Matt Whipkey and his band at The Waiting Room, Feb. 20, 2015. Whipkey and Co. play tonight at 1200 Club in the Holland Performing Arts Center.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The weekend is front-loaded. Lots happening tonight, and then…

Matt Whipkey has enjoyed the best 12 months of his musical life. New record. Touring with Dwight Yoakam, and now a headlining gig at The Holland Performing Arts Center’s ritzy 1200 Club. If you’ve never been there, you owe yourself the favor — big room, bar, great stage, great sound system. Think of it as a giant, high-ceilinged lounge filled with large round tables and chairs.

It’s a perfect setting for Whipkey and his band to perform for the first time ever his 2013 double-LP Penny Park in sequence. For Whip, it’s a career highlight. Expect him at his very best. Opening is R&B singer Rothsteen. Tickets are $20. Show starts at 8 p.m.

It’s an early show, which means if Whipkey keeps his set under 90 minutes you’ll have time to hit other hot shows tonight.

Top of list is Wild Powwers at fabulous O’Leaver’s. I wrote about them Wednesday, here. Note they are NOT the headliner. Lincoln band Bien Fang has that honor. Low Long Signal opens. Show starts at 9:30, $5.

Also tonight, the city’s hottest up-and-coming band, High Up, headlines at The Waiting Room with M34N STR33T. Lineman’s Rodeo opens at 9 p.m. Hopefully by start time they’ll have cleared out all the Secret Service from Bill Clinton’s visit to TWR, which is scheduled to take place at 2:15 p.m. Please note, there is an RSVP  form you’d be wise to fill out if you intend to see the president stump for his wife.

No doubt Clinton will return to Omaha (after a visit to Lincoln) just in time to catch Bloodcow at The Barley Street Tavern tonight. Wouldn’t be surprised if Bill has his sax in tow to join the band  for a jazzed up version of “Ultra Super Sexual.” Opening is Super Moon and Montee Men. $5, 9 p.m.

And lest you forget, it’s Benson First Friday. If you’re checking out the art, drop by The Little Gallery, right across the street from The Sydney, for the opening of Jennifer Radil’s abstract cartography show. Eye popping stuff. From 6 to 9 p.m. More info here.

Tomorrow is caucus day. Get your carcass out and caucus.

That’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Happy weekend, y’all…

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.