Chili Cook Off, Fair to Midland, Coachella webcast, The Atkinsons, Set Your Goals.

Lots to cover this weekend so let's get to it. I was able to get done with Friday & Saturday before I got sick as a dog. I'm sending this out now and then going back to bed. Will try and do one on the rest of the week later.

Friday night, punk pop band Set Your Goals headlines a multi-band revue at Kingdom. Also on the bill are Cartel, Hit The Lights, Mixtapes, Super Prime, Cowabunga, and The Getaways. The show starts at 5 PM and it's $15 to get in. Here's Set Your Goals doing "Gaia Bleeds":



If you're more in the mood for some folksy Americana on Friday night, hit up The Atkinsons at Cafe Diem. This show starts at 9:30 and it's free. Here's their latest tune, "I Love Everything":



If you are at home this weekend, the first weekend of the Coachella Festival (they've expanded to two weekends this year) from Indio CA will be webcast on YouTube HERE. There will be three channels to choose from so you should always be able to find something good or discover something new. The show starts at 6:55 PM ET on Friday. Highlights Friday include James, Neon Indian, Gary Clark Jr. (excellent new blues guitarist), Yuck, Dawes, Arctic Monkeys, Madness (One Step Beyond!), Pulp, Black Keys, M83. Saturday gets underway at 6:25 PM ET and highlights include Childish Gambino, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Tune-Yards, Buzzcocks, Laura Marling, Squeeze, Andrew Bird, St. Vincent, Grace Potter, The Shins, Bon Iver. Sunday starts at 6:25 PM ET again and includes Santigold, Real Estate, Fitz & the Tantrums, Seun Kuti (son of Fela Kuti), Wild Flag (love them!), Greg Ginn, Beirut, Gotye, Florence and the Machine, and TBA at 1:35 AM ET (Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg, maybe?). Quite a lineup!

Saturday is the big 102.1 The X Chili Cook Off 2012 at the Richmond Raceway Complex and for once they have ditched the mope rock bands and have a nice lineup. Bands include Cake, Cage the Elephant, Neon Trees, Middle Class Rut and Civil Twilight. Gates open at 11 and the gig runs until 8. Tickets are $35 at the gate. While this is an all-ages event, they do caution against bringing kids under 10 so bear that in mind parents. Here's the latest from Cake, "The Winter":

At Kingdom on Saturday night, some prog metal from Fair to Midland. Tix are $12 and the show starts at 5 PM with openers Dead Letter Circus, Lionize, Vice Or Virtue, and Ian Thomas Band. Here's Fair to Midland doing "Dance of the Manatee" from their new DVD "Live fromthe Machine Shop":

Late Night Pick of the Night: Lenny Williams, Ting Tings

Tonight's Late Night Pick of the Week is a double dose tonight on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. R&B singer Lenny Williams, best known for his stint with Tower of Power, will be sitting in with The Roots (I think, the Jimmy Fallon site is a bit vague). Then, The Tings Tings will perform a song from their new album, Sounds From Nowheresville, which is not being very well received critically. I kind of liked them so I'm interested to hear what they are sounding like now. Late Night is on NBC at 12:35 AM.

Here's Lenny's biggest solo hit, the awesomely titled "Shoo Doo Fu Fu Ooh!".

Late Night Pick of the Night: Shooter Jennings

Tonight, watch alt-country hero and son of Waylon, Shooter Jennings, on the Late Show with David Letterman. Shooter is promoting his critically acclaimed album, "Family Man".

Late Night Pick of the Night: Pulp

Tonight on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, the reunited Pulp will perform. Pulp is starting a US tour that will take them to Coachella this coming weekend. Hopefully, we'll be able to catch their performance on a Coachella webcast. Late Night is on at 12:35 AM on NBC.

Late Night Pick of the Night: All-American Rejects

Your Good Friday late night pick of the night is emo-pop band The All-American Rejects on Jimmy Kimmel tonight on ABC at 12:05 AM. AAR will be here in Richmond at The National on May 1.

Late Night Pick of the Night: Eric Hutchinson

Singer-songwriter Eric Hutchinson will be on a repeat of Late Show with David Letterman tonight at 11:35 PM on CBS. Eric is getting some buzz, selling out shows in NYC, DC and Hollywood on his current tour and having some shows moved to bigger venues. And he was recently on an episode of "Live at Daryl's House" with Daryl Hall.

Frankie Rose, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Hackensaw Boys, Breathe Carolina, YARN

A surprisingly busy weekend for an Easter weekend, but that's a good thing.

Thursday night, the show at Strange Matter with Real Estate, The Twerps and Diamond Center is sold out. If you are going, make sure you get in when the music starts at 8 PM to see Richmond's own Diamond Center. They'll melt your face off with their heavy psychedelic garage rock.

At Kingdom on Thursday, you'll find the Lucky Street tour featuring Go Radio, This Providence, Tonight Alive, and Tyler Carter. The headliner, Go Radio, plays emo-y pop rock. The show starts at 6 and it's $12 to get in. Here's Go Radio performing "Goodnight Moon":



And here is Jay Mohr as Christopher Walken performing "Goodnight Moon":



Alt-country band YARN will be at The Camel on Thursday. It's $7 in advance and $10 at the door. Doors open at 8 and show starts at 9 with James Justin & Company and Farm Vegas.  Here's YARN doing "Abilene":

Richmond's NO BS! Brass Band will be at Balliceaux on Thursday night with their instrumental funk music. Show starts at 10 PM and it's FREE. Here's NO BS doing "Iron Palm":



Friday night at The National, Americana group The Hackensaw Boys will play especially for you. It's $15 in advance, $17 at the door, doors open at 8, show starts at 9 with openers Horsehead. Here's The Hackensaw Boys performing at Knucklehead's in Kansas City in February:



Also on Friday, Black Girls and Big Payback (James Brown cover band) will play a funkalicious show at The Camel. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9. No one is saying if there will be a cover charge but expect there to be a minimal one.

Saturday, electro-pop duo Breathe Carolina will be at The National headlining the Blackout Forever Tour which also features The Ready Set, Ashland High ft. Trace Cyrus (formerly of MetroStation), Matt Toka and It Boys. The doors open at 6 and the fun gets under way at 7. Tix are $16 advance, $19 at the door. Breathe Carolina has been named one of the "100 Bands You Need to Know" by Alternative Press magazine and now you know. Here's Breathe Carolina doing "Blackout" (NSFW because of couple f-bombs):



Sunday night, come down off your Easter candy high with Frankie Rose at Strange Matter. She kind of has an 80's Sundays/New Order new wave sound. Tix are $10. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9 with openers Dive, White Laces, and Nelly Kate. Here's Frankie's new video for "Night Swim":



Monday night, the band with the awesome name We Were Promised Jetpacks will be at The Camel with Bad Veins and New Cassettes. And we were promised jetpacks, we were all supposed to be flying around with them by now, according to all the "this will be the future" videos we used to see when were kids. Bastards. It's $12 in advance, $14 at the door. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9. Here's the video for "Human Error" from WWPJ:



Have a most excellent weekend. Give the Easter Bunny a hug for me when you see him.

Tony Jordan

Late Night Pick of the Night: White Denim

Tonight, check out one of my favorite new bands, prog-punk-psychedelic White Denim on Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35 AM on NBC. Hopefully, they'll have some new songs on the show and hopefully, they'll come back to Richmond real soon.

Late Night Pick of the Night: Dr. John w/Dan Auerbach (Black Keys)

Tonight, you have an appointment with the doctor, Dr. John, on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on NBC at 12:35 AM. Dr. John's new album, "Locked Down", was released today and is getting rave reviews. Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys produced the album and he'll be sitting in with Doctor tonight.

Late Night Pick of the Night: Bombay Bicycle Club

Tonight, check out British rock band, Bombay Bicycle Club, making their US TV debut on Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35 AM on NBC. The band has been nominated for Best British Band in the NME (big British rock magazine) Awards.