Article Contributed by Jamie Huenefeld
Published on December 23, 2025
Dogs in a Pile | Ardmore, PA, December 18, 2025 | Photos by Jamie Huenefeld/Killahwave and Vinny Vallely
Exciting holiday show runs are second nature for the youthful jam rock quintet Dogs in a Pile. This year, they opted for the more intimate Ardmore Music Hall, located northwest of Philadelphia in the charming suburb of Ardmore, PA. This almost sold-out four night stand kicked off on Thursday, December 18, and marked the band’s one hundred and twenty-third performance of the year. These talented Garden State Zoomers may have performed over one-third of the year, but they certainly saved the best for last. Three members of the Asbury Park–based Ocean Avenue Stompers stepped in alongside them for over half the show, which added another dimension to their sound. Cats in a Stack provided opening support.
The jazz trio Cats in a Stack opened the four-night run. This cute name is a play on Dogs in a Pile, as the band consisted of keyboardist Jeremy Kaplan, bassist Sam Lucid, and drummer Joey Babick. They covered a number of notable songs like “Skating” by the Vince Guaraldi Trio and “Ain’t That a Shame” by Fats Domino. Three members of the Ocean Avenue Stompers joined the party at times, including Ian Grey (trombone), Wil Schade (tenor sax), and Joe Gullace (trumpet). Despite the playful title, the trio moved with an easy command of multiple styles, shifting from jazz finesse to groove-forward swing without losing cohesion.
Upon conclusion of the Cats set, Dogs in a Pile emerged and started out swinging with “EDM Song.” This upbeat instrumental was written by Lucid. A succinct segue brought the music into a twenty-minute “G Song.” Babick laid down solid beats as the quintet layered in space funk. Guitarist Jimmy Law soared through a blues rock segment.
Lucid took a moment to announce the new Tooker bars, which are chocolate candy bars made in a collaboration with Asher Chocolate. Named after Dogs videographer Kieran Tooker, this marks the third reprise of this delicious partnership. Last year’s cookies and cream bar was so memorable that we still think about it. For 2025, the flavor was milk chocolate and pretzels. The band decided to play the blues rock “Mr. Tooker,” which was sung by Lucid. For the record, we obtained a Tooker bar: they’re real and they’re spectacular.
The slow-burning “Dangers of Rah Rah” simmered into a nineteen-minute heater. Lucid sank his teeth into this melodically funky jam that took a tasty turn into a breezy “Royals” by Lorde. They started “Let ’Em In” with a doorbell greeting on the keys. This was only the second time they’ve played this well-known vintage tune by Wings. Grey, the trombonist from the Ocean Avenue Stompers, sat in and added vibrant accents to this fun cover as keyboardist Jeremy Kaplan flexed on the keys. The set ended with a funk-laden “Truck Rum” that showcased guitarists Law and Brian Murray. They changed the final lyrics to “he’s going to make it to the Ardmore Music Hall one way or another,” much to the delight of the crowd.
Set two kicked off with a couple of holiday covers, starting with “Christmas Wrapping” by the Waitresses. This first-time-played tune was sung by Murray and included Grey (trombone), Schade (tenor sax), and Gullace (trumpet). As soon as this song wrapped—no pun intended—Kaplan dropped into those familiar baritone keys from “Linus and Lucy” by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. As he drove this tune, his strength on jazz piano was exemplified. Additionally, the Grinch stepped onstage and handed out Tooker bars to lucky fans in the crowd.
“Look Johnny,” from their 2021 release Not Your Average Beagle, followed. An upbeat jam mellowed, then clawed back into a heater via guitar peaks and horn complements. “Four More Days” was up next and contained more jazzy notes from Kaplan on the synth as well. The band steadied into a psychedelic funk that found its way into an old-timey, jazzy sequence steered by Kaplan and the horn section. Dogs flexed their skills that span many musical genres, as Law drove the electrifying train home.
The horn section ushered this septet back into Beatles territory with “Got to Get You into My Life.” Law sang as the band slammed this well-known tune. Upon conclusion, the Dogs expressed their love for the horn section and mentioned that they contributed to their recent album Distroid. Kaplan then transformed back into a jazz pianist during Distroid’s “My Disguise.” The horns contributed to this effort as well. This unfurled into “Minnie the Moocher,” a jazz song written by Cab Calloway that featured scat singing by Kaplan. The horns took on a greater role in this big-band-sounding version and guided the jam at times.
“¿Por Que, Pedro?,” another Distroid tune, was up next. Kaplan showed his versatility and talent by joining the horns on trumpet during this intense tune. A twenty-minute “Craig and Pat” led into more layered funk that gave way for a high-octane jam that ended this set with a proverbial bang, and included a “Tequilla” tease.
The septet returned for an encore and began with the first-time-played instrumental “Funky Fanfare” by Keith Mansfield. Kaplan continued to play like a raging inferno, and was perfectly complemented by his band-mates and the horn section. A smooth transition into “Say Something” from their 2023 album Bloom closed the epic show on a euphonious blues rock note.
Dogs in a Pile are back in action on December 30-31 at the iconic Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY. They will pick up in 2025 with a west coast run starting in Arizona on January 15 in Tuscon and January 16 in Phoenix. They follow up with a two night stand in both Solana Beach, CA on January 17-18 and Seattle, WA on January 22-23. This run also includes dates in Portland, Boise, Salt Lake City, and Denver. They head back East on February 14 to headline the Capitol Theatre for a Valentine’s Day treat. Head on over to their tour page for more details about these shows and for more dates.
Check out more photos from the show!
Band: Dogs in a Pile
Date: December 18, 2025
Venue: Armore Music Hall
Location: Ardmore, PA
Set One: EDM Song > G Song, Mr. Tooker, Dangers of Rah Rah-> Royals[1], Let ‘Em In[2], Trunk Rum
Set Two: Christmas Wrapping[3], Linus and Lucy[4], Look Johnny, Four More Days, Got To Get You Into My Life[5], My Disguise, Minnie the Moocher[6], ¿Por Que, Pedro?, Craig and Pat
Encore: Funky Fanfare[7] > Say Something
Notes:
[1] Lorde
[2] Wings. With Ian Gray
[3] The Waitresses
[4] Vince Guaraldi
[5] The Beatles
[6] Cab Calloway
[7] Keith Mansfield
Set list via go-set.net
