ambience that got even the stiffest of bodies to bob their heads. Smoky samples from the Golden Age of jazz with traces of Billie Holiday-like melodies flowed from the speakers. Never personally being exposed to L’Orange’s music, I was suddenly entranced. I wasn’t the only one. Bobbing heads and fixed gazes oscillated towards the stage during his performance.
Wax Tailor came on and the anticipating crowd cheered. Accompanied by a band for the first time in three years, Wax Tailor’s sonic creations filled the room to the brim with solid walls of sound. Songs from the album released last year, By Any Beats Necessary, were well received. “Ecstasy” gave way to a soul filled performance in which the drums stole the show. But it was classic favorites such as “Sit & Listen” and “This Train” that had the audience singing along. Dramatic cinematic scenes were projected conveying a dramatic tone that made the music appear to be even heavier with a touch of grain from vinyl.
It is no wonder that the talent of Wax Tailor brought a sold-out splendid performance to the Music Box.