The Queerest Thing: Transgender Nomi and Voguers Steal the Show at Hercules and Love Affair

I missed the [Hercules and Love Affair] show at Studio B earlier this summer, but wasn't going to miss the return performance of the fab dance band that has somehow infiltrated the drudgery of the indie music ranks and caused folks to dance. I especially wanted to see how the eight-piece live band was able to adapt the electronic tunes and [Nomi](http://www.nomionline.com/), et. al. handled vocals that I'd grown to know as Antony tracks.

I shouldn't have worried. I first heard Nomi's album a couple of years ago and [assigned a story] based on the strength of her vocals and confident manner. The [transgender performer](http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/sunday-review/regulars/closeup-singer-nomi-819207.html), who looks damn near amazing in her bright and shiny dresses and bulging bosoms (something easily overlooked in the Pitchfork press), has an incredible stage presence and knows how to wow.

Friday night's show was late enough (beginning around midnight) that those APW folks could have dragged themselves in if they weren't too starstruck from Radiohead. But no worries: we were enjoying the dance party, watching the black vogue dancers on strange amidst the brass and keyboards. Sure, someone's bound to come along and start hating on such fun music, and it may be hard to maintain past this season, when people are ready to anoint the next new thing. But I'm not such a fickle music fan. Hercules and Love Affair deserve to stick around and maybe now Nomi will be able to get a gang to dance at one of her solo shows.