2019/10/4 Pigeons Playing Ping Pong @ The Foundry
Let me get this out of the way right up front: I flock’n love Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. I’ve been taken with them since I first saw them a few years back and love them more every time I see them. Different bands check different boxes for different people. Quite simply, this band checks my fun box. Sometimes, all I’m after is a plain old good time, a party if you will, and 100% of the time, PPPP delivers in spades. As Pigeons ascends to playing bigger and bigger rooms, a throwback party for the VIPPPP crowd in a very comfortable Foundry turned out to be a special night for both the band and the most adoring members of their Flock.
Tickets were only available as a VIP package coupled with tonight’s show in the much larger and adjacent Fillmore Philly (capacity 450 vs 2500). As such, only the most ardent fans were in the room last night, and it showed, as seemingly every person knew every word to every song, including some rarely played gems like Totally, Where Are We Going, and the delicious Stay > Come As You Are > Stay sandwich to open the second frame. More on that later.
The room was so comfortable, not at all oversold, and hip in a brick retro-vibe Brooklyn Bowl kind of way. A little smaller than the Bowl, neither as long nor as wide, one rectangle with comfortable seating along one side and in the back, and a central bar favoring the back third of the room. The stage was about 15-20 feet wide and less than half as deep, just a foot or so off the ground. Given the tight quarters, drummer extraordinaire Alex “Gator” Petropulos was stage right, kit facing the band, all 4 musicians arranged in a linear fashion as a function of circumstance and necessity more so than choice (wow I just unleashed my inner math teacher). PPPP announced the start time as 9:30 and, having arrived at 8:50, I was surprised to walk up to a roomy rail spot stage right where the rail bent towards the stage, leaving me kind of between the rail proper and the stage with a drummer’s eye view of the band. The view was so unique – full frontal of the band but looking over the drummer’s right shoulder – I don’t think I’ll get another one like it anytime soon, and was waaay appreciative of the fresh look from way up close.
Similar topic, last night was the first time I really noticed just how good Alex is on the drums. I’ve been listening to these guys for a while…bassist Ben Carrey was my first holyshit this guy is good member of the band, I find his his bass lines to be funky and fresh and resonant, and they both rock my world and gyrate my hips. Jeremy Schon, guitar shredding face-melter extraordinaire, was my next crush, so to speak. And “Scrambled” Greg Ormont has always been a personal fave, not just for his overt humility and appreciation of his and the band’s success, but because I can’t recall a musician that ever looks like they’re having more fun on stage than he does – it’s actually palpable. His voice has grown on me in the most affectionate way, as well, and he’s got some pretty good chops on the guitar to boot. But last night, man, last night was the Gator show. I got to see up close and personal not just how his beats drive the band to higher and higher peaks, but also how his delicacy allows others their chance to shine. He crushed me last night in the very best way. While I’ve danced more steps in a night, I don’t recall ever being more soaked with sweat than I was yesterday (I was able to literally wring my shirt out after the show), and Alex was largely responsible for that. Not to mention, there may not be a more handsome musician in the jam scene, just sayin’. Keeping up with him was a chore that I was grateful to be in shape for and, as I was close enough to have actual conversations with him during the night, he rewarded me with a very well worn drum stick that I promised to give place of pride amongst my live music mementos.
First set was a sweaty fun mess, with Totally right out of the gate being a personal highlight of my 8,978 step tally. I didn’t really have the right viewpoint to appreciate Manny Newman’s lights, but he’s a beast as LD and just may be Jefferson Waful’s heir apparent on the jam scene, CK5 notwithstanding as he’s in his own class.
The second set opened with a ridiculous Stay > Come as You Are > Stay that was just vintage Pigeons. Sandwiching a completely funkified Nirvana cover with one of their rarest originals took the dance party to new heights. I fear what I might look like on the official video – ugh! – but certainly didn’t care last night as I was shaking everything I had with every ounce of energy I could muster which, to be fair, is more than most. I love to give all of myself to a band that gives all of itself to me, and the reciprocal energy was in full force last night, a tangible thing that should be given at least an asterisk on the official setlist.
And I am always smitten with the band’s obvious appreciation for just how far they’ve come and the fact that their passions became their occupations. They definitely realize how lucky they are and it’s sometimes hard to tell who’s having more fun – us or them?!? Their stage banter is endearing, as they spoke of loving festivals but being so grateful to be starting fall tour proper where they have “two full sets to just do whatever and let the jams roll.”
Then, just for good measure, as if dancing all night, taking home a drum stick and a few pics and conversation with Alex, the fine folks at the Foundry had a big ass bowl of free tickets for upcoming shows – good ones!- that they were dispensing on the way out, everything from Andy Frasco to Turkuaz (that’s what I got) to Dopapod and Lettuce and Ghost-Note to The Infamous Stringdusters (Halloween, anyone?) and the list goes on. What more can you ask for?
So 163 minutes of jams and 15,963 steps later, I can firmly avow that PPPP has ascended my Mt. Rushmore of favorite bands, squarely in the four slot behind Pearl Jam, JRAD, and Trey Anastasio (yes, I know Trey is not a band but giving Phish and TAB separate spots didn’t seem fair). A guaranteed shake your ass party, I hope to see y’all at the Play Station Theater with Frasco opening and, I’m sure, sitting in for a few, on November 1.
I’ll leave you with a quote from Greg Ormont, a dude who I’d love to sit across the dinner table from…
“Always Flock responsibly.”
