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This week, our fair city and its stages are set to be inundated with a number of masters of their individual art forms. Starting at the raw end of things, former Deadboy & the Elephantmen and Acid Bath frontman Dax Riggs has, in his solo personality, will be channeling the last remaining breath out of the limp corpse of rock ’n’ roll into a gale force wind of classic riffs and a Neil Diamond-grade croon at Chelsea’s on Thursday.

Pedal steel guitar is, in most minds, either part DNA of a classic country song or the sound that sets a hula dancer in motion, but largely thanks to Robert Randolph & the Family Band, the instrument finds a higher, funkier purpose. Randolph honed his skills at the House of God Church in Irvington, N.J., building on the sacred steel tradition and injecting it with powerhouse funk. Thanks to some high-profile fans, including Eric Clapton and John Medeski, Randolph and family have become one of the staples of the jam-band circuit, and, in this reviewer’s opinion, one of the few groups in that realm that transcend the limits of the hippie festival circuit, flying their funk and rock flags on a true spiritual wind. They will be raising the roof of The Varsity on Friday.

Finally, few guitarists can match the Reverend Horton Heat’s Jim Heath. For years he has kept the torch lit for sweet licks and down and dirty rock, only getting sharper and raunchier with age. Joining them at the Spanish Moon will be Nashville Pussy (http://www.myspace.com/nashvillepussy), central to which are the many charms of guitarist Ruyter Suys. You might remember them from last year’s Halloween extravaganza, but then, considering the condition of most people at that show, you might not. Regardless, it’s a safe bet you will know what an electric guitar is for.

And, should this not be enough for you, Voodoo Fest kicks off this Friday in New Orleans. Here are my suggestions for your forays into New Orleans’ City Park this weekend.

Wednesday, Oct. 22

Mike Foster Project at Chelsea’s

Rehab at The Varsity

One Wants at The Caterie

Thursday, Oct. 23

Dax Riggs and Brother Dege at Chelsea’s

World’s Most Dangerous and Leopard Sound Barrier at North Gate Tavern

Meriwether, Tyler Read and Carlotta at The Varsity

Streamline at Roux House

Steven from Waiting for Brantley at Click’s

Borderline Cuckoo at The Caterie

Marty Christian at Boudreaux & Thibodeaux

Friday, Oct. 24

Voodoo Fest kicks off in New Orleans, Friday to Sunday at City Park

David Sanchez Quintet at the Listening Room (Lyceum Dean)

Captain Legendary Band and Mike Dean at Chelsea’s

Epic and Astero Sound at North Gate Tavern

Robert Randolph & the Family Band at The Varsity

Real Time at Roux House

Highlines and Parallel the Sky at Click’s

Courage at The Darkroom

David Bourné & Brett Smith, Echofail and Rosie Ledet at Boudreaux & Thibodeaux

JJ Johnson at Teddy’s Juke Joint

Saturday, Oct. 25

Reverend Horton Heat, Nashville Pussy and Reckless Kelly at Spanish Moon

Christabel and the Jons at Chelsea’s

Supervillain at North Gate Tavern

Damon King Band at Roux House

Rudy Richard at Teddy’s Juke Joint

Sunday, Oct. 26

Selwyn Cooper at Teddy’s Juke Joint

The Iguanas at Magnolia Cafe (St. Francisville)

Monday, Oct. 27

Trust Company, The Exies, Vayden and Under the Flood at Click’s

Chris Knight and Trouvere at The Red Dragon (new location 2401 Florida Blvd.)

Tuesday, Oct. 28

MC Chris at Spanish Moon

Hour of the Wolf and Save Vs. Spell at the Darkroom