Courtesy 11E1even Group
Audio By Carbonatix
The love affair between Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Colorado was instant.
“From the first song we played,” vocalist-guitarist Greg “Scrambled Greg” Ormont shares.
“We did not know what to expect when we come out to Colorado and the reception truly blew us away. The reputation of Colorado being music fans proceeded itself,” he continues. “We were just so embraced, and we were so excited to start coming back as much as possible. That was back in 2013, when all these Coloradans took a chance on us. We poured out the energy like we always do, and it was reciprocated in a really palpable way.”
Since then, the Maryland jam band has come back numerous times to much anticipation and applause, playing to bigger and bigger rooms and venues, from the Mission Ballroom to Red Rocks. It makes sense that such a group would become a hit out here.
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“To me, a jam band in Colorado is like a metal band in Norway. It just works,” quips drummer Alex “Gator” Petropulos.
“A lot of it’s the culture of the city. It’s people who love the free-flowing nature of music and capturing that energy experience,” he adds. “For some reason those mountain towns and Denver specifically lend themselves to that free-spirited side of music.”
It doesn’t hurt that it’s a world-class skiing and snowboarding destination, either.
“Colorado’s like an oasis of open-mindedness,” Ormont says. “To be completely honest, the first time we went to Colorado to play shows we really went to go skiing and snowboarding and also play shows. Now it’s backwards, we go to play shows and hopefully get time to ski and snowboard. It’s a beautiful place to be. And when you’re surrounded by such beauty, it reflects inside of you as well.”
Needless to say, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong is stoked to come back to the Rockies for its first-ever New Year’s Eve celebration in Colorado. The group lands at Ogden Theatre on Tuesday, December 30, and Wednesday, December 31. Hometown funk-rockers Magic Beans are playing both nights, too.
Courtesy Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
With a new record in hand, Feed The Fire, released in October, PPPP (that’s what those in the know call ’em) is ready to show up and show out in ending the year on the right now. A little birdy — okay, it was Ormont — told us the set will be filled with previously unreleased material, collabs between the bands and more than enough jams to fill up the Ogden eyrie.
“There’s some special sauce with it being in Denver. It’s been a long time coming. We’ve been playing the state for twelve years and it’s astonishing that we haven’t been able to give them the goods, so to speak, with our biggest shows of the year,” he says.
“Balloons will be raining down and jams will be bouncing off the walls,” the enthusiastic frontman continues. “We know the Ogden is the perfect place to ring in the new year, turn over a leaf with some self-reflection and looking forward to the next step for all of us.”
For a band that regularly spends over half the year on the road, that means more shows, of course. But back in Baltimore, where Ormont and Petropulos are just wrapping up a practice when Westword catches them, it also includes some new tunes. And if you know PPPP, you know Ormont, Petropulos, guitarist Jeremy Schon and bassist Ben Carrey typically debut the latest material live, something they did with Feed The Fire.
“We definitely did a lot of evolving with the songs. Before that we’re pretty much just playing them live,” Petropulos explains. “It’s great to be able to capture a song in the moment, but it’s always going to evolve.”
That’s another way to say that PPPP never plays the same exact set twice, as any true jam band is wont to do, so the best way to really get a feel for the full fowl experience is from the audience.
“This is going to be a special weekend,” Ormont says of the upcoming NYE party.
Despite being nearly 2,000 miles away, the anticipation is palpable.
“It’s hard to be in a bad mood in Colorado,” he adds. “I think that bleeds into not only the fans’ response to things and open-mindedness, but also our moods and energy going into the shows and really brings the best out of us because of just where you are and how wonderfully kind and laidback people are.
“It gives you confidence to take big swings in the jam world when you feel so supported,” Ormont concludes.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, with Magic Beans, 7 p.m. Tuesday, December 30, and Wednesday, December 31, Ogden Theatre, 935 East Colfax. Tickets are $51.
