Pigeons Playing Ping Pong is a touring jam band known for its psychedelic funk and thumping groove lines. Yet, to call the Pigeons a “band” is like calling magic mushrooms a fungus — though technically correct, you won’t get the full picture unless you experience it for yourself.

Eager to see the Pigeons live, the crowd at the UC Theater was vibrating with excitement. Karina Rykman, the opening act, slapped her bass like it owed her money. The Flock, as fans of the Pigeons are known, jumped to the rhythm, danced and hummed with anticipation. After a master class in funk, Karina exited to a raucous round of applause.

The Flock erupted with cheers as the Pigeons took the stage, reciprocating the crowd’s energy with an equally enthusiastic entrance. The Pigeons — comprised of lead singer Greg “Scrambled Greg” Ormont, lead guitarist Jeremy Schon, bassist Ben Carrey and percussionist Alex “Gator” Petropulos — stomped and danced on ornately patterned rugs as they laid down licks and flew effortlessly between songs.

“I don’t ever want to sleep; I just want to keep on groovin’, ” Scrambled Greg belted, encapsulating the Pigeons’ ethos during a performance of the hit song “Melting Lights.” Later in the show, the Pigeons brought out the silky smooth Saratoga six-stringer Dan “Lebo” Lebowitz for a spirited jam to “Pop Off, Poseidon,” a performance punctuated by Lebo’s twangy acoustic solo. After a few fan favorites, the Pigeons also took the opportunity to debut a new song called “The Town” to the lively Berkeley crowd.

If there’s a benchmark for good vibes, then the Pigeons Playing Ping Pong is it. Listeners will be left giddily grinning from ear to ear.

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