Tiny Desk Contest

Goodbye from the Tiny Desk Contest (for now)

Our 2017 Tiny Desk Contest has come to an end.

We've just returned from our tour, hosting concerts in 10 cities with lineups featuring 36 different bands who had entered the Tiny Desk Contest. The joy of seeing so much remarkable talent spoke to the spirit of the Contest as a whole, from the day we announced we were running it again (with help from our sponsors and fellow music-lovers Lagunitas Brewing Co.), through the time you spent gathering together to make and enter your videos, to the time we all spent together in your home scenes.

At each stop — in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Charleston, Nashville and Austin — we saw communities in love with the music of their town. We hope we helped fans discover new bands from their own neighborhoods. If this Contest teaches us anything, it's that there's great music all around you — you just may not know it yet. (You can still see everyone's entry — and even filter by location — on our website, look at photos from the tour in this slideshow and read all about it on our blog.)

Among the many special things about this whole experience was the chance for us to travel with and get to know Tank and the Bangas. They're a remarkable band from New Orleans, combining a dash of Disney, the heart of hip-hop, the roll of R&B and the power of poetry and storytelling into a music like nothing else I've heard. It's the sound of celebration — a celebration of life, in its ups and downs, but most of all a celebration of other people.

In that way, they are perfect ambassadors for the Tiny Desk Contest. The group's will to unite people around music is something I identify strongly with — it's part of what I've dedicated my career to. It's what we've tried to do here in this Contest. And that's what every single one of you has done with us, together. So for all those who participated as artists or listeners, from my heart to yours, thank you. Thank you for reminding me why we on the Tiny Desk Contest team — and at NPR Music as a whole — do what we do:

Listen To Tank And The Bangas On NPR’s Ask Me Another

On the first night of our Tiny Desk Contest tour, Tank and the Bangas appeared at the Bell House in Brooklyn, N.Y. for a live taping of NPR’s Ask Me Another. You can listen to them play a short set — and compete to see whether Tank knows Disney songs better than Albert does.

From One Tiny Desk Contest Entrant To Another

On Tuesday night, the second night of three consecutive southern Tiny Desk Contest shows, we returned to The Basement East for the second year in a row. We had an amazing line-up of four local Tiny Desk Contest entrants — Liz Cooper & The Stampede, Ike and the Crooked Souls, Peyton Parker and Scriptkiddie.

Someone else was in the crowd too — two-time entrant Scott Mulvahill, who played our showcase last year. We learned that it was his performance at the 2016 showcase that inspired singer-songwriter Peyton Parker to enter the beautiful “A Million Things” this year. That song earned her the spot onstage that night. And it reminded us of just what it is the Tiny Desk Contest community does best — inspire each other.

Thank You, Austin!

Yesterday evening, we had our last night of the Tiny Desk Contest tour. It’s been a whirlwind, and we’ll have some thoughts on the experience to share soon, but in the meantime we just want to thank KUTX and everybody who came to the show for making it so special. You can keep up with the bands who performed via their Facebook pages:

Belcurve Kiko Villamizar Pocket Sounds Tank and the Bangas

Thank you again for such a special night — and for an amazing tour. Stay tuned for more soon.

Thank you, Nashville!

Last night, we returned to the Basement East for our Nashville Tiny Desk Contest event. We had a great time last year, and this year was every bit as great. We co-hosted the event with WPLN and WMOT and featured four local acts who entered the Contest, each of whom put on a stellar show. Stay up to date with them via their Facebook pages:

Liz Cooper & The Stampede Ike and the Crooked Souls Peyton Parker Scriptkiddie

Tonight, we have our last night of the tour in Austin. It’s been a wild and lovely few days, filled with new people and great new music. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Thank you, Charleston!

On Monday night, we brought the Tiny Desk Contest tour to the Lagunitas Charleston TapRoom & Beer Sanctuary in Charleston, S.C. The show, co-hosted with SCPR, featured three local artists, and a fiery performance from Tank and the Bangas. Follow up with the bands below:

Human Resources SondorBlue Chaquis Maliq Tank and the Bangas

We’re on the southern leg of the 2017 Tiny Desk Contest tour, and it’s been a joy to meet you all. We hope to see some of you in Austin tonight!

Tank And The Bangas’ Tiny Desk Concert Has Over A Million Views On YouTube

Congratulations to Tank and the Bangas! You can watch their Tiny Desk Concert above, and check out a live set of theirs from our Tiny Desk Contest tour right here.

Thank You, Chicago!

On Tuesday night, at the heart of the Lagunitas Brewery in Chicago, Ill., four amazing artists took the Tiny Desk Contest stage. Co-hosted with our friends at WBEZ, we featured three local artists who entered the Contest along with a set from Tank and the Bangas to close out the night (you can watch the livestream of the band’s set here). 

If you want to follow the artists we featured, check out their Facebook pages below:

Nashon Holloway Will Phalen Low Swans

We’ll be back on the road on Monday for a show in Charleston, S.C.! We hope to see you then.

Thank You, Petaluma!

We had an amazing time at the Lagunitas TapRoom & Beer Sanctuary in Petaluma, Calif. on Tuesday of this past week. If you couldn’t be there with us in person, you can experience some of the evening via our Facebook livestream of three-time Tiny Desk Contest entrant Diana Gameros’ set. Check out all the awesome featured artists below:

Royal Jelly Jive Diana Gameros Black Sheep Brass Band Tank and the Bangas

We’re back on the road this coming Tuesday in Chicago — and we’ll have a livestream from Tank and the Bangas that night, just in case (and in the statistically likely event) that you can’t be there with us. Either way, we hope to see you soon.

Thank You, Azusa!

Last night, we had the last show of our tour’s west coast leg. In Azusa, Calif., we featured five bands — four local favorite acts and Tank and the Bangas — in our show co-hosted with KVCR at Lagunitas Azusa TapRoom & Beer Sanctuary. Keep up with the amazing featured artists below:

Leather Tramp Smoke Season Timotha Lanae & Clear Soul Meilur Tank And The Bangas

We’ll see you in Chicago next week!

Thank You, Portland!

Bob Boilen, he who sits behind the Tiny Desk, took some photos of the amazing local acts we featured at our Portland, Ore. showcase with opbmusic. Follow up with the bands below — and look for the three local acts from the bill if you’re ever in Portland, Ore.

Haley Heynderickx Lola Buzzkill Family Mansion Tank and the Bangas

We’ll be back on the road next week in Chicago, and if you happen to live in Nashville, you can still reserve a free ticket for our 21+ Nashville show the week after right here.

Thank You, Seattle!

It’s been a long week on the road, and it began with an incredible show Monday night at KEXP. We had an incredible bill, and if you want to follow up with any of the bands, you can find them here:

Kuinka Breaks and Swells The environment motopony

We’re back on the east coast for a few days now, and then off to Chicago for a show with WBEZ! Stay tuned for more dispatches.

Tank And The Bangas Just Released The Official Recording Of The Song That Won The Tiny Desk Contest

When we first saw the video of Tank And The Bangas performing “Quick” in that classroom, we were transfixed. Today, a couple short months after that video won them the Tiny Desk Contest, they’re releasing the official recording of “Quick.” You can listen to it on Spotify, Soundcloud and Apple Music. From everyone in Bangaville & Tiny Desk-land, we wish you a happy single release day.

Thank You, Philly!

On Tuesday night, we had our second-ever Tiny Desk Contest tour event at World Cafe Live with our friends at WXPN. We featured four amazing local acts at the showcase, and you can watch their entries below. Each act put on an incredible show.

- ILL DOOTS - Maitland - APHRA - Hardwork Movement

There are many great Philly-area entries to enjoy, though: This year, we had more entrants from Philadelphia than ever before. Check them out, share what you love and stay tuned for more updates from the road!

From our “10 More Tiny Desk Contest Entries We Love” article:

ZenSoFly, "Like That"

WXPN’s The Key Rounds Up Practically Every Tiny Desk Contest Entry From Philadelphia

This is truly a feat. Julie Miller over at WXPN has rounded up practically every 2017 Tiny Desk Contest submission from Philadelphia. This year, more Philadelphia acts submitted than ever before. Watch some of the amazing entries, and we’ll report back from our tour there tomorrow night! We’re featuring four great local entrants (this isn’t one of the stops with Tank and the Bangas).