Hailing from New Orleans is rising band Tank And The Bangas, who are surging to fame and stardom. After discovering Tank And The Bangas, you will instantly want to be a Banga, their brand of southern comfort consists of soul, spoken word, funk and jazz, the essence of the famous New Orleans sound definitely lives here, listening to their music takes you to church, the street and to the family home.
Formed in 2011 at an open mic set in New Orleans, band members Tank (lead vocals), Norman Spence (bass/keyboard), Joshua Johnson (drums/music director), Merell Burkett (keyboards), Albert Allenback (saxophon), and various other Bangas come together to create rhythmic powerful sounds, with lead vocalist Tank providing strong, emotional, relatable vocals. She elevates, not only the listener but the band as a whole. Deriving from the spoken word slam scene, Tank presents herself as an original talent painting pictures and storytelling, giving Tank and The Bangas’ live shows such charm, showing her seasoned communication skills and sharing her artistry with her audience.
Tank herself draws in an audience from all works of life, stripping down differences, but making the party feel all so natural. Delving deeper into the writing skills of Tank, the one thing that captivates me is her ability to bend her voice like a contortionist, giving common issues character – I see a piece of modern art. The backing vocals from other bangas, energy and vibrant colourful tones from the band to the vocals, and stage dressings, give the live show an undeniable power that the spirit and lover of music is drawn to.
With notable awards won in previous years, such as ‘Raw Artist Musician of the Year’, ‘Performer of the Year’ and the ‘Golden Mic’ award, the years 2013 through to 2014 have seen them prosper, playing festivals and making well established TV appearances. With the release of their eclectic 2013 album Think Tank and a 2014 tour, songs such as the very catchy upbeat “Boxes And Squares“, and the highly emotional and captivating storytelling on songs such as “Rollercoasters” and “Heart” highlight the blossoming sound of Tank And The Bangas. Their live album The Big Bang Theory confirms not only how great their live show is, it also blasts infectious music through your speakers with a larger catalogue of songs.
Tank And The Bangas are keen to spread their wings and give the world their unique musical art, as any talented band should, and after a successful run of festival and show performances in the past 18 months, the band’s 2015 is only get better as the year unfolds, with appearances at the popular N.O Jazz Fest, and the 2015 Essence Festival. The elegant flight of their music which has made them a band in high demand, has taken them across the pond to the eclectic melting pot of London, England, and with the band spending most of the summer here, attending one of their shows should be .
Their first UK appearance will be courtesy of the Brainchild Music Fest in Brighton on July 11, followed by the Crosstrax Music Workshops on July 12 and 13, please do not miss this opportunity to see the band live. You can also support a worthy cause, and help the band to play as many shows as possible while they in the U.K, and you never know, they could be playing in your town which will surely create more Bangas and a larger following, with their universal sound and easily relatable music. I and many others predict big things for this band.
Keep Tabs on Tank And The Bangas: Facebook // Twitter // Website
Words by Dee Eshun
