Miss Manhattan Hangs Out...with Lane Moore

Lane Moore is constantly moving. Even when sitting, she waves her hands expressively, speaks vibrantly and rapidly, and throws her head back in laughter. It’s a perfect metaphor for her life, really, where she is always on the next hustle.

Instead of asking “What does Lane Moore do?” it’s easier to ask “What does Lane Moore not do?” A comedian, she hosts New York’s popular Tinder Live! comedy show, where she hilariously scans the notorious dating app in front of an audience, which she is also now touring around the country and, soon, the world. She writes all of her own material, including a book in the works that will be published by Simon & Schuster and a comic book called Smarty Pants Lydia. More of her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, GQ, and Playboy, among many others. Once an editor at Cosmopolitan, she won a GLAAD award for furthering queer visibility at the publication. She was also nominated for the White House LGBT Champions of Change Award. As an actor, she has been on HBO’s GIRLS, and as a commentator, she has appeared on VH1 and MTV.

Lane is also the singer/songwriter of the band It Was Romance, featured in Vogue, Pitchfork, i-D (in an article by yours truly), and more for their garage/blues/soul/experimental stylings. She is backed by Danny Moffat on guitar, Angel Lozada on percussion, and Jeff Connors on bass.

Tonight at Irving Plaza, It Was Romance is playing “Gold Dust Woman” at the 27th Annual Night of 1000 Stevies, the world’s largest Stevie Nicks fan event. They go on at 1 am. In the meantime, Lane and the band do soundcheck then go to eat. By the time I meet up with them, Lane’s pale yellow hair with dark roots has already been twisted into braids and knots, her makeup smoky and anime-inspired with big false eyelashes making her green eyes pop. We eat at vegan restaurant Peacefood Cafe, close to Irving Plaza.

Backstage, Lane tests the sound of different Stevie Nicks-printed tambourines to play during the song. She then gets into costume, a satiny black dress with matching cape made for her by designer Steve Markson of Brooklyn Bespoke. On the back of the cape, Steve has spraypainted the band’s name in gold. Lane shimmies into her fishnets and applies a swipe of red gloss to her pout. Jeff warms up his bass while Lane dons headphones and curls into a ball on the couch. In a few minutes, they will all head downstairs. Go-go dancers in Stevie Nicks regalia sway to Stevie Nicks remixes while the band gets ready. The room is packed to the brim with people. Soon, the lights come up a greenish yellow and It Was Romance starts to play. Lane purrs into the microphone, dancing and flicking her lace-gloved hands to the beat. She is on another planet. As Stevie would say in "Rooms on Fire," there is magic all around her if I do say so myself.

Follow Lane on Twitter and Instagram.
Follow It Was Romance on Facebook.
Lane's costume by Brooklyn Bespoke and makeup by Neal Pittman.