\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div><\/div> \n\tMusic lovers are spoiled for choice during New Orleans\u2019s annual Jazz Fest in the spring, as venues throughout the city host some of the most scintillating and legendary musical acts from around the world. You\u2019d be challenged, however, to find more energetic and joyful performers than local Grammy-winning group Tank and the Bangas, presented by Rolling Stone and KOOL, who brought their unique blend of funk to a hyped-up crowd at Republic NOLA on a recent weeknight.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tUnder the glow of green neon lights, fans of the band vibed out in the lofted, industrial space, while snapping photos in the interactive photo stage and sipping on signature cocktails. The Psychodelics\u2014a funk, rock, and pop fusion band out of Charleston, South Carolina\u2014opened the evening with a kinetic set to get the audience dancing. Later, Tank and the Bangas took to the stage in coordinated neon rainbow outfits, entertaining the room with songs like \u201cQuick,\u201d and frontwoman Tarriona \u201cTank\u201d Ball\u2019s lauded spoken-word poetry.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDiogo Lopes<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n \n\tBefore the performance, Rolling Stone<\/em> sat down with Tank to get her unrivaled take on the best late-night spots for food, drink, and hanging out around New Orleans. Her choices range from her favorite off-the-beaten-path seafood restaurant to a chic cocktail lounge with a diverse vinyl collection.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tWhile frequently home watching Netflix and on voice rest, the constantly-touring vocalist says her best nights out often begin with dinner at The Chloe, a hotel and restaurant in uptown New Orleans where diners lounge on luxuriant upholstered couches surrounded by dark wood and bold, patterned wallpaper. (When the weather is nice, guests also have the option of sitting at the beautiful front patio on bustling St. Charles Avenue or out back by the pool.)\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThey treat me so well there,\u201d Tank says of the Chloe\u2019s service. As for what she\u2019s eating, she opts for the smoked pork belly lettuce cups, served with mint, basil, chili mayo, and pickled onion, or the twin stack burger, a frequent contender for best burger in town.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\tEditor\u2019s picks<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n \n\tWhen craving something different, Tank pivots to Clesi\u2019s Seafood Restaurant in Mid City, where they regularly serve up gulf oysters, crab legs, wings, and boudin balls. The biggest reason to go, Tank says, is for the delicious crawfish that they serve up throughout winter and spring, with March through May being the shellfish\u2019s peak season.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\tClesi\u2019s<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n \n\t\u201cI\u2019m obsessed,\u201d she gushes. \u201cThe crawfish is so good\u2026So juicy. They have really good service. And there\u2019s a dip! I\u2019ve never dipped my crawfish in all my years, but baby, they\u2019ve got this very special dip.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tPost dinner, Tank has stopped by private social club Common House to hear good DJs surrounded by fellow creatives. When the band\u2019s schedule allows, she hosts her own \u201cPoetry on the Porch with Tank and the Bangas,\u201d at the Emerald Door, an enchanting garden and cultural space in the Bywater neighborhood.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cSince I don\u2019t get out much, I thought I could bring the poets to me,\u201d Tank says. \u201c We do something special, literally between tours. You really have to catch it.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tFor another music and arts venue, Tank recommends the Dew Drop Inn, a historic location in the Central City neighborhood that has played host to Little Richard, Ray Charles, and Irma Thomas. Recently restored and reopened, the Dew Drop offers live music and events several days of the week, while also operating as a bar, hotel, and pool.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\tRelated Content<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n \n\tEven when not performing, Tank frequently seeks out fellow musicians and artists, often visiting friends at the many jazz clubs on Frenchman Street, while slowly making her way down to landmark dive bar The John for green tea shots from her favorite bartender. If fiending for a late night bite, she heads to the food trucks on nearby St. Claude Avenue.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cIf no restaurants are open, I need to find someone who\u2019s cooking right on the street,\u201d she shares. \u201cSomeone is bound to be grilling\u2026I\u2019m talking oysters, I\u2019m talking sausages. Someone could possibly even be boiling crawfish\u2014that\u2019s rare!\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tTank usually seeks out the food truck of Johnny\u2019s Jamaican Grill, which also has a brick-and-mortar location in the Lower Garden District, for late-night jerk-seasoned meats and fish, curry chicken, and oxtail. After all that heat, she\u2019s thirsting for a nightcap and so she goes to nearby NightBloom, where bartenders blast Sade and Erykah Badu from the record player and mix up unique alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks like the signature \u201cMiss V,\u201d a pineapple and mezcal twist on the margarita named after drag superstar Vanessa Vanjie Mateo.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDiogo Lopes<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n \n\tWherever she goes, the musical and artistic community is never far from Tank\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\")
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