PigPen Return With The Old Man to New Victory Theater

I’m crazy about PigPen and soon you will be too. They’re a great rock band that also happens to put on delightful theatrical shows. Or they’re a great theatrical troupe that also happens to release terrific albums. Take your pick. The guys met at Carnegie Mellon and formed their troupe in 2007. Since then, they’ve been crafting unique and wonderful shows built around folk tales, puppetry of all sorts, great songs and their skill as actors. They play with imagination and flair to create an entire world on stage with the simplest of tools, like a mop head, a milk jug and a bolt of blue cloth. The guys usually play multiple roles in every show, trade off lead vocals and generally have a blast. Seven years on and they’re just hitting their stride. Their debut album Bremen was one of the best of 2012. And they’ve toured the country both as a rock band and with their show The Old Man and The Old Moon. I reviewed it when the show debuted here and it was a delight to see it again because it revealed another skill of this group: they know how to get better. It’s very hard to have perspective with your own work, especially after you’ve shared it with the world.