Banks & Kevin Garrett

Review:

The III Tour

Article & Photos by Jade Pike

los angeles, california hernameisbanks.com @hernameisbanks

As the sun set over Disney Springs in Orlando, Florida, fans lined up outside of the House of Blues for one of the final dates of The III Tour.

Starting the night on the softer side, singer-songwriter Kevin Garrett took the stage. As he walked on, he wore Mickey ears to represent the city he stood in front of. Many artists seem to find confusion in playing the House of Blues at Disney Springs, and he definitely fell among that group. He wasn’t quite sure what to call the city since the venue falls in between city lines, but he was clearly happy to be playing for this Central Florida crowd. His voice sent chills across the venue with his original song “Coloring”. His stage presence brought silence to the audience as he sang with passion, backed with only his acoustic guitar and a drummer. About midway through his set, he incorporated a cover of Billie Eilish’s “When The Party’s Over”. This proved to be a crowd favorite as he was applauded with shouts and cheers all around. Sending shivers down everyone’s spine, he filled the room with his energy and grew the excitement for the act to follow.

Soon enough, the room went dark and the stage illuminated a vibrant red. The silhouette of BANKS was revealed as she sang the beginning notes

to her opening track “Till Now”. Two dancers strode onto the stage, flowing with the sound of her voice. They seemed to be muses surrounding the singer. After a few songs, BANKS was left by herself in the center of the stage. The lights softened to a hue of blue and the beginning chords of her song “Contaminated” sung out. It was an emotional moment for the crowd. I could sense chills coming over me as she sang and the crowd stood admiring her presence. Further into the set, her muses rejoined her at the front of the stage. She took a moment to sit in front of the crowd, performing the sassy, groovy “Alaska”. This has the whole room dancing along. Although much of her set came from her latest album, the addition of the fan favorite, “Poltergeist”, was no surprise. Likely the most intense choreography of the night, BANKS put on a stunning performance alongside her muses. The lights strobed with the pulsing beats and the three moved in unison to the track. As the night came to an end, the crowd jumped and screamed along to singles “Gimme” and “Beggin For Thread”.

Anyone that attended a date on the III Tour would agree that BANKS put on an unforgettable show. From the lighting production to the choreography and setlist, every element came together to create a mystical atmosphere. She is quite the goddess after all, with a stage presence unlike any other.

pittsburgh, pennsylvania kevingarrettmusic.com @kevinogarrett