bandanna’s Tallahassee Farewell

Article and Photos by Katy Bloodwell

Friday night, July 12, the popular Tallahassee music venue The Wilbury hosted a fantastic night of tunes. There, Tallahassee based four-piece, bandanna, supported Bay Faction at their second Florida stop on the band’s cross-country album release Florida Guilt Tour.

I was first introduced to bandanna by a friend of mine last November. They were opening up for The Happy Fits at their Eat Your Fruits Tour Tallahassee stop, and I was blown away from the start by their talent. Since that night, it has been so cool to see their name pop up at many different events and shows in town. Being able to see their growth and enjoy another one of their performances Friday night was a fantastic experience.

bandanna was started in 2018 by solo guitarist/vocalist Anna Griffith, then performing under her own name. She was then joined by friends Tim Holder (bassist) and Nick Bell (drummer) in June, followed by the addition of Mason Palanti (keyboardist) in December to form the band as it is today. With the addition of the three, the group created a play on words describing themselves as “a band with Anna that wears bandanas,” hence the name bandanna.

Showtime

Following opener Brighter Poet, The Wilbury was bustling that Friday night with fans and friends excited for the next two sets. bandanna then took the stage, with Mason donning a sheet disguised as the band’s unofficial ghost mascot on keys.

The energy bandanna brought to the stage on Friday night was beautifully engaging. Fitting the feel of each song, it spread throughout the audience, creating a show that was not only pleasing to listen to but also fun to watch and interact with. Seeing the members of the band smiling at each other and the crowd during the set, you could tell they truly love what they do and could feel the happiness and support that filled the room.

Bandanna performed many of their own songs including their recent release entitled “Daylight” (featuring Dartanyan Melendez of the Nashville dream pop outfit Mt. Vice), which is now out on all streaming platforms, and an unreleased single called “Fire Escape” which will be released digitally on July 26 through Cat Family Records (a Tallahassee-born non-profit label, working to empower independent artists). Also playing a few fun covers including “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse and The Zutons, they kept the crowd dancing and singing all night. Ending their set with “Back Pocket” by Vulfpeck, keyboardist Mason emerged from beneath the ghost sheet to go wild on their last song. It was a wonderful send-off for this great group of people. Tallahassee will surely miss their constant presence.

Moving Onward and Upward

Over the past year, bandanna has been enthusiastically supported in its growth by the Tallahassee community. As an exciting next step for the band, all four members are moving up to the Atlanta area by the end of this year. There, they will be working on their debut album titled uncertain/ty at Standard Electric, a recording studio in Decatur, Georgia.

If you are a Tallahassee dweller bummed out by the news of bandanna’s relocation, fear not! The band will be playing Cat Fest on October 20 as their next Tallahassee show. This awesome event is a free benefit music festival/animal adoption event located in Railroad Square that showcases over 40 musical acts in addition to visual artists, vendors, and more.

As excited as I am to see what they accomplish next? Keep an eye on their social media for updates on shows, new releases, and more!