Pigeons Playing Ping Pong hosted and headlined Domefest this past weekend at Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio. The quartet was joined by a number of special guests over the course of their five sets, including Goose multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach, Lotus guitarist Tim Palmieri and percussionist Chuck Morris, Dopapod keyboardist Eli Winderman and the Funk You Horns.
Thursday’s sets were devoted to the “History Of PPPP” with frontman Greg Ormont providing narration throughout. The evening also had an “All Mixed Up” theme as Pigeons performed the recently premiered 311 cover of the same name as the encore. Pigeons got the festivities underway with a seamless sequence of “Too Long,” “Penguins,” “Funkijam” and “Funk E Zekiel.” Then, “Landing” was jammed into “Funky House,” a mashup of Lipps Inc.’s “Funky Town,” The Commodores’ “Brick House” and Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music.”
The Magic Beans keyboardist Casey Russell was PPPP’s first guest of the weekend, as he added to “Condenser” during Thursday’s second set. LITZ saxophonist Austin Litz emerged a few songs later for “Water.” Pigeons Playing Ping Pong then debuted new original “Fantasy” before the aforementioned “All Mixed Up” finale.
On Friday, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong utilized the theme “There Goes My Hero” for both their regular set and their first late night set at Domefest since 2013. Chuck Morris helped out on percussion for “Upfunk” and “Move Like That” after the “Dawn A New Day” opener. Next came “The Town” before Palmieri lit it up on a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire.” From there, the four-piece fit a cover of Foo Fighters’ “Learn To Fly” within their own “High As Five” and debuted new original “Beneath The Surface” ahead of a set-closing “Julia.”
The late night set began with a “Skinner” featuring the year’s first “Moonwalk” mixed in. “Time To Ride” then enveloped “Kiwi” before “Somethin’ For Ya” bled into a “Skipjack” containing the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Theme Song” within. Eli Winderman emerged towards the end of the frame to provide keys on “Su Casa” and a cover of Foo Fighters’ “My Hero.”
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong pulled off one long set due to weather on Saturday instead of the two originally planned. “Disco Dinosaur” was theme for the night and the quartet debuted an original of the same name after opening with “Avalanche.” Anspach, who performed at the event with his Great Blue project, played guitar on “Poseidon” and later joined PPPP lead guitarist Jeremy Schon in guesting with Star Kitchen. Schon also sat-in with Spafford for “Leave The Light On” on Saturday.
Watch fan-shot video of Anspach and Schon’s appearance with Star Kitchen below:
A “Hell Yeah” incorporating The Bee Gees’ “You Should Be Dancing” followed Anspach’s guest appearance. Next up was “Horizon” and a “Zydeko” PPPP worked into the “Theme From Jurassic Park” and back again. Then, the Funk You Horns added to “Elephante” and stuck around for an “F.U.” that also featured Anspach. “Ocean Flows” closed out the quartet’s final set of Domefest 2022.
Setlists (via PPPP Instagram)
Thursday, May 19
Set One: Too Long > Penguins*^ > Funkijam* > Funk E Zekiel, Landing* > Jam > Funky House”, Dome People* > Lightning* > Psycho Killer% > Lightning, Melting Lights*
Set Two: Burning Up My Time* > Sir Real* > Burning Up My Time > Condenser*&, Drums* > The Liquid, Fox And Toad*, Yo Soy Fiesta*, Water*+, Fantasy*$
Encore: All Mixed Up
Notes:
- “All Mixed Up” theme
- Surprise “History of PPPP” sets with chronological songs and storytelling
- * w/ Greg narration
- ^ w/ “I Like To Blaze” tease
- ” Funky Town / Brick House / Play That Funky Music mashup
- % Inverted
- & w/ Casey Russell (@themagicbeans) on keys
- + w/ Austin Litz (@funkylitzmusic) on saxophone
- $ Original debut
https://www.instagram.com/p/CdyNVdxuoe0/
Friday, May 20 (Main Stage)
Set: Dawn A New Day, Upfunk*, Move Like That*, The Town, Fire^, High As Five > Learn To Fly > High As Five, Beneath The Surface”, Julia
Notes:
- “There Goes My Hero” theme
- * w/ Chuck Morris (@lotusinstagram) on percussion
- ^ w/ Tim Palmieri (Lotus) on guitar
- ” Original Debut
Friday, May 20 (Late Night)
Set: Skinner > Moonwalk > Skinner, Time To Ride > Kiwi > Time To Ride, Somethin’ For Ya > Skipjack > Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles+ > Skipjack, King Kong%, Su Casa~ > My Hero~+ > Su Casa~, Doc
Notes:
- “There Goes My Hero” theme
- First late night set at Domefest since 2013
- % w/ extended drum, bass, crowd jam
- ~ w/ Eli Winderman (@octave_cat) on keys
- + First time played
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd06RVxOY4w/
Saturday, May 21
Set: Avalanche, Dinosaur Disco*, Poseidon^, Hell Yeah > You Should Be Dancin’ > Hell Yeah, Horizon, Zydeko > Jurassic Park > Zydeko, Elephante”, F.U.”, Ocean Flows
Notes:
- “Dinosaur Disco” theme
- One set due to weather delay
- * Original debut
- ^ w/ Peter Anspach (@greatbluemusic / @goosetheband) on guitar
- ” w/ @funkyoumusic horns
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd3c4BnOV3v/
