Tank and the Bangas, Cure for Paranoia Could've Played All Night Long in Fort Worth

Hailing from New Orleans, Tank and the Bangas proclaim that Black culture is and will always be beautiful.

Tarriona "Tank" Ball and her group were mesmerizing, performing poetry loudly and vibrantly to a packed crowd at Fort Worth's Tulips Thursday night.

The hall echoed Tank’s vibrant vocal range and fiery performance verse for verse. The stop on their The Heart, The Mind, The Soul Tour comes nearly a week after Juneteenth, demonstrating the importance of celebrating Black Music Month throughout June and beyond.

The Bangas gained fandom after winning 2017's NPR Tiny Desk Contest, which has now amassed over 14 million views on YouTube. In 2019, they were nominated in the Best New Artist category for the 2020 Grammy Awards. In 2025, they won their first Grammy for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album for The Heart, The Mind, The Soul. The album explores self-discovery, the journey to confidence, believing in your ability and free thought.

The group’s debut album, Think Tank, was released in 2013. It was followed by two studio albums, Green Balloon in 2019 and Red Balloon in 2022. The show opened with Dallas alternative hip-hop collective Cure for Paranoia. Cameron McCloud and his entourage filled the stage with the group’s 11 members. McCloud hyped up the night by performing several songs from the group’s discography, including their latest single and their own Tiny Desk release, “The Artshow.” The group also played songs from their latest 2023 16-track album, Center of the Maze. McCloud delivered lyrical brilliance with an eccentric tone that felt right for this crowd. It was seen and heard in his backup singers and players behind bass, percussion, keys and horns.

After Cure for Paranoia, the band was already set on stage when the lights lit up as Tank walked on and waved to the crowd. Song after song, beat after beat, the group's extensive catalogue kept fans locked in. Songs like “Black Folk” hit heavy and spiritually. Tank was energetic, surrounded by saxophone, percussion, bass, keys and drums. They played for nearly two hours in true New Orleans fashion.

Tank flowed back and forth between poetry and alto with thoughtful words and riffs about her deepest sentiments about life. She communed with the crowd’s emotions and joyful energy by clapping and waving arms in the air, hooting and hollering to songs from the Pretty Poems EP and last year’s release, The Heart, The Mind, The Soul.

The night was lively, with fusions of funk, soul, hip-hop, rock and spoken word. Tank's vocals are strong, rich and personal with sweet melodies. Tank thanked Fort Worth for an amazing night. We're glad she made it here.

See more photos from Thursday's show: