Written by: Cam Elkins
Photography by: Michael Broerman
Every Pigeons Playing Ping Pong show I’ve been to has felt like a championship celebration, and this weekend’s Ohio run was no different. Probably the greatest funk party touring the country, the Pigeons extraordinary live performances have become the centerpiece for insane amounts of interpersonal connection nationwide. The greatness of the Pigeons community was on full display this weekend in Ohio, and it was a two-night run The Flock will never forget.
Friday night, Pigeons landed in Cleveland for their House of Blues debut. Mungion was set to open up the night, and did so with full Mung Force.
Never being able to anticipate what’s coming next, everything Mungion did was a surprise. No matter what they were about to do, it consistently shattered whatever expectations that I had. Unable to fit inside any category or box, they are unpredictable and boundless, causing whatever they are playing to be hard-hitting, and extremely potent.
There is no doubt that a Mungion show is a party – but, at the end of the day, their music is extremely genuine. Soul, charisma, and precision are always there, as the band explores almost every musical genre on their way from expertly navigating infectious dance grooves up to the highest peaks.
From syncopation to improvised solos, each member of the band puts on a clinic, while Mungion as a whole is a clinic on synergy itself. Sean Carolan is ridiculous on the bass, and with Matt Kellen (drums), the rhythm of Mungion stands out as one of the best any festival lineup could have. When you take into account Joe Re’s work on the keys with Justin Reckamp’s virtuoso guitar skills, it’s easy to see that Mungion not only belongs right there with all of the hottest bands, but totally IS one of the hottest bands.
Pigeons came out and the crowd was going nuts. Starting with “Henrietta,” and then into “Offshoot” (with a “Pick Panther” tease), it was clear that Pigeons Playing Ping Pong weren’t “playing” around at all. They then busted out “Poseidon” into “Whirled,” and then into “Somethin’ For Ya,” comically bringing out a Ric Flair action figure sitting in a tiny desk, and giving him his own microphone. After “Skipjack” and “Time to Ride,” set one was a wrap.
Set two Manny Newman, Pigeons’ lighting designer, turned things up to level ten. As the band transitioned into “Sir Real,” Manny brought the crowd through some kind of sonoluminescent wormhole, as Greg came out the other side singing,
“Flashing Lights and Psychedelic Sounds!”
From there, the band brought fans through some of their greatest songs, from “Horizon,” to the absolute banger “Sunny Day,” to “King Kong,” they were straight up spoiling fans. Spittin’ straight Red Hot Chilli Pepper bars, they then finished off the set with sick version of “Around The World.”
“I knowwwww… I knowwww… for sure…
That life is beautiful around the worldddd.”
Finishing off with the feel-good song “Dawn a New Day,” the energy in the room was filled with an unspeakable beauty and bliss. From the beginning till the end, fans in The House of Blues sang every lyric loud and proud, dancing their hearts out through the night.
Night two of Pigeon’s Ohio run was here, and they were all set to bring the sacred funk to one of Columbus’s greatest venues, a converted church known as The Bluestone. Fans had come in from all over the country for this, and the anticipation buzzing around was something else. Mungion was set to open things off with a bang, and fans were eager after seeing what they did last night in Cleveland. Mungion again came out like they wanted to show fans what was up.
Again delivering fans a headline-worthy opening performance, fans will not soon forget the spotlight is shining down on Joe Re as he enchants the crowd with a hilariously awesome opera tease. The next moment, Mungion seamlessly transitioned into a latin dance jam, as Justin Reckamp again and again showed-out in every which way I thought was possible. Mungion got a huge ovation, and the crowd never simmered down one bit.
When Pigeons came out and took the stage, The Bluestone crowd simply freaked the fuck out. Honestly, there was more madness in The Bluestone than any show I’ve probably ever seen. It was equal parts insane and amazing – but regardless, the energy was well deserved.
Starting with “Pop Off,” then “Whoopie,” then into “Porcupine,” P4 matched the over-the-top enthusiasm with some of the most jaw-dropping jamming that The Bluestone has ever seen. Following Mungion’s stellar opening set, there was no need for Pigeons to really loosen up the crowd whatsoever. The hype in the building was as strong as anything, and they immediately got down to exceeding every expectation – like they always do.
Song after song the band showcased their ability to cross back-and-forth between super-hot funk up into scorching, screaming rage-mode. After “Porcupine” they went into “Penguins,” jamming right into a cover of “Groove is in the Heart” by Deee-Lite. Manny was having a field day as the band was ruthlessly tearing it up. Jeremy was wreaking havoc, possesed, keeping the crowd bursting in a manic frenzy.
“Whaaaaaaat the fuckkk?!” screamed a girl next to me…
“I feel violated.” screamed her boyfriend…
We were inside of a church that was basically on fire, and all they kept doing was stepping down harder and harder on the gas pedal. From “Lightning,” to “Julia,” then into “Avalanche,” the Pigeons were loving the energy of the crowd, wielding the fire with reckless abandonment. From Jeremy repeatedly ripping it to shreds, to Greg perfectly complementing him, Pigeons have developed the uncanny knack to be both uplifting and completely disrespectful. It’s like they want to get you to dance until, before you even realize it, they’re shredding you into bewilderment.
As they walked out for set two, Greg took a moment to awknowledge how much they all appreciated the energy. The amount of passion the flock was bringing was seriously breath-taking. Fans sang every word as the band continued on with “Kiwi,” into “Upfunk,” then into one of my absolute favorites, “Snake Eyes.”
Manny had the lights on purple and green as the band slow-motion melted the crowd through thick, bass-heavy grooves. Creating almost a weightlessness, much needed after the last two hours of heavy hitting jams, the band was completely locked in the zone. Flowing into “Spacejam,” into “The Hop,” and then back up into, “F.U.” the band masterfully re-errupted the crowd. Again, we danced like maniacs, going absolutely bonkers.
With the vibe as hot as ever, the band went from “Zydeko” into a space of complete awe and serenity, covering Beauty and the Beast’s “A Tale As Old As Time.” The energy had already exploded everywhere, and now all the feels were dripping down like tears of joy. A moment of unspeakable beauty, this is one of the aspects of Pigeons’ shows that puts them on an entirely other level from most bands. There was time for one more crazy rage, and the band finished set two with “The Liquid.”
Without a doubt in my mind, the highlight of the night came right at the end of set two. “The Liquid” ended, the lights went on, and screams filled the air like you could never believe. Fans exploded into absolute havoc, screaming their heads off for Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. The sound of The Flock yelling out for Pigeons was far, far louder than the music had been all night.
The band came out for the encore, and Greg again gave a huge shoutout to the Ohio crowd, acknowledging our awesomeness and extending the bands’ fullest appreciation. Such stand up guys. We all raged “Yo Soy Fiesta” into “Schwanthem,” and The Bluestone had officially now become the Coo-Stone. Faces everywhere were literally frozen with ear-to-ear smiles for hours, with the entire venue basically sharing in one great collective night-long outburst of joy.
I may be biased, but no other fan group can compare to how great the Flock is. A community of people all connected over their love for P4, the excitement and happiness that follows Pigeons wherever they play is a direct testament to the soul that they put into their music. Pigeons deserve every ounce of success that’s coming their way. They’ve brought an abundance of happiness to cities all around the country, and this is only going to continue to spiral upwards, as they will surely continue bringing the funk to larger and larger venues.
Given the sheer amount of energy beating down on them from hundreds of of delirious fans, the way they held themselves this weekend was inspiring to say the least.
I have first-hand seen and experienced the way Pigeons Playing Ping Pong has been the catalyst for countless friendships, but I’ve also experienced the way the Pigeons can be the catalyst for their fans ultimately loving the fuck out of life. No matter what’s going on in your life, being in the crowd of a Pigeons show will infect you with a fever that can totally redefine what you thought it meant to have “fun.”
Constantly pushing the envelop with their super-powered psychedelic funk, they have gone from a band “On the rise”(link) to a band that has totally risen. I wasn’t around to see The Grateful Dead or Phish blow up, and I’m not saying they are the next Grateful Dead or Phish, but the Pigeons wave is unlike anything else in the music scene. Pigeons Playing Ping Pong have grown a community of music fans so remarkable, so excited to show their support, that lives now are being transformed by Flock energy in mass. Traveling the country with an excitement so massive and a love so unapologetic, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong (and their Flock) stand out in the news as something absolutely amazing that’s happening in the world.
See you at Domefest!
March 22, 2019 – House of Blues Cleveland
I: Henrietta > Offshoot > Pink Panther > Offshoot, Poseidon > Whirled, Fortress, Somethin’ For Ya* > Skipjack*, Time To Ride*
II: Moonwalk^ > Burning Up My Time > Sir Real > Burning Up My Time > Horizon > Sunny Day, King Kong, Around The World
E: Dawn A New Day
Notes:* w/ Ric Flair in a Tiny Desk
March 23, 2019 @ The Bluestone (Columbus, OH)
I: Pop Off, Whoopie, Porcupine, Penguins > Funkijam > Groove Is In The Heart > Lightning, Julia
II: Kiwi > Upfunk, Snake Eyes, Spacejam > The Hop > F.U., Zydeko > Tale As Old As Time > Zydeko, The Liquid
E. Yo Soy Fiesta > Schwanthem