When considering pairings, the jazzy and soul influenced hip hop of Tank and the Bangas with the southern-tinged alt-rock of The Revivalists might at first seem like an odd choice, but it is because of the flair that both of these bands bring to the table, their New Orleans roots springing forth in two different musical diasporas, that this combination makes perfect sense. Tank and the Bangas open the show with expected flourish, Tank's towering charisma driving a soulful and mesmerizing performance that was as electric as it was easy to get lost in. The stage jutting into the pit utilized by the bands saw Tank and her accompanying saxophone players strutting their stuff right up into the grasping hands of excited fans. The group worked their way through nearly an hour of tried and true material, running the emotional gamut from intimate to confrontational to uplifting. The Revivalists came on shortly after, displaying effortless charm. Working their way through hits and shouting inspirational words of courage about the ongoing pandemic, they turned the Sylvee upside down with their tried and true brand of soulful rock. Adding to the effect was a phenomenal production setup, with an enormous heart ringed by bright lights, in addition to an army of stage lights scattered so numerously around the stage that it seemed there was barely any room of the band to play. Leading man David Shaw spent as much of his time on the aforementioned pit-stage as off of it, getting as close to shout and sing in fans' faces as he possibly could.
With this likely being the last show of The Sylvee for some time, it seemed fitting that such a phenomenal pair of bands would give such a phenomenal performance.
Photos and review by Joey Dunst