21 minute read
Greg Ormont of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
DAWN A NEW DAY
Greg Ormont of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
In the long, storied history of jam bands and the rollicking aura of time and space surrounding each unique musical entity, comes the notion of artistic themes and pure mischief at the hands of those on both sides of the microphone.
For Baltimore, Maryland-based group Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, the quartet is wellregarded for its keen sense of self, one of immense improvisational talent, and also using its platform to elevate not only its sound and scope, but also the experience of the listener in the midst of a performance — a sacred setting where Pigeons truly shine as a pillar of the modern jam era.
And with its annual New Year’s Eve celebration just around the corner, the band is once again calling the Harrah’s Cherokee Center–Asheville its headquarters for another goround of its highly-anticipated pranks, costumes and song selections — all amid an unfolding scene of music and madness only found at a live show.
Smoky Mountain News: Pigeons is based out of Baltimore. How would you describe that scene? What makes it unique?
Greg Ormont (lead singer/guitarist): The club that like everyone goes to here is the 8x10. It’s a tight room, about 350-person capacity. But, it really feels like 200. And that’s where you see the same people every time. So, while it’s not a massive jam scene, it’s certainly tight-knit, which is what I think sets our scene apart.
When I moved to Maryland for college, my guitarist, who grew up here, would take me to the 8x10 all the time. We’d catch The Bridge (a legendary Baltimore jam/rock act) shows where it was sold out every week — and every week was different, no repeats.
Eventually, The Bridge sort of passed the torch to us when they started playing less. And we got to do some residencies at the 8x10 [to fill that jam-band void]. It’s where we started playing theme shows more regularly. So, as we talk about our upcoming New Year’s Eve show in Asheville, we’ve been doing themes for well over 10 years, with part of the reason doing those 8x10 shows.
With those New Year’s Eve shows, we had to push ourselves musically to create some new cover ideas or teases or mashups of our own songs — to not only stretch our material, but make it exciting for the fans, and for us. And it’s been so much fun that we still do it to this day.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong.
Want to go?
Beloved jam-band Pigeons Playing Ping Pong will hit the stage for “Arena 54 New Year’s Eve: An Intergalactic Disco Celebration” at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31, in the ExploreAsheville.com Arena at Harrah’s Cherokee Center–Asheville.
Openers for the Dec. 31 concert will be Keller Williams and Funk You. In preparation for the holiday showcase of sound and spectacle, there will be an intimate kick off concert at 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 30, at The Orange Peel in Asheville.
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, go to pigeonsplayingpingpong.com and click on the “Tour” tab.
SMN: And I would surmise at the core of the ethos of the band is always challenging yourself — musically and artistically.
GO: Oh, absolutely. I mean, we have a lot of songs now. It would be very easy to stop writing and ride the songs that people know and play less unique sets. But, frankly, that’s just not fun.
Each time we play, it’s fun. But, it’s the most exciting when we’re doing something new, which goes for the band as well as the fans — it’s the ethos of the jam scene. With these particular theme shows, we put a lot of time and effort into making these shows happen.
It’s extra visual elements going on and some gags around New Year’s Eve, which are really fun and exciting to plan. We’ve been able to kind of see our vision through in a larger sense. So, it’s not just fun covers, we’re also able to bring in some extra elements that the crowd would never expect.
SMN: Why is the spectacle aspect of your shows so important?
GO: Well, we’ve been inspired by the bands that came before us. And I also come from a theater background. So, as a kid, I did plays and musicals. I’m very comfortable with costume changes, big crafts and the visual aesthetics.
But, I would say, more than any of that, our inspiration comes from the band Phish. Before Pigeons started playing our New Year’s Eve shows, guitarist Jeremy [Schon] and I would see Phish for New Year’s — every year, no matter where they were. And we’ve seen some really cool gags and visual elements at those shows that stuck with us for life.
With New Year’s Eve, I think people pour a lot of expectation and excitement into it. We kind of take it as our job to exceed those expectations and to make it more of a spectacle — something beyond just a balloon drop, something more to write home about, this really exciting memory.
It’s a task we don’t take lightly. It feels like an honor to be able to kick off someone’s year, and that they trust us in showing them a great time. We want to make good on that expectation, and also scratch all of those creative itches as musicians and creators of the moment — it’s a beautiful thing.
SMN: Your band name comes from experiments by famed psychologist B.F. Skinner, in regards to his “principle of reinforcement.” How does that theory play into what we love about live music and art?
GO: That’s a really interesting question. I don’t know if anyone’s ever asked me that, and I can tell you, I’ve been asked about the band name more times than I can remember.
Well, I mean the process of teaching pigeons to play ping pong is about establishing habits, and those habits can be positive habits, too. And I think, as it relates to live music, we’ve all grown to trust ourselves to be open to new music, to be vulnerable or amongst likeminded people to try new things. And the habit that forms from that is really rewarding.
If you take a risk on a new band and you give it a genuine shot, typically your reward will be a great time. And that goes for meeting friends, at live shows and just living life, in general.
If you respond to the positive stimuli, you get positive results, just like when B.F. Skinner flashed a light in front of a bird to make them hit a ball. The crux of all that is, at least with human nature, you’ll get shown the stimulus. You’ll get flashed the light, but it’s your choice if you’re going to take the bait — to take the ride and get the reward.
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
The summit of Poke-O-Moonshine.
(photo: Garret K. Woodward)
When the winter comes, keep the fires lit, and I will be right next to you
All bundled up and sitting on the frozen, snowy summit of Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain in the heart of the Adirondacks of Upstate New York on Christmas Eve, I let out a sigh, my breath visible in the 12-degree weather.
It wasn’t a sigh of frustration, more so of the heaviness of the year, which always seems to roll into you like a wave crashing to shore when New Year’s Eve appears on your radar. It was a sigh of being able to push through, and to seek the silver linings in a world seemingly gone mad.
Poke-O-Moonshine is a serene and steep climb through the silent snow and ice pack: 3.2 miles roundtrip with a 1,279-foot elevation gain. The old abandoned fire tower at the top is still holding steady, as per usual in this frozen landscape we call the North Country.
Atop the summit on Christmas Eve, thinking about everyone in my life, wherever they may be in this universe. Love to each and every single one of you. My heart and soul were filled with gratitude to be able to climb that damn mountain, to pursue a life that fulfills my creative urges in the realm of the written word, to surround myself with friends and family second-to-none.
A day or so later, I stopped at Wickham Marsh (Port Kent, New York) for a sunset trail run. One of my go-to spots to disappear into the woods. The parking lot was empty at this state wildlife management area. Just me and my thoughts along silent, snowy backwoods trails.
For the first half-mile or so, there are tracks evident of cross-country skiers, dog walkers and other outdoor enthusiasts. Eventually, I was far enough into the forest where the trails were untouched by humans.
The only tracks seen were of passerby critters. I came across rabbit tracks intersecting with fox tracks intersecting with deer tracks, only to then spot dog paws with no human footprints, which means hunting dogs during a recent black powder outing.
I thought of all my past runs around this place and how different the trails look each time: spring, summer, fall, winter. I thought of my dad, who still jogs here a couple times
HOT PICKS
1Americana/rock act Arnold Hill will be hitting the stage for a special “New Year’s Day Bash” at 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 1, in The Gem downstairs taproom at Boojum Brewing in downtown Waynesville.
2The 8th annual “New Year’s Eve Ruby Drop” celebration will kick off at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31, on Main Street in Franklin.
3Western Carolina University’s Dulcimer U will hold its annual Winter Weekend event Jan. 6-9 in the Lambuth Inn at Lake Junaluska.
4The popular “Keyboards After Christmas” piano ensemble concert will return as an in-person event at 6 p.m. Jan. 8 and 4 p.m. Jan. 9 at the First Baptist Church in Waynesville.
5Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host Anna Barnes (Americana) at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 30. a week. He will turn 80 this coming March.
And I thought of my late Uncle Scott, who used to live nearby and head for these trails for a run, too. He's buried just down the road in the snow-covered ground, his soul somewhere out there in the ether. I hope he's at peace wherever he roams these days in the great beyond. It was then in that moment, I realized that I was wearing his old running tights and windbreaker. At the far end of one of the trails, it was thick ice over a small pond and trickling river where it was mud and mosquitoes just this past July on my last trek through there.
Circling back to the truck, I let out another big sigh, my breath again visible in the cold December air. It wasn't a sigh of sadness, but one of sincere and genuine gratitude: for this day, this run, this place, this moment in time and space of solitude in nature.
And it was this past Sunday when I found myself on Bloomingdale Bog Trail (Bloomingdale, New York). An old railroad line now used by outdoor enthusiasts yearround, I jumped on it as the sun began to fade. Just about 29 degrees with a light snowfall. Had the whole place to myself, not a soul around.
The trail goes for miles and miles into the depths of the Adirondack wilderness. Silence except for the crunch of my running shoes atop a thick snow and ice pack. Jogging through a tunnel of tall pine trees in the ancient forest. At one point, I heard an owl hooting in the distance.
When I turned around and started back to the truck, I saw a black crow (my spirit animal) flying over my position. It was serendipitous and wondrous to cross paths with the black crow just when I feel like I'm at an existential crossroads in the grand scheme of things. I looked up and smiled at the majestic bird. Again, gratitude for the moment at-hand.
Yesterday, I wandered into Point Au Roche State Park (Plattsburgh, New York). I've been swimming there and enjoying the beaches since I was a toddler, running its vast trail system since middle school. It is my true physical and spiritual refuge when I'm back home in my native North Country.
Another sunset run, trotting down snowy trails and once again alongside the 107-mile long Lake Champlain, a massive body of fresh water I grew up on and yearn for whenever I'm far away from here. In another month, it’ll be frozen-over. For now, the waves hit the shoreline and recede back, over and over again.
My restless mind, body and soul mulling over endless thoughts and visions with 2021 coming to a close. A new, fresh and unmarked calendar to be hung on the walls of my memory. The sounds of my running shoes crunching through thick snow and ice, the cold Arctic air swooping down from nearby Canada.
I think of you (and you, too) out there, wherever you may be in the here and now. I hope you find peace and serenity in your own respective journey as, like clockwork, the ball drops in Times Square and we wind up another unknown year yet again.
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
Stayat Maggie Valley Club & Resort thisWinter!
Arnold Hill.
Americana/rock act Arnold Hill will be hitting the stage for a special “New Year’s Day Bash” at 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 1, in The Gem downstairs taproom at Boojum Brewing in downtown Waynesville.
With its recent debut album, “Back to Life,” Arnold Hill sets to change the tone and tempo of what folks might expect on a given night onstage at their nearby bars and breweries in our mountain communities.
Formed in 2011, the Jackson County band is named after a road in Sylva where the musicians lived and practiced. In method, Arnold Hill adheres to the playful nature and creative possibilities that reside in a trio.
The unique formation can be a tricky line to balance, where you have enough space to explore musically, but also the same amount of space to expose vulnerabilities.
The show is free and open to the public. For more information on the group, click on arnoldhillband.com. You can purchase “Back to Life” on all online streaming services.
Interested in learning the dulcimer?
The Pic’ & Play Mountain Dulcimer Players will be resuming in-person jam sessions at the St. John’s Episcopal Church basement fellowship hall in Sylva.
The group welcomes all beginners and experienced dulcimer players, including mountain (lap) dulcimer and hammered dulcimer players. Songs played include traditional mountain tunes, hymns, and more modern music. The group meets at 1:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturday of every month in the basement of St. John’s.
Pic’ & Play has been playing together since 1995. The more experienced members welcome new players, help them navigate their instruments, and guide them through some of the basics of tuning, strumming, and playing.
The mountain dulcimer, also known as a fretted dulcimer or a lap dulcimer, is a uniquely American instrument. It evolved from the German scheitholz sometime in the early 1800s in Appalachia and was largely known only in this region until popularized more broadly in the 1950s.
For more information, call Kathy Jaqua at 828.349.3930 or Don Selzer at 828.293.0074.
The popular “Keyboards After Christmas” piano ensemble concert will return as an in-person event at 6 p.m. Jan. 8 and 4 p.m. Jan. 9 at the First Baptist Church in Waynesville. The program will also be recorded and released on Facebook and YouTube. Although admission is free, tickets will be required for those who attend the concert. Because of COVID, attendance is being limited to 250 per concert.
Tickets will be made available to the public beginning on Tuesday, Dec. 28, and can be picked up at the First Baptist Church office, which is open Tuesdays through Thursdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tickets must be picked up and will not be held at the door.
This year’s players are Anna Watson, Carol Brown, Craig Summers, Diane Combs, Hilda Ryan, Jerri Meigs, Kathy Sheppard, Kaye Sebastyn, Marna Dodson, Sarah Smith and Mary Ann Cooper.
For more information call 828.456.9465.
Western Carolina University’s Dulcimer U will hold its annual Winter Weekend event Jan. 6-9 in the Lambuth Inn at Lake Junaluska.
“This event is for the beginner dulcimer player all the way to advanced players,” said Bobby Hensley, associate director of continuing education. “This is a wonderful weekend of music and fellowship and a great way to learn more about the mountain dulcimer.”
Participants will be able to choose classes based on their skill level during registration. The registration fee will be $199 per person. The fee for non-participating guests is $20.
Directors are Elaine and Larry Conger, with instructors Keith Watson, Ruth Barber, Jeff Furman, Anne Lough and Jim Miller.
Accommodations, classes and meals will all be located at the Lambuth Inn. Participants will need to book their room separate from their registration by calling the Lambuth Inn at 800.222.4930.
University COVID-19 guidelines will be followed during class time. For more information and to register, visit dulcimeru.wcu.edu or call 828.227.7397.
Anne Lough.
• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host an open mic from 8 to 10 p.m. every Thursday.
Free and open to the public. 828.631.1987 or balsamfallsbrewing.com.
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host a semi-regular acoustic jam with the Main
Street NoTones from 7 to 9 p.m. on
Thursdays. Free and open to the public. For more information, click on blueridgebeerhub.com.
• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host karaoke at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, trivia at 7 p.m. on Thursdays and a “New Year’s Day Bash” w/Arnold Hill (rock/jam) Jan. 1. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.0350 or boojumbrewing.com.
• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Limited seating. Reservations required. 828.452.6000 or classicwineseller.com.
ALSO:
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.369.4080 or coweeschool.org.
• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.634.0078 or curraheebrew.com.
• Elevated Mountain Distilling Company will host an Open Mic Night 7 to 9 p.m. on
Wednesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.734.1084 or elevatedmountain.com.
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 or froglevelbrewing.com.
• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host a WNC
Artist Spotlight Open Mic Dec. 29, Anna
Barnes (Americana) Dec. 30 and New Year’s
Eve w/Ryles Monroe 9:30 p.m. Dec. 31. All events begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. innovation-brewing.com.
• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host a
“New Year’s Eve Celebration” w/Arnold Hill (rock/jam) starting at 8 p.m. Dec. 31. All events are free and begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Innovation-brewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Alma Russ (indie/folk) Jan. 15. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Syrrup
Jan. 7 and Alma Russ (indie/folk) Jan. 14. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host Scott James Stambaugh Dec. 31. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 or mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.
• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. 828.641.9797 or nantahalabrewing.com.
• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. rathskellerfranklin.com.
• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.482.9794 or satulahmountainbrewing.com.
• Southern Porch (Canton) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.492.8009 or southern-porch.com.
• The Ugly Dog Pub (Cashiers) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.743.3000 or theuglydogpub.com.
• The Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.526.8364 or theuglydogpub.com.
• Unplugged Pub (Bryson City) will host
Blackjack Country Dec. 30, a “New Year’s
Party” w/Carolina Freightshakers Dec. 31,
Live Karaoke in the Smokies Jan. 6, Brian
Ashley Jones Jan. 7 and The UpBeats Jan. 8.
All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.538.2488.
• Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.926.7440 or valley-tavern.com.
• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.456.4750 or facebook.com/waternhole.bar.
• Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.743.6000 or whitesidebrewing.com.
Curves to Cure What Ails You
RUBY DROP
The 8th annual “New Year’s Eve Ruby Drop” celebration will kick off at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31, on Main Street in Franklin. The drop itself will be at 9 p.m. Presented by the Motor Co. Grill & Crabtree General Store. The event is free and open to the public. franklin-chamber.com.
• Mountain Makers Craft Market will be held from noon to 4 p.m. the first Sunday of each month at 308 North Haywood Street in downtown Waynesville. Over two dozen artisans selling handmade and vintage goods. Special events will be held when scheduled. mountainmakersmarket.com. • “Flights & Bites” will be held starting at 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays at Bosu’s
Wine Shop in downtown Waynesville. For more information on upcoming events,
wine tastings and special dinners, click on waynesvillewine.com. ALSO: • “Dillsboro After Five” will take place from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays in downtown Dillsboro. Start with a visit to the Jackson County Farmers Market located in the Innovation Station parking lot. Stay for dinner and take advantage of late-hour shopping. .mountainlovers.com. • A free wine tasting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. every Thursday and 2 to 5 p.m. every Saturday at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.
FREE
ESTIMATES
HaywoodBuilders.com 100 Charles St. WAYNESVILLE
Want to paint, sip craft beer?
Robin Arramae of WNC Paint Events will be continuing her fun paint nights to bring you not only a “night out” but an experience that lifts your spirits.
Join others as Arramae shows you step-by-step how to paint a beginner level painting of the evening as you sip on your favorite local craft beer. This two-hour event should have you feeling better than you felt before you came. And you leave with a painting you created.
Events will be held at the following locations: 828 Market on Main (Waynesville), Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva), BearWaters Brewing (Canton) and Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City).
Please visit WNC Paint Events (@paintwnc) Facebook page, under “Events” for date and time of upcoming events. For pictures of previous events visit Arramae’s Instagram: @wnc_paint_events.
For pricing and to sign up, text Arramae at 828.400.9560. Space is limited. Drinks sold separately.
• Jesse Adair Dallas will be showing his artwork at the Macon County Public Library in
Franklin through the month of December.
Open to the public. For more information, email jesse@enjoyarttoday.com.
• “Thursday Painters” group will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursdays at The Uptown Gallery in Franklin. Free and open to the public. All skill levels and mediums are welcome. Participants are responsible for their own project and a bag lunch. For more information, call The Uptown Gallery at 828.349.4607 or contact Pat Mennenger at pm14034@yahoo.com. See more about Macon County Art Association at franklinuptowngallery.com and like, follow and share the Uptown Gallery on Facebook.
• “Art Works @ The Library,” a collaborative program between the Haywood County Public
Library system and the Haywood County Arts
Council, is currently showcasing works by artist Cayce Moyer at the Canton Library.
Working in traditional and mixed media, Moyer blends the worlds of high-brow and low-brow work. Classically trained at Savannah College of Art and Design, her portfolio includes drawing, sculpture, illustration, graphic design, murals, and set prop painting.
ALSO:
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