Pigeons Playing Ping Pong

If you ever wondered what “seizing the moment” sounds like personified, look no further than Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, the four-piece musical powerhouse known for their head-turning high-energy psychedelic funk shows. Infectious energy is an understatement.

The Maryland quartet — “Scrambled Greg” Ormont [vocals, guitar], Jeremy Schon [guitar, vocals], Ben [bass, vocals], and Alex “Gator” Petropulos [drums, vocals]—not only squeezes the juice out of every second, but they harness life’s energy within their hypnotic hybrid of funk, rock and psychedelic groove.

With a devout audience, affectionately known as “The Flock,” and a trail of sold-out tours behind them, the band takes a major step forward once again on their seventh full-length offering, Day In Time, released on April 26, 2024.

“This album is a snapshot of our band as a group and as individuals,” notes Greg. “The title serves as a reminder that life moves fast, so we better make the most of each day, make each second count. 15 years as a band have flown by. We started in college and now we’re all growing up, most of us have even become dads recently, so we’re evolving both personally and musically, and we’re happily embracing those changes. That said, we still feel like kids when we’re getting wild on stage and know we always will.”

This forward motion has only accelerated over the years for Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. Renowned as a live tour de force, PPPP has tallied tens of millions of streams and performed to impassioned crowds everywhere from Red Rocks Amphitheatre and The Capitol Theatre to festivals such as Bonnaroo, Electric Forest, Jam Cruise, and more. Most recently, they earned widespread acclaim for 2022’s Perspective, a 12-track “funk-filled odyssey” as described by Relix. However, Day In Time saw them realize another level of cohesion in the studio.

“This album is the most cohesive group of songs we’ve ever had in the studio,” says Jeremy. “On our previous albums, there were usually older songs mixed in with our newer material. However, all the tracks on ‘Day In Time’ really represent our current writing style and where we are as a band today.”

A bevy of friends also joined the party. On the boisterous “Let The Boogie Out,” Here Come The Mummies’ horn section added healthy doses of funk and “truly decided to let the boogie out,” according to Jeremy. Ben “Smiley” Silverstein (The Main Squeeze; Smile High) shines on the titular “Day In Time” with a raucous keyboard solo, while keyboardists Joey Porter (The Motet) and Alric “A.C.” Carter (Tauk) join forces on the soulful “Overtime.” Carter also adds rich depth with keys on “Beneath The Surface,” while Jon O’Hallaron (Chalk Dinosaur) infuses rhythmic keys and electronic flavor on the instrumental standout, “Skinner.”  Another first, all four members of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong take inspired solos on the same record.

“With this being our seventh full-length album, we’re more comfortable in the studio than ever, which has given us the freedom to take some bigger swings reminiscent of our live shows.” notes Greg.

In the end, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong are certainly making the most of the moment, and they might just inspire you to do the same.

Virginia’s Kendall Street Company are no strangers to having a wild time. The genre-fluid, eclectic rock ensemble has drawn varied comparisons to the dynamic jams of Umphrey’s McGee and Widespread Panic, songwriting prowess of John Prine, experimental psychedelia of Pink Floyd, progressive jazz-infused rock of Frank Zappa, and off-color humor of Ween and They Might Be Giants. Including elements of crowd participation, off-the-cuff comedic bits, haphazard choreography, musical improvisation, and surprise musical guests, each Kendall Street Company concert is an experience unlike any other. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry. Just remember to stay hydrated.

In addition to their reputation as must-see live performers, the Company’s prolific immunity to writer’s block has led them to release over over 100 original songs between seven studio albums, two live albums, and four EPs in a period of just six years. 2023 will see the release of (at least) an additional two studio records, a handful of singles, and who knows what else! You can also enjoy a massive selection of live shows on nugs.net, which often include unreleased and improvised tracks, as well as covers ranging from the Grateful Dead to DEVO to Alanis Morisette to Soulja Boy.

Kendall Street Company is: Louis Smith [Rhythm Guitar/Lead Vox], Brian Roy [Bass], Ryan Wood [Drums], Ben Laderberg [Lead Guitar], and Jake Vanaman [Saxophone/Keys]. The five met at the University of Virginia, where they graduated between 2015 and 2020. For such a young band, their accomplishments are commendable. They have performed at festivals including Lockn’, Summer Camp, High Sierra, Resonance, Floydfest, Some Kind of Jam, and Rooster Walk. Featured guest musicians at their sets have included Keller Williams, Ron Holloway, Andy Frasco, and Andy Hall. The Company has also shared the stage with Goose, Umphrey’s McGee, Papadosio, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Leftover Salmon, the Infamous Stringdusters, Big Something and Melvin Seals & JGB. The outfit draws their name from late-night bonfires at the Kendall Street Beach on the Chesapeake Bay, and the good company who fueled the flames, the jams, and the conversation.