The iconic Hollywood sign was the backdrop for an evening of wine and music as Monarch relished the vibes of Surreal Showcase IV. This exclusive series has been creating unique nights for lucky attendees since 2021. The fourth installment was a dedication to the 20th Anniversary of Garden State and its brilliant soundtrack. It featured a live performance from Cary Brothers and the handmade cuisine of former Food Network host and cookbook author Bob Blumer… with Cary’s performance occurring up on Bob’s roof in the setting sun.
I caught up with Joel Quigley – the showcase’s Executive Producer and Director of National Activations for Priest Ranch Wine, Napa Valley – after the event. He was admittedly bleary-eyed in the best of ways – having just come off a creative all-nighter working on Cary Brothers: Songs in the Key of Film, his documentary dedicated both to the Surreal Showcase night and the career of one of his favorite musicians. He laughed off burning the midnight oil, “I’m an old rock drummer, I can work on this all night long.”
Getting the Band Together
Quigley’s journey has always involved crafting events that shift the intimidating world of wine into a place that was accessible and exciting, “In my 20s, I fell in love with wine… and I knew we needed to demystify it and make it fun.” Understanding the complexities of the industry, Joel started his work in Sonoma County, with a focus on bringing younger generations into the fold with a like-minded group known as the Wine Brats – an upstart revolution dedicated to giving wine a relevant and peer-to-peer spirit. This is where he met celebrity chef Bob Blumer. Using his staging experience, Joel catapulted the wine scene out of dry tasting rooms and into clubs on its national “Wine Rave Tour.”
The next vital connection came while Joel was doing consulting work at the Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate – putting him in contact with Judd Wallenbrock. Together, the two would become career-long allies in event-based marketing. But it was Joel’s work with Sat Bisla, Head of A&R Worldwide, that would lead to the rooftop Hollywood showcases under the stars. Quigley and Bisla were brainstorming how to prepare their audiences for the post-pandemic return of MUSEXPO – an annual music business event that brings together talent and executives from around the world, “We need to do something to re-engage people in live events.”
Things Get Surreal
Joel had long been a fan of not just the artists playing at LA’s Hotel Café, but also the storytelling aspect of the place – as curated by its founder, Marko Shafer. He adored how performers would play together and storytell beyond the music. That was when Judd, now in charge of The Good Life Wine Collective in Napa, gave him a call, “Joel, I need event-based marketing, and I know you can fire this up.” So began The Arthouse Sessions, intimate cobranded evenings of wine and music celebrating Hotel Café artists. Each began with interviews of the artists – “Where did you come from?” “Where are you now?” “Where are you going?” – then the night would soar into the beautiful music of artists ranging from Keaton Simmons to Mieko and Cary Brothers.
It was at a lunch at Bob Blumer’s that the plan took beautiful shape. They were discussing the desire to create a unique event – one that perfectly blended their shared loves of food, wine, and music – that could rev up fans and get them ready for MUSEXPO. Bob chimed in immediately, “Let’s do it here at my house.” The eureka moment initially had them imagining performances in Bob’s Garden, until they looked above the house – with the Hollywood sign picture-perfect right behind it, “Hey… let’s do it on the roof!”
The first Surreal Showcase in 2021 was headlined by the Latin-American artist, Isra, and future years highlighted other MUSEXPO performers like Jamie Hannah and Will Sweeney, a co-founder of the band White Eskimo with Harry Styles. 2024 offered a unique experience designed to honor one of the team’s favorite films and musicians.
A Return to Garden State
Joel still remembers seeing Garden State, Zach Braff’s 2004 indie masterpiece about self-discovery and love in the face of grief and disconnection. He ran out to buy the soundtrack the very next day. Cary Brothers’ “Blue Eyes” – a heartfelt and melancholic song pulsing with yearning – is a pivotal track on the Grammy-winning album.
Realizing Surreal Showcase IV coincided with the 20th anniversary of the film and soundtrack, the team knew just who needed to perform, “When Cary speaks about how organically the Garden State soundtrack came together with friends, I feel we carry that same vibe over – both in our showcases… and now our documentary. Friends getting together over great wine and food to celebrate the symbiotic relationship between music and film. Our catalyst? The soundtrack’s continued pop-culture success.”
It was also the perfect chance to call up Judd Wallenbrock – now the CEO of Priest Ranch, and always a proponent of “wine, food, and the arts.” He had brought that spirit with him to Priest’s Somerston Estate, high in the Eastern hills of Napa. At the showcase, Judd and winemaker Cody Hurd started things off with Priest’s exquisite 2023 Estate Sauvignon Blanc, then poured 2019s through the night – including their “Remedy,” “Snake Oil,” and Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, “Our wines are made from multiple blocks sourced from our Somerston Estate, showcasing the diversity of the terroir and elevations. We produce fruit so distinctive that it requires only minimal processing, ensuring robust mountain flavors that shine through as intensely rich, yet beautifully integrated, wines.”
As he and Cody poured the night away, Judd could both hear and taste the pairing perfection, “The word ‘surreal’ describes it so beautifully,” he remarked. “A holistic experience. Individually, Bob Blumer’s food, Cary Brothers’ music, and Cody Hurd’s Priest Ranch wines are incredible. Together – especially in the setting of Bob’s rooftop and patio under the Hollywood sign – it all becomes magical.”
Blumer pulled out all the stops to make sure the cuisine was as surreal as the showcase itself, featuring his delectable and unique ‘Salmon Snow Cones.’ For Cary Brothers himself, “It was a perfect day. I had such a great time hanging out with the incomparable Bob Blumer; the wine from Priest Ranch was stellar; the sunset in the Hollywood Hills was so beautiful that I found myself getting lost in the view from the stage.”
From a Rooftop… to the World
As we close, I ask Joel the final question from the Arthouse Sessions format, “Where are you going?” The answer is his documentary short capturing the entire affair: Cary Brothers: Songs in the Key of Film.
This fourth Surreal Showcase was the first that also got a five-camera shoot and short film. That’s all because writer/director/producer Regina Pigsley and Philip Coates of Sargasso Media attended Surreal Showcase III and knew, “We just have to make a movie out of this.”
A production presented by Priest Ranch itself, Cary Brothers: Songs in the Key of Film premiered at this year’s San Jose International Film Festival. It’s directed by Philip Coates and captured by Sargasso Media – partnering with both A&R Worldwide and Monarch Wine.
The documentary even features a behind-the-scenes look at Cary as an impromptu sous chef for Bob, “I loved playing with Cary in my kitchen as much as I loved watching him play on my roof.” No matter how unique the evening and expert the artistry, Judd likes to focus on how the surreal experience is one that anyone can reach out and grab, “The cool thing is anyone can make their meal at home more memorable by simply adding tasty wine and music into their recipe and enjoy them with someone special.”
Surreal Showcase IV and Cary Brothers: Songs in the Key of Film perfectly encapsulate Joel’s production philosophy: “From the creative side, start from the heart… then plan and execute.” It’s that top shelf artistic drive that has been with him all along. Just like his exhaustion after that late night of editing proves, he could “work on this all night long.” We at Monarch can’t wait to see what’s in store for Surreal Showcase V…
For Kevin, being a writer has always required a great deal of wine. He never dreamed he’d be able to combine his love for the two. His screenwriting includes works for Paramount, MTV, Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, Bad Robot, and his role as Executive Story Editor on “Blood & Treasure,” an action adventure show on CBS and Amazon. Before that, his thirst for sketch comedy led to pieces for The Onion and National Lampoon – as well as the stages of UCB, HBO Workspace, Comedy Central Stage and festivals in San Francisco, NYC, Vancouver and beyond. He’s a write-at-home dad always ready for a winery road trip… especially a dog-friendly one.
