Russell Batiste Jr. at Alley Katz

From the Cajun-spiced musical stew of New Orleans, a 7-year-old Batiste climbed into the pilot seat of a drum kit in his father's band. And from there, it's been an exploration of funk, most notably with The Funky Meters. And now he bangs and crashes his way into Richmond, Dec. 16, with Your Mama's Brass Band, 10 p.m.-2 a.m. $10. 643-2816.

Carol Bui and a Pack of Guitarists at Nanci Raygun

Don't turn your back on Bui's voice: It'll go from songwriter-sweet to post-punk howl at the change of a key. She's joined by Richmond's Anousheh Khalili, working out the world's problems on guitar; Alina Simone's dark and intricate arrangements; Ris Paul Ric and his quiet vocals and subtle use of distortion; and the nebulous math-rock of Pattern Is Movement. Four parts songwriter, one part computer-age pop: It's a stocking full of guitars, Dec. 18 at 5 p.m. $5. 353-4263.

Cave In and Doomriders Have the Holiday Spirit

Tired of the relentless cheeriness of the season? Cave In takes the lost puppy lyrics of emo and gives them a good heavy bass shake, swats them on the nose with a simmering riff or two, and lets them out of their kennel. Fellow Bostonians Doomriders further quake thy stocking cap with the kind of direct, intense metal that only cold Northern winters can breed. Cave In and Doomrider deafen your inner humbug at Nanci Raygun, along with Forensics and The Set Up, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. $8. 353-4263.