Hey Jam aficionados, welcome back to Shecky's
Jam Bands where we unpack the stories behind
the bands lighting up festival fields coast to
coast Today we're diving into Baltimore's own
gleaming beacon of funk and good vibes pigeons
playing ping -pong Man, I love this name and
I was so curious to know how they developed this
name. So we'll get into that in a minute just
to kind of Level set I wanted to go into their
backstory and Pigeons Playing Pink Pong began
in 2009 as a dorm room project between college
freshmen Greg Scrambled A. Greg, which is his
nickname, Greg Ormont, and Jeremy Shone. At the
University of Maryland, go Terps. From humble
beginnings jamming on covers and silly original
songs, the band organically expanded and began
touring. Now, for the name. It literally jumped
off a Psychology 101 textbook page. Greg spotted
the phrase, pigeons playing ping -pong, pointed
out to Jeremy, and both instantly agreed. That
was their name. He later linked it to B .F. Skinner's
famed Pigeon Experiments, connecting positive
reinforcement to how music rewards and habit
-forming performances feel. Now, why should you
be listening? Well, this quartet is known for
their infectious energy, relentless touring,
up to 200 shows per year, by the way, and melting
genre boundaries. Funky psychedelic grooves balanced
with gut -busting stage charisma. Their fan base,
affectionately known as The Flock, echoes their
community -first mentality, one that's lifted
them to run their own festival called Domefest
since 2009. It's pretty impressive. Some of the
must -listen songs and why they rock. Number
one is Funk EP. Their debut album, 2010, cleverly
named To Confuse and Delight, sets their tone
early. Another song, Horizon, a trance -inducing
track that balances melodic grooves with dreamy
textures ideal for setting festival moods. Third,
Melting Lights. a hypnotic funk jam that showcases
their shifting rhythms and feel -good hooks.
Lastly, you should check out something for you.
Layers disco satin with a prog rock solo breakdown.
Let that dance floor shimmer. Couple of the deep
dives on some of their most unforgettable jams.
The first one took place in Asheville in 2019.
The song Walk Outside. transition into Time to
Ride, led by drummer Alex Petropoulos. This opening
jam evolves into psychedelic cascade of mashups
and extended improvisation, highlighting the
band's adventurous spirit. The second song you
should check out that was performed live is called
The Liquid. A master class in contrast, a fast
-paced funk number interrupted by a soul -stirring
blues breakdown, then surging back to a high
octane energy. Now looking at some unique and
fun facts. Well, number one, they have real studio
independence. They've self -released every album,
including most recent one in 2024, Day and Time,
without a record deal, staying close to the flock
via Kickstarter and DIY ethic. Secondly, Their
live energy is packaged. Greg describes every
song like a spring -loaded can of worms, primed
for explosive release, live. Third, their light
wizardry. Lighting designer Manny Newman is considered
the fifth member, adding psychedelic visuals
that match the band's intensity. Let's discuss
now why pigeons playing ping pong are soaring.
Because they deliver pure joy. Every show is
high -energy celebration, pure unfiltered and
grounded in community, whether it's the breakdown
in the liquid, the danceable trance of Horizon,
or the immersive mashups of a multi -set finale.
Pigeons playing ping pong mix tight musicianship
with spontaneous flair. If you haven't yet, pull
up Horizon melting lights and the live walk outside.
That transitions to time to ride sequence better
yet catch them live and let the vibe lift you
up That's it today for a deep dive on Shecky's
jam bands. Keep chasing those grooves Stay open
-minded and never forget in the world of jam
pigeons playing ping -pong. Keep the party grounded
and the sparks flying