For Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, music is a living flame—one demanding relentless tending, fresh kindling, and the collective breath of community to sustain it. On their eighth studio album, Feed The Fire (No Coincidence Records), the Baltimore quartet—“Scrambled Greg” Ormont [vocals, guitar], Jeremy Schon [guitar, vocals], Ben Carrey [bass, vocals], and Alex “Gator” Petropulos [drums, vocals]—push their psychedelic funk odyssey into its most expansive incarnation yet. Across sixteen years, eight albums, and countless sweat-soaked performances, Pigeons have mastered transformation, deepening their connection with their devoted fanbase and channeling life’s seismic shifts into fuel for their unquenchable fire. “The ‘fire’ represents our passion,” explains Ormont. “Making music feels like something we were born to do… Feed The Fire is the perfect metaphor for our unwavering commitment to keep evolving.” Significant milestones, from headlining major stages to their fan-centric Domefest, underscore their remarkable journey.
Feed The Fire shatters boundaries through adventurous collaboration. The band invited Nashville virtuoso Wes Bailey (Moon Taxi) to co-write the title track’s spiraling guitar hooks—a first for the group. “As soon as I played him the demo, he came up with the soaring lead melody on the spot. It ended up being our first true collaborative writing experience,” recalls Schon. In another debut, Ben Carrey steps into the lead vocal spotlight on his heartfelt groove anthem “Hit The Ground Runnin’.” Horn collaborators Here Come The Mummies and West End Blend amplify tracks like “Fantasy” and “Calm Before The Storm,” while guest producer Chalk Dinosaur enhances the psychedelic layers on “Twitch” and “Underworld.”
The band’s relentless evolution is evident in standout tracks like the buoyantly infectious “Right Track,” which distills their live energy into a concise message of resilience and self-trust. According to Schon, “Every album we make is a reflection of where we are personally and musically. For Feed The Fire, we really leaned into exploring textures, pushing our boundaries, and letting the songs guide us.” From the patient disco-funk simmer of “Fantasy” to the driving rebel cry of “Undivided,” the album showcases the band’s sharpened musicianship and rhythmic intuition.
Ultimately, Feed The Fire is more than an album title—it’s a rallying cry emblematic of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong’s enduring philosophy. Refreshingly dynamic, resonant, and irresistibly danceable, it marks a milestone release poised to captivate listeners across genres. Ormont sums it up perfectly: “We’ve been given the gift of this fire, this passion. So it’s our responsibility to nurture it, embrace it, and spread it wild. Because when the band and fans reach new heights together, that’s the real spark.”
Karina Rykman plays bass, sings, jumps around, and laughs a lot. In doing so, she has garnered rare attention and avid listenership. Straddling the worlds of jam rock and indie pop drenched in psychedelia, Karina’s effervescent presence comes to life in musical form.
Born & raised in New York City, Karina Rykman’s musical path began in her early teens playing in bands whenever she could while attending a veritable ton of live music as a fan. By the end of her senior year at NYU, Rykman’s virtuoso talent & infectious spirit saw her invited to join pianist Marco Benevento’s band (as recommended by Ween bassist Dave Dreiwitz), with whom she’s performed countless shows including dates with Vulfpeck, Dispatch, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, & many more.
Rykman soon formed her own namesake band, accompanied by Adam November (guitar, loopers, effects) and Chris Corsico (drums). She quickly earned a reputation as an unmissable live act – a bombastic exposition that floats freely between dreamy indie pop and thick, distorted rock – with “fun” as its guiding light. Tearing up sold out headline performances to ravenous fans, show-stealing festival performances (including Bonnaroo, Peach Music Festival, and Sweetwater 420 Fest), opening for Khruangbin, My Morning Jacket, the Tedeschi Trucks Band (+ many more), plus recent appearances in the house band on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers, Karina stays busy.
Rykman released her debut album, JOYRIDE via AWAL in August 2023. Written & recorded with childhood friend and producer Gabe Monro, the album serves as a vivid canvas for Rykman’s vibrant expression & chameleonic songcraft. JOYRIDE features Trey Anastasio as co-producer & featured musician, contributing guitar on five of the album’s nine tracks.
The bassist/vocalist’s concerts are often packed with fans who feel more like friends—a testament to her undeniable charisma and her embrace of the live music community—and that circle continues to expand at alarming rates.
