The Australian trio Dirty Three write some of the most downhearted and exultant songs on the planet. (Their paradoxes rock.) Led by Nick Cave's favorite violinist, the flamboyant Warren Ellis, the mostly instrumental group (also featuring guitarist Mick Turner and drummer Jim White) roam over chamber music, primal rock, raga, blues, and many strains of folk music with fiery zeal and deft chops. And Ellis's bitterly witty between-song banter is worth the price of admission. (Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave, www.thecrocodile.com. 8 pm, $15, 21+.)