# Grand Ole Party **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 7, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-ole-party/462502 "2008-09-07T17:21:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-ole-party/462502/1 "2008-09-07T17:21:06Z")
Grand Ole Party is an independent three piece act out of San Diego that describes their sound as Club / Big Beat / Funk on their MySpace page. I first heard of them when the lineup for this year’s Bonnaroo was released in February, and they were the second act I saw at this year’s festival. They were absolutely amazing and out of a dozen-plus acts that I managed to catch between the other things one does at 'roo, they were easily in the top three to five. Since then, they have been the soundtrack of my summer. The lead singer, Kristin Gundred, is also the drummer and reminds me of Karen O in both sound and appearance, and the band as a whole is fairly reminiscent of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs but more raw and earnest, and with more of what I would call a cabaret-punk flavor. [This video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JwzaCRsK4k) of _Look Out, Young Son_ is a good representation of their sound though my favorite song is probaby _Gypsy March_, a record which can be found [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5PB-hTQ5C8). My only issues with the band are that their uptempo songs often seem to be building to an explosive climax that never quite comes, and that a lot of those same songs sound alike on first and second listens. These are forgivable as \*Humanimals \* is their only album, meaning they have more time to grow into their sound and realize its full potential. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2008, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-ole-party/462502/2 "2008-09-08T02:52:51Z")
I was there, too! They were great! [I got pictures!](http://www.flickr.com/photos/thejtrain/tags/grandoldparty/) ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2008, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-ole-party/462502/3 "2008-09-08T03:04:34Z")
I got some too, but I’m lazy and don’t do tags. [This one](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3043/2588893988_3c84489ce7.jpg) is probably my favorite. Between them, Tegan and Sara, Jose Gonzalez, and Iron & Wine, I spent most of my time at This Tent. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-ole-party/462502/4 "2008-09-08T18:34:51Z")
This got one more reply than I expected, but I can hope for another. Obligatory bump. ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2008, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-ole-party/462502/5 "2008-09-08T23:06:29Z")
Haven’t seen them live, but they have been getting heavy play in my personal rotation lately. _Look Out, Young Son_ was the first I’d heard them. I was flipping through the channels and thought it was the latest White Stripes w/ Meg singing. It was more than enough to hook me, but ftr, their sound does go well beyond just that. In addition to the two songs noted in the OP, _Troubadour of the Water_ is another keeper of theirs’ worth checking out (sorry, can’t youtube from work).