After having the release show for their album Here We Are rescheduled twice, Milwaukee’s own GGOOLLDD will finally be able to celebrate the record with their hometown, albeit in the confines of the Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard. In the years leading up to the release, the band is far and away evolved from the ragtag group that formed at a bar in Bay View for an intended one-off Halloween show. Now a trio splitting time between Wisconsin and New Orleans, as well as touring around the country, the dream pop act remains one of the city’s brightest musical exports.
If you haven’t heard Here We Are, the record feels like a synth-driven dive into a world of glitz and excess. Vocalist Margaret Butler is known to captivate with her stage presence, and that translates into the record when accented by bassist Nicholas Ziemann, drummer Mark Stewart and multi-instrumentalist Nicholas Schubert.
Schubert also has made waves locally with his goth side project, Blood, and the group’s collective songwriting approach brings out the best of one another’s abilities. GGOOLLDD have previously sold-out Turner Hall Ballroom, and in addition to throwing some great parties at the venue, have also played Summerfest multiple times at various stages. With a (somewhat) new record in tow, however, this year’s appearance will feel extra special.