Pigeons Playing Ping Pong- Buffalo, NY May 1, 2014

Over the past year or so, I have been seeing the name Pigeons Playing Ping Pong all over the place.  The name intrigued me, but I’ve honestly been so overwhelmed with so many other artists that I hadn’t had the chance to get acquainted with the band. So finally, this past Thursday, I stopped making excuses and decided to go and see them live.  It’s rare that I ever venture to see a band live having heard not at least a few of their studio tracks.  However, I considered this moment a test of journalistic ability.  How well could I write about a band with no knowledge of their sound? 

The only thing I knew was that the band is from Baltimore (one of my favorite cities) and that their summer ventures have them on several festival line-ups including DOMEFest, Mad Tea Party Jam, and the Catskill Chill. So, I eagerly anticipated some heady jams. And I wasn’t disappointed. What struck me the most about Pigeons was the general eclectic composition of both the music and the band.  And in that regard, there is something strikingly different about Pigeons in comparison to their current festival counterparts. 

The personality of a band is important because it flows right into the bands overall sound. And the one thing this band doesn’t lack is personality. It’s obvious just from watching them that you have four very distinct and different people cohesively creating a diverse sound.  Sometimes this type of a formula can backfire because you have four vastly different musicians trying desperately to create something different.  It can sound contrived or even desperate.  But what the Pigeons manage to do is neatly compress wildly varying musical influences into a respectful yet unique sound.

The band was welcomed back to Buffalo by a small but eager crowd.  I have to immediately give these four major credit because even with a lighter turnout from a usually packed Nietzsche's, they grooved hard. And those in attendance responded with an all-out dance party that I’m pretty sure included breaking dancing at some point. 

I was instantly impressed and amused by lead vocalists and guitarist Greg.  There is something intriguing about how he fronts the band.  He demands attention is a silent way that is almost eerie. Perhaps it’s his slightly devilish facial expressions as he lays down roaring guitar riffs. He’s laid back while still being this beacon of onstage energy.  He was wearing pajama pants! I’m not judging his wardrobe (I’ll leave that to the Rivers clan). However, to me, it’s a statement that almost surmises what this band is about: sit back, relax and rage.  That is the odd yet effective musical duality of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong.

The night’s set list included the funky and impressive “Melting Lights” that included a face melting solo from Jeremy on guitar.  As I talked to friends about this band, there is a universal agreement that Jeremy is the unsuspecting force within the group.  I give all four of the Pigeons mad love as both musicians and songwriters, but to me Jeremy is this bands “secret weapon”.  He handles his guitar with a silent presence that is graceful yet impactful.  His studied and technical guitar work somehow nestles neatly into Greg’s flowing and whimsical guitar style.

“Offshoot” is a perfect example of how this works as Jeremy and Greg weave masterfully crafted guitar riffs through waves of unique rhythmic lulling.  For me, “Offshoot” hits a sweet spot made more intense by the tight yet impish way Dan handles the drums.  His cymbal and high hat work is ace. His style brings a brightness to the band's sound. 

Ben, the band's bassist, is a well versed bassist.  He seems to picks the perfect groove to compliment the ensuing progression. Sometimes he goes rouge and gets funky and dirty with a bass line that just fuels the grittiness of a song. "Horizon" allows him to showcase that skill. He has moments of moving effortlessly between playing styles.  He's throws in moments of slap that are so raw, lovely and unexpected that they catch you off guard. I also watched him play at least two song wearing only one sock. I can't say that about any other musician that I've ever seen play. How or why it happened, I honestly don't know.  Perhaps he just simply rocked his own socks off. But that moment alone was one for the memory book. However, what Ben lacks in his ability to keep both of his socks on, he more than makes up in pure passion with his groove. 

My favorite song of the evening, sans the Phish cover I'll address in a moment, was "Time to Ride." Greg's vocal cadence on the verses are so unique that you have to stop and listen to his tonal fluctuation simply for the pure amusement it brings. The song is funky and jammy.  It's the kind of song that encourages unbridled leg moving and hip gyrations. Of all the Pigeon's songs I've heard, it's the most distinctive. 

I think it's safe to say that Nietzsche's tends to draw a relatively steady Phish loving crowd.  I watch plenty of Phans stare adoringly at the spot where you can make out Trey and Paige's signatures amongst the cluttered graffiti of the autographed ceilings. So as the band revved into "Birds of a Feather", there was a collective outpouring of approval for the song choice. It was a respectful rendition, which I imagine is a key element in attempting to cover any Phish song. It stayed true to the roots of the song while the band managed to create an amazing jam that represented their distinct sound. 

After seeing them live, I can see why there is a bit of a buzz about these guys. I hope that as they progress as a band and as musicians, they will  continue to blend their four distinct personalities into their music while creating a sound that is easily distinguishable from their musical peers. I also think that the band's sound is very Baltimore in its end product. There is something about the city's culture and lifestyle that seems to breed experimentation from its more artistically defined residence.  The city is home to a plethora of unique and rare treasure from rock legend like Frank Zappa to cult filmmaker John Waters.

What I see in Pigeons Playing Ping Pong is the potential to just go to that place of oddity and wonder.  I look forward to watching them grow within the festival scene. To me, their music celebrates individuality by forcing variant sounds together. Beyond their abilities as musicians, these guys just vibe right. They're just wildcard enough that you want to keep watching them for fear of missing something really random and amusing. So, if Pigeons Playing Ping Pong are on a festival line-up for you this summer, I highly encourage you to venture over to their set. You'll be treated to unique jams and perhaps you too will have your socks rocked off. 

The Set List ( I think…)

Nietzsche's May 1, 2014

J. Town >Melting Lights > Offshoot

Burning Up My Time >Horizon

Whoopie

Birds of a Feather (Phish cover)

Time to Ride

Zydako

Whirled

Landing >Julia

Wireless

Wall Street

Something For Ya

Couldn’t We All