Wild Child

9 p.m. • 7th Street Entry • 18-plus • $12-$14

Like loose change and fast-food wrappers, the beginnings of this chamber-laced folk-pop sextet were uncovered in the back seat of a presumably smelly van. While touring with Danish psych-folk artist Migrant, Kelsey Wilson and Alexander Beggins passed the time with ukulele jam sessions that became the framework for Wild Child's 2011 debut, "Pillow Talk." Like its predecessor, the Austin crew's Ben Kweller-produced follow-up, "The Runaround," spawned a few Hype Machine hits, including chirpy lead single "Crazy Bird." In December, Wild Child released a fun (if not so rebellious) uke-heavy Christmas album and a new record is in the works. With I Like You. Michael Rietmulder

A New World: Intimate Music from Final Fantasy

7 p.m. Thu.-Fri. • Amsterdam Bar & Hall • all ages • $40

The 8-bit video game music that has been chiptuning through parents' basements since the '80s is getting the full-blown orchestral treatment. Grammy-winning conductor Arnie Roth and the New World Players, featuring stud pianist Benyamin Nuss, are re-imagining songs from pioneering RPG series "Final Fantasy" in a classical setting. Last year, the 11-piece chamber troupe released a collection of live recordings covering the popular video game franchise's multi-platform, 25-plus-year catalog. "A New World" is a downsized version of the preceding "Distant Worlds" concert series, with Nobuo Uematsu and other original vid-kid composers consulting on the arrangements. M.R.

Galactic

9 p.m. • First Avenue • 18-plus • $25-$27

A mainstay of the New Orleans scene since the mid-90s, Galactic bridges the not-so-large gap between NOLA funk and soul, hip-hop and jam-band/Southern rock. The instrumental quintet even masterfully blended in South American influences on its underrated 2012 album, "Carnivale Electricos," which brought Living Colour frontman Corey Glover into the band. Glover is out for now and newcomer Erica Falls is in on vocals as the group preps a new retro-soul-flavored album. San Francisco psychedelic soul-rockers Monophonics open. Chris Riemenschneider