Since GGOOLLDD up and moved to Appleton in spring, the electro-pop project has been occupied with a steady diet of out-of-town gigs, lucrative festival slots, and working hard to write and record new material. Even though they now reside 100 miles away, the band has made regular pilgrimages to Milwaukee, including a headlining performance at Turner Hall and a Summerfest appearance.
On Thursday, August 3, GGOOLLDD will return to metro Milwaukee to play the Wisconsin State Fair, before going back to their new home for Mile Of Music the following night and prepping for a one-month tour with 18 shows scattered throughout the U.S. and Canada. That upcoming tour includes one performance that’s especially notable. On Sunday, September 24, GGOOLLDD will go to California to perform at the fucking Catalina Wine Mixer.
Anyone familiar with Step Brothers knows the 2008 Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly blockbuster comedy includes a significant scene near the end of the film that takes place at a fancy, helicopter-celebrating affair called the Catalina Wine Mixer. In recent years, that fictional festivity has turned into a real life “annual extravaganza” at a beach club in Avalon, California. That’s right! The fucking Catalina Wine Mixer is real, and GGOOLLDD is playing the three-day event’s final day. They’ll open for Ferrell film regulars, The Dan Band.
GGOOLLDD manager Dan Backhaus says he initially thought the offer to play the movie-inspired soiree was fake.
“I got the offer on April Fool’s Day, and I actually thought [someone was] fucking with me,” Backhaus says. “I wasn’t aware that a couple of years ago they turned it into a real thing.”
The band also questioned the seriousness of the request.
“I thought it was a joke. I knew what it was from watching Step Brothers so many times, but had no idea it was a real thing,” singer Margaret Butler says. “Also, when a helicopter ride is included in your rider, you automatically have to assume someone is fucking with you.”
Alas, GGOOLLDD was not being fucked with. The fucking Catalina Wine Mixer is real and GGOOLLDD is playing it, along with The Dan Band, The Wailers, and G. Love And Special Sauce. Two-day passes range from $125 to $375. The fucking Catalina Wine Mixer!