Also this issue: Emotional Rescue Philly punks Paint It Black overcome a CVA and release CVA. -John Vettese Uprooted How Ben Kenney left Philly’s hip-hop legends to rock with Incubus. -Eve Simonsen Executioners' Songs Rilo Kiley takes off. -Michael Pelusi soundadvice Get out. Rule Blur-Tania Britain's best band head for the Think Tank. -A.D. Amorosi Idle Pleasures -M.J. Fine Two Halves and a Hole The division of At the Drive-In. -John Vettese Bubba Sparxxx -Ainé Ardron-Doley

July 24-30, 2003

beat box

compiled by Ainé Ardron-Doley

After a stint at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, a week in Europe and appearances in People, Essence and even USA Today, Kindred The Family Soul is back on the block. And there’s nothing like a good old-fashioned homecoming. Witness the incomparable hubby-and-wife tandem and their big-ass band as they rock and sway to the beat of their debut, Surrender to Love. Thu., July 24, 8 p.m., $13, The Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-LIVE.

Black Lily isn't dead. Nope, nada, not yet. Stop by this week as the Women Who Jam! competition winners are chosen. Fresh faces and an abundance of talent will tackle the small and revered Lily stage. Tue., July 29, 9:30 p.m.-2 a.m., $5, The Five Spot, 5 S. Bank St., 215-574-0070. Watch for a songbird by the name of Tanzania -- out of the A Touch of Jazz camp.

Boom! It's Beat Society. The popular showcase hosts its seventh edition with a power-packed lineup of MCs -- Reef The Lost Cauze (battle-tested!) and Grand Agent (who just rocked this spot a few weeks back) -- and beat-makers. On the MPC2000XL, MC/producer (that's a good and bad trend these days) J-Live is out to show and prove. Local everyman/DJ/producer Adam Bomb will also be doing the beat thing on one machine or another. And, for the first time at Beat Society, MC/producer Jean Grae will represent on the ASR-10 for all the women (usually not many!) in the house. Speaking of Ms. Grae, Rolling Stone proclaimed her "the best-kept secret on New York's indie scene" and Entertainment Weekly named her one of America's top 10 artists on the brink of superstardom. Her second album is set for release this November on Babygrande. Wed., July 30, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., $7 (up goes the entry fee, but guest-list yourself by e-mailing krystof@soulspazm.com and get in for $2), The Five Spot.

P.S.: Did anyone witness Boricua "singing" sensation, Lumidee, at Q102's Bikini Beach Party at Chrome last Friday? Damn, she can't sing! Oh and word is, hometown MC, Reign Man, the kid who beat out 1,000 others at MTV's controversial battle this year, just inked a deal with the Czar imprint via Sony!