For Tank and the Bangas, music is a vessel for unbridled joy and transcendent connection—forces as integral to their essence as their wildly original sound. On their new album, The Last Balloon, the New Orleans-bred outfit channels those impulses into something celebratory yet profoundly human, exploring themes of frustration, resilience, and self-realization with equal parts raw emotionality and playful exuberance. A shapeshifting collective helmed by lead singer Tarriona “Tank” Ball and multi-instrumentalist Norman Spence II, the globally beloved group completed the LP after winning a Grammy for 2024’s spoken-word powerhouse The Heart, The Mind, The Soul, moving from incendiary poetry to a euphoric collision of soul and hip-hop and forward-thinking R&B. As the final installment in a trilogy of albums that began with 2019’s Green Balloon (a critical triumph that earned them a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist), The Last Balloon ultimately solidifies Tank and the Bangas’ legacy as one of modern music’s most steadfast voices of sublime exhilaration.
With Ariel J., Zeus (DJ). All Ages
Much of this ride is beautiful farm country on the Tualatin Valley Scenic Bikeway. Traffic is very low. We will re-group about every 5 miles, riding in one speed group (18-20 mph.) For those riding slower than 18 mph or significantly faster: Each week we will decide the route at the beginning of the ride. Sample routes below. Please bring a snack for the break, which is usually in Banks or Forest Grove.