House Party

Last night Toshi Reagon and Meshell Ndegeocello headined a show to raise money and awareness for FIERCE, a group dedicated to the empowerment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer youth of color in New York City.

During a hurried soundcheck at the Santos Party House near Chinatown, Toshi and her band got ready to entertain a crowd of kids whose excitement may have elevated the entire block around which they were wrapped, waiting for the doors to open.

"I told the band, no comps for this one," said Toshi. "A lot of people bought forty or fifty tickets just to give to kids who couldn't otherwise afford it."

She looked over at the heart shaped disco ball and the rope hanging from the relatively low ceiling over the audience space where, moments earlier, Kiebpoli had been warming up her aerial act. "Don't know how that's gonna work," she laughed, "but it's gonna be fierce."