Photo Credit: Gabriela Barbieri
In the midst of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong’s summer live schedule, bassist Ben Carrey has announced his temporary withdrawal from lineup. For personal reasons, Carrey will take a brief hiatus from the road immediately; to fill his place in the ska-inflected jam funk quartet, the band will recruit Twiddle’s Zdenek Gubb, a storied player in the jam scene in his own right. Just as Twiddle remains on the indefinite hiatus that began with a final trio of shows at Port Chester, N.Y.’s The Capitol Theatre in November 2023, it is not clear at this time when Carrey will reunite with the group he helped form in 2009.
“With the band’s full support, Ben will be taking some time off the road for personal reasons,” Pigeons disclosed in a statement to the fans via its social channels. “Though he will be greatly missed, we all agreed that the shows must go on! That said, we’re excited to jam with our longtime friend Zdenek Gubb for the next batch of shows, starting tomorrow in his home state of Vermont at Jeezum Crow Festival. Please join us in sending love to Ben, and get ready for some extra funky lemonade with Gubb!”
As noted, Pigeons’ next set will come tomorrow, July 19, when the band will perform as the Friday headliners for Jay, Vt.’s Jeezum Crow Festival. From there, the group will wind through five more solo dates–including appearances with Karl Denson at Crystal Bay, Nev.’s Gambler’s Run Music Festival on July 26-27 and a hometown show at Canton Waterfront Park in Baltimore on Aug.1–before joining up with Andy Frasco & The UN and Dogs in a Pile for the second leg on the Pigeons Frasco Dogs Tour. Together, the three jam figureheads will hit 8 more venues along the East Coast through a final stop at Charlotte, N.C.’s The Fillmore Charlotte on Sept. 7. After the collaborative tour, Pigeons will wrap its summer run with sets at Las Vegas’ Bender Jamboree on Sept. 12-15 and Ocean City, Md.’s Oceans Calling on Sept. 27-29.
For tickets and more information on Pigeons Playing Ping Pong’s ongoing tour, visit pigeonsplayingpingpong.com. Read on for the band’s full statement on Carrey’s temporary departure.
The post Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Bassist Ben Carrey Announces Hiatus from Touring, to Be Replaced by Twiddle’s Zdenek Gubb appeared first on Relix Media.
