“Is Madonna coming? Is she here?”—that was the question on the lips of more than a few Darkroom devotees on Friday night at the Highline Ballroom.  Because in light of Stereo’s unceremonious closing, Peter Rauhofer had moved his WORK party to the Chelsea concert venue once known as Glo and Powder—with a poster invite featuring Madonna splayed and superimposed over WORK.  “Four minutes”—and counting…  She’ll be here soon—or so the kidz hoped.

And then there were the others asking, “Is it Peter? Is that him?”—because the stage was that dark and it didn’t look like Peter—and it wasn’t at first.  But then he appeared—and by then, the 800-capacity venue had filled to comfort factor with a coterie of glama boyz wearing Dior and Ed Hardy, glitter and chains, sparkles and metal, satin and velour.  There was the Providence Posse: Andrei Stylin’ and Richie Rich, Jr., along with Andrew, Ivan the One, Chris and Dino.  And there was Mother Juan with a flock of Aviance children.  And Backflip Boy—who’s most definitely loosened up since he left the rave and joined the circuit.  Hello!  And JetBlue Clay who flew in from Mexico, leaving boyfriend behind on the beach.   

As one kid said to us, in anticipation of Darkroom,  “Are you kidding?  Of course, I’ll be there.  It’s PETER!”  And then there was another who was leaving Gotham on Saturday to make it to Mansion in Miami Beach for Peter (and Tracy’s) Sunday morning Winter Music Conference party. Such fervent Peter devotion!

And no wonder—in spite of club difficulties beyond his control, the man has been having a moment for quite some months.  From Montreal to Miami, and back to New York, Peter has the ability to recast the familiar into a churning industrial rhythm nation beat.  Take his version of “Make It Last” on Friday night, which he reworked into an aural equivalent of Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis”—all pulsing and pounding, clanking and clinking—as the boyz WORKed it out on the floor.  It was the start of the Black Party weekend—and the boyz were ready to WORK—overtime, all weekend long.  Oh, and if you see Madonna, tell her she’s late for WORK!