For the last nine consecutive years, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong have curated an annual festival, dubbed Domefest. Today the band has officially announced the first phase lineup for the 2018 installment of their home grown festival, set to take place May 17 – 19th at Fort Royale Farm in Bedford, PA.
Cultivating a community of like-minded music fans sits at the forefront of the Pigeons-presented event. “We’re back at the same incredible venue with lots of fresh and familiar faces,” says Jeremy Schon, Domefest founder and guitarist of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. He elaborates, “Our family has grown quite a bit over the past few years and I can’t wait to see everyone back on the farm.”
It has now been nine years since then-college senior Schon stumbled upon the original location of Domefest outside of College Park, MD. The dome-shaped roof and the proximity to the University of Maryland’s campus inspired the guitarist—who was profoundly impacted by his own festival travels—to organize his very own one-day, one-night music and camping festival simply for his friends to enjoy.
“It was my first music festival experience and along with many of my closest friends, it completely opened my eyes to the powerful beauty of music, friendship and life,” shares Pigeons Playing Ping Pong frontman and current Domefest co-curator Greg Ormont adding, “It was like nothing I had ever experienced.”
While the festival has expanded to three days and three nights, grown in size, and cemented itself as the ultimate gathering of “The Flock” (the appropriately assumed moniker for the band’s fan base), it remains true to its roots. Domefest consistently books some of the best under-the-radar talents in the live music space, with festival alumni including Papadosio, Twiddle, Turkuaz, Tauk and Aqueous, to name a few. Artists at the event are encouraged to intermingle with their fans. As a festival curated by touring musicians, Domefest aims to make it a meaningful experience for every artist invited to play.
The initial lineup includes five sets from the Pigeons themselves—who always treat their Domefest crowd to plenty of surprises and musical twists—plus performances by The Magic Beans, The Mantras, McLovins, The Fritz, Vibe & Direct, Backup Planet, West End Blend, Dead Scene, Squaring The Circle, Mateo Monk, Ernie Johnson From Detroit, and more to be announced. Pigeons’ Ormont is even scheduled to play a special solo set under his moniker Scrambled Greg this year, reprising his strange and delightful set at Domefest in 2017.
Stay tuned to Domefest’s official website, Facebook page and event page for further announcements including artist additions, complimentary workshops and ticketing updates.
Tickets are on sale today, Friday, January 12th at 1 pm EST and can be purchased here: www.mt.cm/domefest-2018.
[Photo via Brady Cooling]