Also this issue:

Bright Lights, Big Shadow
Teddy Thompson expands on the family business.
-Nicole Pensiero

Up Country
New York's Laura Cantrell is in bloom again.
-Sam Adams

Trolleyvox
-Sam Adams

Hologram
-A.D. Amorosi

Jason Mraz/Essence
-A.D. Amorosi

Joseph Arthur
-A.D. Amorosi

HearHere
-Patrick Rapa

DJ Nights
-Sean O'Neal

January 9-15, 2003

beat box

compiled by Ain Ardron-Doley

As promised, here's a li'l update on the Brave New World/720 Club/Beyond/8th Street Lounge musical chairs. BNW is gone (now we're supposed to call it 720). Located where the old 8th Street Lounge used to be is BNW's replacement, Beyond. Billing themselves as "Philadelphia's only legitimate New York-style nightclub, restaurant and lounge for the discerning adult," Beyond prides itself on being an NYC knockoff. Bringing the nightlife seven days a week with two "mature environments," one for shaking that precious groove thang, and the other for just loungin'. Monday boasts Philly Unplugged, live local action; Tuesday gets Latin with La Cosa; Wednesday, it's Erotic City -- get it?; Thursday's double threat has Smooth Jazz 106.1's Bliss and later on, The Chocolate Soul Lounge with DJ Cee Knowledge. What?! Yes, Digable's Knowledge is doing that celeb-DJ crap; Friday is another two-pack with an afterwork party and Space with DJ Don Mystic Mac and Doug Henderson; Saturday it's Silver, Power 99 FM's live broadcast and DJs Doc B and Gary O; and finally, Sunday it's Butter, the legendary old-school dance party with Butterball. So they've got luxurious booths, VIP lounges, bottle service, private sofas and plasma TVs. Let's see if the crowd that gathers at Beyond can top the jiggy, older, gator-wearing, radioheads that partied at BNW. Rest in peace. You are gone and forgotten. Beyond, Eighth and Callowhill sts., 215-925-1900, www.welcometobeyond.com.

That sweet otherworldly cat, DJ Rich Medina, just scooped up another local residency as part of man-about-town Mr. Carl Dash's latest par-tay, Brown Sugar. Each and every Sunday night, Rich is in the mix with hip-hop, R&B, classics and other funky kibbles and bits. Sun., Jan. 12, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., call for cover, Bash, 450 N. Sixth St., 215-232-2274.

And now, in random order, a sneak peek at the rest of the month: The Greater Philadelphia Hip-Hop Alliance Showcase with Baby Blak, Thee Phantom, Diatribe, Reef, Frost, Trife Wound and DJs Meddafore and Primetime; The K-Mass Independent as F*ck! record release party; Ja Rule and Eve swarm the small stage of The Electric Factory; DJs Jazzy Jeff and Pete Rock kick it with Squarebiz; ooh la la, it's the Respect the Hustle tour at the Rotunda; DJ Eleven waxes on at The Remedy; and Floetry, Slum Village and Ms. India.Arie take on The Tower. And one mo' thing: You've got until Jan. 15 to vote in The Second Annual Phillyhiphop.com Awards. Happy January, babies! Mwah!