Pigeons Playing Ping Pong

Ping Pong Pandemonium 

Funk takes flight in Hampton Beach

 

Troy Bass, contributor

 

Walking along the Hampton Beach boardwalk, I didn’t quite know what to expect. You can listen to a band plenty of times, but until you see them live, all bets are off. This was my first time seeing Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, and I had a feeling things were about to get funky. Even the waves were moving a little differently that Thursday night.

 

Formed in 2009 and hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, PPPP are known for bringing the energy. We were running late, so I missed the openers, Melt, and only caught the last few minutes of The Infamous Stringdusters, but I liked what I saw. After shifting around the venue and finding a good spot to post up, the Pigeons emerged.

 

“What’s up everybody! We are Jethro Tull!” shouted vocalist/guitarist Greg “Scrambled Greg” Ormont, before launching into a quick Louis Armstrong impression and noting it was their first time at this historic venue. His energy was comparable to a kid with ADHD bouncing off the walls. “Well, we came all this way to get funky.” And funky we got.

 

They ripped into “Doc,” “Time to Ride,” and “My Own Way” with the fluidity of a well-oiled machine. It was clear these guys have been playing together a long time and were locked in from the jump. Bassist Ben Carrey kicked off “Underworld” with a tasty riff before bringing out dobroist Andy Hall from the Dusters for a 16-minute psychedelic-yet-twangy “Poseidon” jam that left us starry-eyed.

 

Then they kicked it up a notch with a relentless rendition of “Pop Off” that had guitarist Jeremy Schon melting faces. The kicker? A surprise transition into a cover of Zeppelin’s “Kashmir,” which I can only assume was a nod to the venue, where Zeppelin famously played back in ‘69. It started with the classic tempo, then kicked into double-time for their own gnarly interpretation.

 

Next came “Upfunk” into a thunderous drum solo by New Hampshire native Alex “Gator” Petropulos, who took one idea and built it out until the final crack. Did someone say steel drums? “Labyrinth” did, and it didn’t disappoint. “Fun in Funk” closed the show before Pigeons returned with the full Stringdusters crew for a bluegrass-infused, funk-driven cover of “Get Lucky.”

 

And just like that, the Pigeons flew the coop.

 

I really enjoyed the show and the musicianship. They were a true unit up there, constantly feeding off one another. I would’ve believed the Energizer Bunny was a tour sponsor, they just never stopped. Like in ping pong, they kept bouncing the musical ball back and forth until it took flight. True pandemonium. You gotta see these guys.