Tank and The Bangas on the List for 10 Artists You Need to Know About for the 2019 Festival Season

[Billboard]

By Bobby Olivier

Josh Brasted/Getty Images // Tank & The Bangas performs at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at Fair Grounds Race Course on May 6, 2017 in New Orleans.

Tank and the Bangas

From: New Orleans

Formed in: 2011

Signed to: Verve

Listen if you love: Janelle Monae, Esperanza Spalding, Vulfpeck

See them at: Firefly Music Festival (June 21-23, Dover, Del.)

Tank and the Bangas are a big ol’ pot of musical gumbo — and not just because the nine-piece group is from New Orleans. Led by chameleonic singer/poet Tarriona Ball, the band shifts between a laundry list of genres, most prominently neo-soul, gospel, hip-hop, funk and folk. No two songs sound the same, and the group puts on a thrilling live performance — good enough to win them NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest in 2017. Now’s your chance to see this electrifying unpredictable Big Easy outfit: get to Firefly early this June.