May 27-June 2, 2004

musicpicks

Box Five/ Ellis Family Benefit

Rock/pop

Pretty soon, everybody'll have to stop calling Mary Bichner a rated rookie and start saying she's an all-star. A finessed lyricist with big ideas and the skills -- including perfect pitch and a classically trained voice -- to back them up, Bichner conjures up Tori Amos' artfulness and Radiohead's ambitious complexity. Once a solo artist, the young singer-pianist has put together a band with her guitarist-brother Joe to turn all those sparse dirges into rock. Now with a catchy beat, favorites like the epic "Media Darling" aren't just something to think about, they're something to swoon to.

While you're at the Box Five show at The Khyber this Saturday, stop upstairs -- where Trish Gdowik, Jon Pepe, Joey Sweeney and Rich Masio will be DJing -- and buy a 50/50 raffle ticket to benefit the Ellis Family. Gehrett Ellis has HIV. His mom Carol has breast cancer. Neither has health insurance. Donations can also be made at www.twelve-eleven.com/g/.

Sat., May 29, 9 p.m., $8, with Heroine Sheiks, Sharks with Wings and Reverse Healers, The Khyber, 56 S. Second St., 215-238-5888.

—Patrick Rapa

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