• Blog Post by: Chris Riemenschneider
• May 30, 2012 - 11:17 AM

Zach Coulter and Solid Gold also provided the wholesome entertainment at Grand Old Day in 2009. / Carlos Gonzalez, Star Tribune

We’re only two days into the holiday work week, but people are already talking about the promising weather forecast for this upcoming weekend and its big to-do: Grand Old Day on Sunday. As always, the Grand Avenue block party -- held between Fairview Avenue and Dale Street in St. Paul – will be lined with a variety of stages and live music hosted outside certain businesses. There are no big touring acts performing this year like Guided by Voices or the Hold Steady of years past. Also, the lineup is as racially diverse as last week's Nickelback concert. Beyond that, though, the stages offer a fun mix of rock, country and Top 40 fare.

Probably the biggest name of note is Solid Gold, who just snuck in a secret test-run show at the Kitty Cat Klub on Monday as they prepare to unleash their second full-length album. Rising country stars Rocket Club should be another big draw for a whole different music clique, fresh from releasing their own new album. And then there’s Boogie Wonderland, which is famous/notorious again thanks to its commercial for Youngstedt’s Carwash -- so unbearably sad, it’s one more dire reason to tune out Twins games this season. Here are Sunday’s performers and set times for the bigger G.O.D. stages:

DIXIE’S STAGE (Grand & St. Albans)
Charlie Parr (12:15-1:35 p.m.)
The Blind Shake (2-2:40 p.m.)
The Soviettes (3-3:40 p.m.)
Solid Gold (4-5 p.m.) 

The incomparable Koo Koo Kanga Roo.

 

BILLY'S STAGE (Grand & Victoria)
Arc Flash Hazard (noon-1 p.m.)
Orange Whip (1:30-2:30 p.m.)
Hookers and Blow (3-5 p.m.)

WILD ONION STAGE (Grand & Avon)
White Iron Band (noon-2 p.m.)
Rocket Club (2-5 p.m.)

80'S STAGE AT WALGREEN’S: (Grand & Grotto)
Mish Mash (Noon-2 p.m.)
Boogie Wonderland (2-5 p.m.)

WHOLE FOODS FAMILY FUN STAGE (Fairview and Grand)
Paul Spring (Noon-12:45 p.m.)
Koo Koo Kanga Roo (two sets, 1-1:45 & 3-3:45 p.m.)
Snapdragon Seeds (2-2:45 p.m.)
Radio Disney (4-5 p.m.)

Click here for the official Grand Old Day website.