Myrtle van Damitz: Other Voices, Other Rooms Through Jan. 24 Barrister's Gallery, 1724 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 525-2767 It's called Other Voices, Other Rooms, but it's weirder than anything Truman Capote ever dreamed up. Myrtle von Damitz's quietly spectacular ink-and-paint concoctions might spook Hieronymous Bosch. Consistent to a fault, her visionary vistas are like scenes from another dimension where ethereal, wraith-like creatures cluster in some expressionist netherworld with cubist architecture rising vertiginously in the background. It's all painted with countless impossibly fine lines like deranged scrimshaw in multi-colored pigment, and we can only wonder where she gets this stuff. Beyond her favorite authors, spooky, obscure Slavs such as Mikhail Bulgakov or Bruno Schultz, the answer may lie closer to home. In fact, anyone who has ever spent a Halloween evening on Frenchmen Street might find her paintings hauntingly familiar. -- D. Eric Bookhardt

Jeffrey Clements 10 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23 Circle Bar, 1032 St. Charles Ave., 588-2616 Best known as the bare-bones drummer for blues/hip-hop trio G. Love and Special Sauce, Uptown resident Jeffrey "the Houseman" Clements is upholding several noteworthy side projects in recent months, not least of all his rock-steady cover band 007. For Clements' latest musical incarnation, he's coming out from behind the drums to showcase his affinity for the Americana songbook as a singer and guitarist. His new solo sets -- scheduled sporadically from now through January, mostly on Wednesdays at the Circle Bar in 007 bandmate Alex McMurray's regular slot -- will include a sampling of cover songs from a range of country and roots visionaries from Johnny Cash to Beck. There are also a few Clements originals creeping onto the setlists with old-fashioned titles like "Midnight Train" and "Pralines & Cream Girl." Call club for cover charge. -- Diettinger

Dr. John 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Dec. 26-27 House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 529-BLUE There is nothing like a Dr. John (aka Mac Rebennack) homecoming show, and we'll gladly take two this time around, especially since the Good Doctor has a fistful of new products on the shelves or in the works these days. The last time the boogaloo piano master visited his hometown this past September, it was to record a new all-star album at Piety Street Studios in Bywater. His latest release, All By Hisself: Live at the Lonestar, runs through a handful of stripped-down standards by Rebennack and fellow New Orleans R&B kingpins. Highlights include "Junco Partner," "Qualified" and a glittering "Such a Night." Issued on his own new Skinji Brim indie label this past fall, the album is the first in a series of reissues of archival live recordings. Out-of-print Dr. John studio albums are also beginning to see the reissue light of day; 1978's City Lights and 1979's Tango Palace were both re-released on Acadia Records. Tickets $30. -- Diettinger

15 Minutes: An Independent Songwriter's Series 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 28 The Parish at House of Blues, 229 Decatur St., 529-BLUE In 2001, former House of Blues employee Jay Fallo began a monthly event for startup singer-songwriters to show their skills to appreciative, yet critical, audiences. Distinguished from an "open mic night" by a selective billing process, 15 Minutes presents only what it considers promising, high-quality artists operating independently in the singer-songwriter/roots music vein. The event gives each artist 15 minutes (or three songs) to perform original material for industry scouts and local audiences. Regular participants range from indie-rock tinged songwriters such as Kristy Kruger to acoustic folk strummers Brian Perry and Michael Hornsby. These performers and a handful of others recently yielded a CD laying down some of the music heard at regular appearances at 15 Minutes: JPF Music Presents 15 Minutes, An Independent Songwriters Compilation, Vol. 1. A second volume is in the works. Admission $5. -- Diettinger

Frigg-a-Go-Go 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 26 Circle Bar, 1032 St. Charles Ave., 588-2616 If you don't like to hang out in dingy New Orleans clubs or at the Cajun Heartland State Fair, you might not know that one of the most entertaining rock acts in existence today is from Lafayette. Led by guitarist/vocalist Ron Jeremy, the members of Frigg-a-Go-Go are delightfully ignorant about what's hip. For one thing, they like to dress in Technicolor suits with wide ties. In spirit, Frigg is a lot more rock 'n' roll than any currently famous New York City band. Urgency and good humor marry happily in their raucous sets of pure, overdriven speed-guitar scorchers. It's kind of hard to find their recorded material, mostly pressed on vinyl EP or (gasp!) cassette singles. Even their latest CD, the 1999 gem The Winning Score, is elusive these days. Call club for cover charge. -- Diettinger

Walter "Wolfman" Washington 10 p.m. Friday Dec. 26 Delta Blues Grill, 542 S. Jefferson Davis Pkwy., 822-0358 Walter Washington is a true New Orleans treasure. With the exception of Deacon John, no one in town does New Orleans rhythm and blues with the Wolfman's soul. Unlike most of his gigs that feature horns and a certain amount of polish, Wolfman's Delta Blues Grill shows are simply the master and a trio. His music here has a little more of a raw edge to it, but he still has that debonair smoothness that we know and love. In addition, the Delta Blues Grill is a great joint; with its inexpensive drinks, relaxed atmosphere and at-home decor, it resembles a New Orleans version of a Mississippi juke with higher ceilings. The clientele of many classes and colors is friendly enough that you might find yourself doing a dirty grind dance with any number of sexy strangers. No cover. -- David Kunian

Nicholas Payton 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Friday-Sunday, Dec. 26-28 Snug Harbor, 626 Frenchmen St., 949-0696 It is a good trend in jazz these days for trumpeters to add modern twists such as loops and effects to their music. Players such as Roy Hargrove and Dave Douglas have been taking a hip-hop or more electric approach to their music. After so much credence has been given to the modern traditionalist approach as espoused by Jazz at Lincoln Center, these ideas are pushing the music forward. The musician who may be doing this best is New Orleans native Nicholas Payton. Payton has proved that he can do it all from traditional to hard-bop. His new record, Sonic Trance, flows like early 1970s Miles Davis with its exotic textures and psychedelic funk. Live, Payton has had some time to work out the kinks in the electronics, and even though it harkens back to three decades ago, it sounds like the hip, new thing. Tickets $25. -- Kunian

Theresa Andersson and Friends Holiday Bash 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23 House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 529-BLUE For the first of what Theresa Andersson hopes to make an annual holiday blowout, she hand-picked a crop of local artists that are very special to her, musically and personally. Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown is one of her music idols, and show-opener Blair Gimma, an up-and-coming singer-songwriter, is her newest musical friend. Andersson will also be performing with her own band, the Theresa Andersson Group, and both the Sketchy Strings and Peace Stories will contribute sets. Most notably, this show marks the first collaboration between Andersson and roots rocker Anders Osborne since their storied break-up in the mid-90s. "You have to get ready for something like that," says Andersson of the reunion. "Now that I've established myself as an artist, I've been looking for an opportunity for us to work together, and he'd been thinking along the same lines. It feels like a peaceful thing to do." An Osborne-penned song, "It's Gonna Be Okay," is set to appear on Andersson's upcoming debut release on Basin Street Records. Tickets $10. -- Cristina Diettinger