Review & Photos by Shae Lake
As soon as Tianna Esperanza took the stage, the room froze. Doused in purple lights, her long, dark dress and matching hair wrap made her look regal, otherworldly. She wasted no time, immediately launching into a brief rendition of “Backlash Blues” by Nina Simone. “Do you think all us colored folks are just second-class fools?” she crooned into the microphone, gazing out into the audience. And thus, Tianna Esperanza set the tone for the exquisite and intense performances to follow.
