Upstairs on June 24th, World Cafe Live held a special Sunday edition of the Boombox Collective. The event hosted by Kuf Knotz was all ages and free entry and included a number of talented artists from around the Philadelphia area for a night of great music. Vendors were also set up in the lobby selling crafts and jewelry for the more visually inclined.

The night included a CD release for the soul artist My Man Shafe and performances by Liv & Chuck Treece, The Rebel Yell, Darry Miller & the Veil, Attia Taylor and Ill Doots. LP Stiles, the house band, was also on hand to break it down between sets.

Darry Miller and Attia Taylor both performed without accompanying musicians, but that is where their similarities end. Miller took to the stage with just a guitar and belted out some original tunes as well as a few covers. One of the more rock-inspired performances for the evening, Miller revisited The Beatles’ “With A Little Help From My Friends.” Already a notable cover by Joe Cocker, Miller put his own soulful vocal style on the song for an intriguing third version.

Attia Taylor. Photo via the Attia Taylor Facebook page

Often performing with a full band, Attia Taylor also flew solo for her set. This experimental configuration highlight’sTaylor’s sweet and sultry voice over looped sounds that she records live onstage using effects pedals. Often using herself as backup, she also provides her own percussion for some songs by laying down a click track with a pair of drumsticks. Taylor’s melodies are whimsical and she manages to make harmonizing with herself seem like a breeze. Catching her live solo set is a real treat.

House band LP Stiles definitely knows how to get down. The jazzy, four-piece hip-hop band includes a guitar, bass, drums, and saxophone. Their jams are very tight, which is presumably why they get the role of providing music on the regular. Speckled with sax solos and mean bass lines, host Kuf Knotz also took to the mic with them at one point in the evening.

Ill Doots. Photo via the Ill Doots Facebook page

By the end of the night, though, Ill Doots nearly brought down the house. One of the most energetic and unapologetic acts around Philly, Doots is a live hip-hop ensemble that knows they’re hot. On Sunday they played with ten musicians including two drummers, guitars, saxophone and three vocalists. Just getting back from a tour, Ill Doots was already in their groove, and they had the whole front of the house dancing by mid-set.

Boombox Collective can sure throw a party. After all, who would turn down a free hip-hop show with artists like Attia Taylor and Ill Doots? As always, World Cafe is a great location for these events, and the Collective plans to keep having these free shows every month.

World Cafe Live is located at 3025 Walnut St., Philadelphia; 215-222-1400; philly.worldcafelive.com.