Scratching the Surface

It's often difficult for musicians to separate the music from whatever drama is consuming their lives. But when an artist leads a particularly interesting life, the outside influence can be a good thing. Take, for instance, Miss Honey Dijon. The fact that this New York-based DJ is a transsexual should have no bearing on the quality of her DJ sets, but at the end of the day, it does. While house music seems to have gotten more conservative and commercial over the past five years, Dijon is as flamboyant as ever. Her sets -- which contain elements of pure Chicago house, NYC underground, straight-up hip-hop, new wave and R&B -- are always eclectic, making her one of the few house jocks left who still embody the true spirit of the music. Catch Miss Honey this Saturday, July 30, when she makes a special appearance on Vinyl's rooftop patio. -- Timothy Pittz