After 15 years, the disco gods have shined down on VO5, Madison’s premiere disco-funk band, blessing its members with the musical gift of a lifetime. On July 2, the 10-member ensemble will take the BMO Harris Pavilion stage at Milwaukee’s Summerfest with the legendary Village People and K.C. & the Sunshine Band.
“It was an honor to be asked and it will be super fun to do what we do in front of a big audience outdoors,” says Catherine “Cat” Capellaro, who sings and plays trumpet with the band, and is a former Isthmus arts editor. “We’ve been brushing up and polishing our playlist, especially Earth, Wind & Fire, which seems to fit that venue.”
VO5 is part of a five-band lineup that day, playing its set at 3:30 p.m. The Village People go on at 7:30 and KC & The Sunshine Band close out the evening with a 9:30 set. Call it kismet or happenstance, VO5’s performance with the two celebrity groups happened after years of trying to book a Summerfest gig, according John Feith, who serves as both the band’s manager and its guitarist.
“The Summerfest gig was a bit of a surprise,” says Feith. “I’ve applied every year for the past 15 years without getting much of a response. Joey Banks, who is a band agent who drums for us sometimes, helped get our name to the talent buyers and finally convinced them to book us, but even he didn’t know who we were opening for.”
Feith says the two celebrity bands are a good fit for VO5, which formed in 2005 with members of the former Cherry Pop Burlesque and its house band The Cherry Cordials. VO5 capitalizes on burlesque’s theatrical side with a full array of wigs and costumes. Despite what many listeners think, the ensemble is more than just a cover band, Feith says.
“VO5 has always also played original songs,” he explains. “There’s a lot of creative talent in the band. Our last album, Dance Originality, was released for our 10-year anniversary in 2015 and I’m still hoping we can make another one for our 20th anniversary in 2025.”
In addition to Feith and Capellaro, the current lineup includes founding members Andrew Rohn, keyboards and vocals; Gail Campbell, drums; Steve Tyska, trumpet and vocal; and Jim Yockey, percussion and vocals. Members added in the past five years include Lisa Bauer, sax and vocals; Katie Cass, vocals; Phil Lyons, bass and trombone; and Jim Shropshire, sax. The Summerfest gig will undoubtedly feature some of The Hot Oil Dancers, which join VO5 on stage periodically to provide a visual accompaniment to the performance.
This won’t be the first time the band opened for a national celebrity, says Feith. “We opened for Michelle Shocked during the [ACT 10] Capitol protests and she sang a song with us,” he adds. “We’ve also opened for ABBAMania at the Overture Center, which is a world-touring ABBA tribute band. But nothing like these two.”
The music of both groups jibes closely with VO5’s performance ethos, Capellaro says.
“We do have an agenda, and It’s that dance is good for all of us on every level,” she says. “Good, liberated dancing is not the answer to all society’s ills, but it’s a positive force physically, mentally and emotionally. We’re about bringing people together to be themselves, and this is the perfect year to bring our message of shaking your booty to the wider community.”
Summerfest general admission is $25, which includes admission to the BMO Harris Pavilion. Seats up front can be reserved for the headliners for an additional $32.
