If you pass South Campus Diner tonight between 8 – 10 PM, you’ll hear some music coming from the top floor; that’s because three of College Park’s biggest bands will be playing and interviewing on Groovesauce Radio. Broadcasting over WMUC2, Groovesauce is hosted by UMD students Ben Curwin, Zach Wilensky, and Max Gianniny, and tonight is hosting special guests Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Fivestock, and Back to Save the Universe. Check out our live commentary after the jump!

Tonight’s schedule:
8:00 – 8:30 PM: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong live set
8:45 – 9:15 PM: Fivestock live set
9:30 – 10:00 PM: Back to Save the Universe live set

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong is Greg Ormont (vocals, guitar), Jeremy Schon (guitar, vocals), Ben “BCB” Carrey (bass), and Dan Schwartz (drums). Originally an acoustic duo, Pigeons is now a fully-formed band with a strong catalog of original and cover songs. Having played shows in Baltimore, New York, and College Park, they are well-known for their extended improvisations and ability to bring the party. Their next show is February 25, opening for Phish tribute Strange Design.

Tonight’s set opens with jam-heavy “Funk E. Zekiel”, a funky groove to get the crowd excited. After introducing the band’s members, the band quickly ends “Funk E.” to move into a more popular tune, “Dutchmaster”. This song is one of my personal favorites; its chorus is a fitting proclamation, with Schon and Ormont repeating “I am the Dutchmaster” as though anyone ever denied it. The third song of the set, “Where Are We Going”, is more serious; a song about relationships, it showcases the boys’ ability to quiet an audience with subtle improvisations and well-earned skill. That segued into a surprisingly heavy song-ending jam which lifted the song’s somber mood. The next song, “Stay”, keeps the mood upbeat with tight guitar riffs and lyrics about…picking up a girl at a bar? Oh, college bands.

Their final song of the night, “Candy”, is another heavy song; about a coke addict, the lyrics “I want some more, I want some more/I want some more candy” weigh heavily upon anyone familiar with addiction. The song ends on a high note, however, with an upbeat jam to close out the set.

Pigeons aren’t a typical college band. Their display of skill at each show continually surprises me, though I’ve seen them five or six times. Their motivation and love of music is what makes their music special; not just danceable, but memorable. Though I’m a native New Yorker, because of these boys, Pigeons are my favorite bird.

Fivestock, the second band playing tonight, is Ben Curwin (keyboard), Max Gianniny (vocals, guitar), John Whiteleather (guitar), Dan Niemczyk (bass, vocals), and Ricky Strickler (drums). A relatively new band, their first performance was at the December MMBS fundraiser, debuting a series of covers and original songs – “Gangsta’s Paradise” by Coolio and “Funky Bitch” by Phish, as well as originals “Be Conscious”, “Slow Down”, and “100 Times”. They have a free show scheduled at Greenbelt’s New Deal Cafe on March 3, and will hopefully be playing future shows in College Park.

The first song of their set is a jam-heavy new song, with a strong rock feel; that leads into a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Tangled Up in Blue”, showcasing keys and bass. Third song of the set is another new song, “Sails of Starlight”; instrumental-heavy, it brings out each of the band members’ individual skills. “Flibitty Jibbit”, the fourth song, begins with a guitar solo by Whiteleather, and continues into an epic instrumental jam with emphasis on guitar and bass. The final song, an untitled original, is pretty folk-y until its segue into The Beatles’ “Come Together”; the band has proven themselves tonight as not only a strong group, but also as creative musicians, both together and independently.

Back to Save the Universe, tonight’s final band, is Michael Seiler (keyboards), Andrew Grossman (guitar, vocals), Aaron Glaser (bass), and Kirk Kubicek (drums). Having played MMBS fundraisers, shows in the College Park-area, and a show at D.C.’s Velvet Lounge , the BTSU regional fanbase is growing quickly. The band was recently written up in College Magazine as “…a unique musical experience…like They Might Be Giants and Ben Folds, but with an added flare that gravitates more towards jazz and funk.”

Always a fun show, Back to Save the Universe is a great way to close out a night. They have the solid ability to get an audience dancing, whether on a stage or coming over radio waves. The first song of tonight’s set is reminiscent of Dr. Dog; a sexually charged anthem with a chorus that made me feel slightly awkward but more amused (“Who says that love should never hurt/With a grin on your face and a hand up your skirt/Love is too wonderful to not have it become obscene/I’ll have you coming, if you know what I mean”).

The second song is slower and a bit more serious, with all of the band members harmonizing on interspersed, ethereal “Ooohs” that make BTSU’s members sound more like old men than college students. The brief instrumental break showcases a glorious bass solo that brings the dance back to the party, keeping the spirit up with the beat and leading into the third song. Opening with a brief keys solo, this is a blues-y anthem to lost love. The raw emotions in this song keep the band grounded; with lyrics like, ” I wanted you more than I think I’d like to admit/But could I still say that my love was legit”, there isn’t much room for exaggeration. The honesty of Back to Save the Universe’s lyrics is matched with strong musicanship to rock any show, whether it’s at a crowded bar or being streamed over the Internet.

The final song, the band warns us, is going to be “really, really long”, bringing the jam back to the set. The lyrics are still witty, with attention-grabbing lines like “slave to the GDP” that are a swift reminder of the situation outside of the station. A ghostly solo leads into a kickin’ bass-keys combo, a sure way for BTSU to end the night in style.

If you missed the show, don’t worry; an archive is avalable for download from the WMUC website.