Music critics' picks

Don't know how savvy Philly promoters let this one slip by, but one of the hottest new acts bursting out of the United Kingdom, Amy Macdonald, is making her area debut. The 21-year-old Glasgow lass balances thickly accented, husky-throated vocals with rousing rock songs. Her debut album, "This Is the Life" (just out here), has scored more than 1.2 million sales. Macdonald finds inspiration in the moment. Breaking into the music scene and rubbing elbows with Babyshambles' frontman Pete Doherty sparked the title tune and "Let's Start a Band." A crush on Jake Gyllenhaal led her to "L.A.," while a Glasgow venue where she got the bug from the band Travis heats up "Barrowland Ballroom." Hope a rousing welcome will inspire her to pay homage to this new club.

The Note, 142 E. Market St., West Chester, 8 p.m. tomorrow, $12, www.the notewc.com, 800-594-8499.

- Jonathan Takiff

With all respect to Kanye West, it can be argued that Common was the one who established Chicago as a hip-hop hotbed. His skill set includes a rhyme style that incorporates jazzy sounsdscapes and a laid-back flow, flavored with East Coast consciousness.

He impressed right from the start, with his 1991 debut (as Common Sense), "Can I Borrow A Dollar?" He then started rhyming about more serious issues with songs such as "Love of My Life" and "Southside" earning him Grammy nods in '02 and '07, respectively. Something must be said for a rapper who, 18-plus years in, remains vital to an industry known for the short shelf-life of its artists. He's here with N.E.R.D. and Chester French.

Electric Factory, 7th and Willow St., 8:30 p.m. Thursday, $35 & $40, 215-336-2000, electricfactory.info.

- Damon C. Williams

Port Richmond gets it first underground mini-rock fest, thanks to Portside Arts Center and Green Rock Tavern. The Lehigh Avenue Arts Festival had Gildon Works, a heady mix of My Bloody Valentine and Echo & the Bunnymen, as well as psych-rock kingpins Brother JT 3 and Photon Band, garage-rock grrrls Thee Minks, the rootsy Adam & Dave's Bloodline, Pagan Babies spinoff the Heels, plus the Mummers String Band, a washer tournament and tons of neighborhood vendors.

Lehigh Avenue, between Livingston and Belgrade streets, noon to 8 p.m. tomorrow, free, all ages, 215-427-1514, www.lehighaveartsfestival.com.

- Sara Sherr

As one of the most preeminent young keyboardists plying the soul-jazz trade, Robert Walter's sense of time may be impeccable, but his sense of timing is somewhat less so; he adopted New Orleans as his hometown in 2003. Natural disasters aside, the choice was a good one. A founding member of the Greyboy Allstars, Walter has played for years with the kind of celebration and groove most associated with the Big Easy, and longtime collaborator Stanton Moore hails from the city. Walter now leads a trio featuring another Nawlins drummer, the stalwart Johnny Vidacovich. Bassist James Singleton rounds out the trio.

World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, $15-$17, 215-222-1400, www.worldcafelive.com.

- Shaun Brady

Any appearance by legendary pianist Martha Argerich is a major event, and she's teaming with our chief conductor Charles Dutoit to offer two sizzling First Concertos from Russia. Prokofiev's one-movement First Concerto is a bravura piece with a slow inner section, while Shostakovich's wild First (1933) has a blazing part for brilliant principal trumpet David Bilger.

Dutoit will demonstrate his mastery of Ravel's sonic palette in the ravishing homage to Schubert, "Valses nobles et sentimentales," and Ravel's orchestration of Mussorgsky's familiar "Pictures at an Exhibition."

Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center, Broad and Spruce streets, 8 p.m. Thursday and 2 p.m. Oct. 3, $59-$115, 215-893-1999, www.philorch.org.

- Tom Di Nardo