LA-based singer BANKS gave a riveting performance on a sold-out Sunday night at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon. Choreographed dancers on either side of her, synchronized both fluid and robotic movements of their bodies enhanced the mysterious mood of the evening. It was clear that Banks has an incredibly dedicated fan base from how captivated they were by her ethereal presence. They sang along in perfect unison every time she held the microphone out, demanding a chant back of her lyrics. At one point, she even had them repeating some type of gibberish she may have made up on the spot. Her setlist included a mix of numerous highlights from both of her major releases; Goddess and The Altar. Prior to performing “Better” she asked the crowd to put their smartphones away and just listen carefully to the lyrics to understand the meaning. Surprisingly, her fans immediately complied and all photo/video taking ceased for about three minutes; something highly unusual in this day and age for concert goers.

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This was Banks’ first performance following her set at Coachella the same weekend, and she admitted that her crew was exhausted from a 21 hour drive up from Palm Springs to Portland. Yet despite her slightly visible exhaustion, she still managed to put on an energetic performance, thanking her fans for giving her life and ending with “This Is Not About Us” as the encore. The venue was buzzing with ecstatic delight from fans well after she walked off stage and out of sight.
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