By Carlie & Kate Caperan
This is a compilation of observations Carlie recorded at a Tank and the Bangas show at Blue Note Jazz Club in Greenwich Village (11/11). Below they are written by the both of us in a descriptive and present narrative.
My sister Kate and I walk into Blue Note, and we are immediately met by a bar with blue vibrant LED lights, dark walls and carpet, and dim lighting. We’re stunned to see how packed the venue is– it’s a sold out Friday night show. Blue Note has cabaret seating, meaning all patrons sit shoulder to shoulder. We came as a duo, so we are snuggled up against four strangers. And man are we SNUG. There’s a rather stylish man sitting diagonally to the left of us wearing rounded fake glasses and a large hat. I have to compliment his fit, of course.
This stylish man ends up being a cinematographer for Tank and the Bangas, who awkwardly stands during the entire show as his tripod nestles into Kate’s back. Did I mention before we are snug?
There are all sorts of people around, young and old from every ethnicity and race. The room is filled with all sorts of sound: laughter, instruments warming up during soundcheck, and even passive aggressive comments from the acting manager.
The stage is set above the audience, and blue lighting shines upon the stage in a single spotlight; it’s the brightest light in the whole room. A microphone stands at the front of the stage. A single chair, a bass, and a guitar with an amp stand are behind it as well. A keyboard and piano are off to the left side of the stage.
The time has come for the show. Tank and the Bangas make a grand entrance into the dining and performance space. Tank, the lead singer, hasn’t arrived yet. The woman next to us mentions that Tank will make her “big entrance.” Tank for sure does, strutting down the stairs and through the sea of audience members. The staff asks for no flash; however the woman next to us, clearly a superfan, is cheering for Tank as her phone light shines bright. We think she was making sure she would capture the best image and all of the best angles. We had a laugh about this with her afterwards.
Tank and the Bangas start their performance, beginning each song with a story or long inspiring introduction, often getting “mmhm’s” and “that’s right” responses from the crowd. These reactions are towards not only Tanks words but also towards her incredibly ranged singing voice.
Then, a surprise guest is announced. The crowd hushes. Tank introduces Norah Jones onto the stage, and the audience erupts into cheers as Jones appears. Jones and Tank greet each other with a warm hug and then perform “Don’t Know Why,” Jones’s biggest hit, together. I watched my sister and other audience members stare and even shed a tear throughout this wonderful performance.
The audience listens quietly, awestricken until the piece ends, and the silence is broken with roaring applause. Tank and the Bangas continue their show. The entire set has an almost spiritual-like quality, where everyone in the space shares a grounded energy. Tank has everyone’s full attention.
At the end of the show, Tank and the Bangas are met with booming applause. As they walk back through the crowd, audience members, now superfans, meet the musicians with wonderstruck greetings, gushing over the outstanding performance.
People immediately get up to leave to beat the crowd traffic. A line for the next performance of Tank and the Bangas is already forming outside of Blue Note. A man asked me how the show was while I walked by. Beaming, I say, “Amazing.”
