(House of Blues, Lake Buena Vista FL) 'Banks' put on a very solid performance to a very enthusiastic and crowded audience at Disney Springs' House of Blues Sunday night.
As part of the 25-city Serpentina tour, Florida made the cut twice with Banks passing through both Tampa (7/16) and then Orlando 7/17. For Orlando specifically, fans were treated to a 16-song setlist, featuring the majority Banks' 4th album released titled 'Serpentina', with her original breakout 'Beggin For Thread.'
From a personal level, I was very excited about Sunday's show. 8 years ago, I covered Banks when she passed through Orlando as part of her GODDESS tour, whose album dropped just 11 days prior to the night I reviewed her show. [Our 2014 review here.] For that show, Banks was dark and mysterious, more goth-like. There was very minimal dancing on stage: just Banks singing, which was more than enough to keep the crowd of new fans entertained.
Fast forward to Sunday night's show at House of Blues. I'm not sure if I was happier watching her dance, or hearing that eerily-haunting but seductive and captivating voice of hers.
From the jump, the crowd was enraptured with her performance during my 2-song photo approval. I was able to settle in and really start taking the concert in during 'Fuck With Myself' to which the audience was enthusiastically already screaming / singing along.
She acknowledged the crowd in between songs, specifically citing 'To everybody that has been with me since Goddess, I love you so much. You're family.' She introduced the next song stating that it was not on the album, but that 'you guys might know'. She performs 'Better', and sure enough the crowd definitely knew this one as it was hard to hear her voice through the speakers as everyone around me was seemingly singing along.
Maybe 3 notes into 'Fuck Love', her hardcore fans knew what was up, and started screaming intensely.
After 'Drowning', Banks makes another heartfelt monologue for the crowd: "I used to be so awkward during shows. People thought I was mute, but I can talk... I'm ok with it! I feel like a lot of times when I write songs, I do it for myself, but it gives me a way to connect. When I see people singing my words, I don't take it for granted, thank you soooo much. Some songs I don't perform live, it feels like a diary entry. Might have a breakdown or something...' She begins performing 'Someone New.'
Introducing her next song she says, 'People signed a petition and sent me angry memes. Fuck it, I'll perform 'Brain'. Up to this point, this song drew the loudest cheers of the night.
The biggest response of the night, however, came in the form of 'Beggin For Thread' which had the most people dancing, and was legitimately the point of the night where it seemed like the crowd had happily lost their minds.
Compared to 8 years ago, this Banks was more personable, more open, more genuine. She has come a long way, and seems to have matured professionally, not afraid or timid to show a little more of this inner Banks that I didn't observe back in 2014. This Banks was dancing, free, and appeared to be thankful and happy to be on stage, almost less inhibited from whatever had confined her in the past.
She continues to amass fans, but her base of devoted fans seems unwavering and likely to be with Banks for the long run. Typically once I've watched a performer one time: I'm good... I get to the point of 'been there, done that.' But with Banks, I would gladly welcome seeing her for a third time, I just hope that doesn't happen 8 years from now.
Check out Banks if you can in the limited number of performances she has on this 2022 tour. If not, definitely try to download and purchase her music online, follow her on social media, and support this GODDESS.
Bailey Guinigundo
Tonight's setlist:
1. Misunderstood
2. Meteorite
3. Gemini
4. Fuck With Myself
5. Better
6. Waiting Game
7. The Devil
8. Skinnydipped
9. Fuck Love
10. Drowning
11. Someone New
12. Brain
13. Gimme
14. Deadend
15. Beggin For Thread
16. Holding Back
As part of the 25-city Serpentina tour, Florida made the cut twice with Banks passing through both Tampa (7/16) and then Orlando 7/17. For Orlando specifically, fans were treated to a 16-song setlist, featuring the majority Banks' 4th album released titled 'Serpentina', with her original breakout 'Beggin For Thread.'
From a personal level, I was very excited about Sunday's show. 8 years ago, I covered Banks when she passed through Orlando as part of her GODDESS tour, whose album dropped just 11 days prior to the night I reviewed her show. [Our 2014 review here.] For that show, Banks was dark and mysterious, more goth-like. There was very minimal dancing on stage: just Banks singing, which was more than enough to keep the crowd of new fans entertained.
Fast forward to Sunday night's show at House of Blues. I'm not sure if I was happier watching her dance, or hearing that eerily-haunting but seductive and captivating voice of hers.
From the jump, the crowd was enraptured with her performance during my 2-song photo approval. I was able to settle in and really start taking the concert in during 'Fuck With Myself' to which the audience was enthusiastically already screaming / singing along.
She acknowledged the crowd in between songs, specifically citing 'To everybody that has been with me since Goddess, I love you so much. You're family.' She introduced the next song stating that it was not on the album, but that 'you guys might know'. She performs 'Better', and sure enough the crowd definitely knew this one as it was hard to hear her voice through the speakers as everyone around me was seemingly singing along.
Maybe 3 notes into 'Fuck Love', her hardcore fans knew what was up, and started screaming intensely.
After 'Drowning', Banks makes another heartfelt monologue for the crowd: "I used to be so awkward during shows. People thought I was mute, but I can talk... I'm ok with it! I feel like a lot of times when I write songs, I do it for myself, but it gives me a way to connect. When I see people singing my words, I don't take it for granted, thank you soooo much. Some songs I don't perform live, it feels like a diary entry. Might have a breakdown or something...' She begins performing 'Someone New.'
Introducing her next song she says, 'People signed a petition and sent me angry memes. Fuck it, I'll perform 'Brain'. Up to this point, this song drew the loudest cheers of the night.
The biggest response of the night, however, came in the form of 'Beggin For Thread' which had the most people dancing, and was legitimately the point of the night where it seemed like the crowd had happily lost their minds.
Compared to 8 years ago, this Banks was more personable, more open, more genuine. She has come a long way, and seems to have matured professionally, not afraid or timid to show a little more of this inner Banks that I didn't observe back in 2014. This Banks was dancing, free, and appeared to be thankful and happy to be on stage, almost less inhibited from whatever had confined her in the past.
She continues to amass fans, but her base of devoted fans seems unwavering and likely to be with Banks for the long run. Typically once I've watched a performer one time: I'm good... I get to the point of 'been there, done that.' But with Banks, I would gladly welcome seeing her for a third time, I just hope that doesn't happen 8 years from now.
Check out Banks if you can in the limited number of performances she has on this 2022 tour. If not, definitely try to download and purchase her music online, follow her on social media, and support this GODDESS.
Bailey Guinigundo
Tonight's setlist:
1. Misunderstood
2. Meteorite
3. Gemini
4. Fuck With Myself
5. Better
6. Waiting Game
7. The Devil
8. Skinnydipped
9. Fuck Love
10. Drowning
11. Someone New
12. Brain
13. Gimme
14. Deadend
15. Beggin For Thread
16. Holding Back
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