Watch Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Mix Radiohead & Talking Heads Covers With Originals To Kick Off Halloween Run

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong presented their first of two “Talking Radioheads”-themed Halloween celebrations on Sunday at Tipitina’s in New Orleans. The Baltimore-based jam quartet weaved Talking Heads and Radiohead covers amid originals at the famed nightclub in the Big Easy.

The band — lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Greg Ormont, lead guitarist Jeremy Schon, drummer Alex “Gator” Petropulos and bassist Ben Carrey — who were dressed in jump suits featuring their logo, chose oldie “Pop Off” to open the evening after Dogs In A Pile‘s support set. PPPP worked “Pop Off” into a first-time cover of “Fake Plastic Trees,” a song Radiohead released on their 1995 album The Bends. The night’s initial debut gave way to fan-favorite original “Henrietta,” which in turn bled into Talking Heads’ “Wild Wild Life.” Pigeons last played “Wild Wild Life” back on October 1, 2022.

The seamless start to the first set concluded with live staples “Melting Lights” and “The Liquid.” The latter birthed the PPPP premiere version of Radiohead’s In Rainbows (2007) chestnut “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi.” Pigeons Playing Ping Pong sealed the frame by performing a “Lightning” that encapsulated their first “Crosseyed & Painless” since November 1, 2019.

PPPP started last night’s second set by delivering a “Walk Outside” that featured “Once In A Lifetime” within. The song, which like Crosseyed & Painless, was issued on Talking Heads’ iconic 1983 album Remain In Light had been on the shelf dating back to November 2, 2019. Next came a pairing of OK Computer Radiohead classic “Airbag” and original “Su Casa.” The quartet went on to fit Talking Heads’ “Girlfriend Is Better” into their own “Avalanche.” Dogs In A Pile keyboardist Jeremy Kaplan sat in on “Girlfriend Is Better.”

Sunday’s show rolled on with the Pigeons Playing Ping Pong’s premiere take on “Karma Police,” which the band gave a bit of a reggae feel towards. A song sandwich featuring the beloved “Poseidon” as the bread with an “And She Was” filling closed the second set. PPPP had one more cover debut in store. The band unveiled their funk and reggae-infused rendition of Radiohead’s 1993 hit “Creep” and then concluded the two-song encore with original “Whirled.”

See pro-shot video of the “Pop Off”/”Fake Plastic Trees” sequence that opened last night’s show via nugs.net below:

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View audience-captured footage of Sunday’s “Walk Outside” encapsulating “Once In A Lifetime” below:

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Pigeons Playing Ping Pong will play another “Talking Radioheads” show on Halloween proper, tomorrow, Tuesday, October 31 in Austin. Watch a free livestream with a nugs.net subscription.

Setlist (via Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Instagram)

Set One: Pop Off > Fake Plastic Trees* > Henrietta > Wild Wild Life > Melting Lights > The Liquid > Weird Fishes/ Arpeggi* > The Liquid, Lightning > Crosseyed and Painless^ > Lightning

Set Two: Walk Outside > Once In A Lifetime% > Walk Outside, Airbag* > Su Casa, Avalanche > Girlfriend Is Better^~ > Avalanche, Karma Police* > Poseidon > And She Was > Poseidon

Encore: Creep* > Whirled

• * – First time played
• ^ – Last time played 11/01/19
• % – Last time played 11/02/19
• ~ – w/ Jeremy Kaplan (Dogs In A Pile) on keys

Source: JamBase.com