Tank and the Bangas, a jazz, soul and funk band from New Orleans, graced Austin with a sold-out performance at the Historic Scoot Inn on April 7.

Story by Gabrielle Sanchez

Photos by Maya Coplin

Austin was the third stop on a continuous six month tour, which also stops at Coachella and in Europe. The group gained a lot of attention following their winning performance at NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest last year. Since then, they have become known for their captivating shows.

When the band first comes out, a wall of sound soon follows. It is much more heavy and in the style of rock music, ensuring fans can expect the unexpected. Tarriona “Tank” Ball and Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph then enter the stage. What happens next resembles both a church gathering and a giant dance party.

They performed songs off of their album “Think Tank” such as “Boxes and Squares” and “Rhythm of Life,” as well as a newer digital release called “Quick.” Tank and Jelly are comedic and theatrical, giving life to the lyrics that are spoken and sung. Everyone on stage grooves and dances, especially Tank, the lead singer. She also employs a lot of dramatic facial expressions to enhance the visual aspect of the show and tell a story, which is what their music and Tank’s poems are about.

The transitions between songs kept the show moving forward effortlessly. While the show remained upbeat overall, the group had tender moments with intimate performances of “Oh Heart,” a ballad from the their album “Think Tank.” Throughout the show, Tank sprinkled in messages of empowerment and encouragement that lifted everyone’s spirits.

Tank told the audience early on that she would “need to get [them] as lit as possible,” and she did just that. This show was interactive for the audience members as they were pulled into the performance through call-backs, dance moves and clapping. They became performers themselves. With few cell phones in the air, concert-goers participated in the entire experience.

The group is known for their improvisation and tendency to mix things up a bit from show to show, so each concert is not the same as the one before. The band showed off their abilities when a woman in the audience was brought forward for bringing a maraca, which she played alongside the band at many points during the show. Tank called the woman to the front of the stage and told her to give them a beat. They created a song around her beat, with flutist Albert Allenback taking melodic control.

Tank and the Bangas rounded out their show with an encore that included a cover of Montell Jordan’s “This Is How We Do It,” and Anderson .Paak’s “Come Down,” both of which kept the party going just a little bit longer. To try to describe this show any further feels futile. Anyone who enjoys live music should see Tank and the Bangas perform.