Get "Hyp" to it: (Just about) Everything you wanted to know about The Hypnotic Panties By Michael Macey. (CMG Jan 2006)

I first witnessed the Hypnotic Panties at the Acme Bar and Grill a few months back. They were part of a music showcase night and though their set was short, it was very sweet. What I saw on stage were five totally uninhibited, slightly "blue" women, who ripped through a set of rousing goodtime tunes with style and enthusiasm. They opened up the evening's festivities, and kicked the event and the audience into high gear. They were playing a style of music that incorporated elements of jazz, Gypsy swing; country swing, blues and a whole lot more. Here was a group of free-spirited gals who were all about having a good time. Plus, they really knew how to work a crowd. The music combined with their personas, was so much fun to hear and watch, I immediately fell under their spell. From that point on, I was "hyp-no-tized", and I knew I needed to get the word out on these girls. The ladies were gracious enough to let me sit in on a practice session recently, where I discovered first-hand how the sometimes bawdy, sometimes off-color minds of The Hypnotic Panties work. They told me it was all part of their act, but after spending some time with them, I'm not so sure that's the case. The Hypnotic Panties are Miriam O'Connor on fiddle, Jenn Reichwein on guitar, Carolyn Krohn on bass guitar, Erin Lewis on the keyboards and the newest member, Kammi Cottrell on drums. Vocal duties are shared among the members. My first question was how they came up with the name The Hypnotic Panties. Jenn told me that she was asked to come up with an all-girl band for an all-women's art show at Rope's End Ranch. "We just had to have a girly name. We were all coming up with girly names, and that's the one that won. There were some real risqué names that we didn't pick." When I asked what some of the other names were, "D Cup" and "Kotex" had been suggested. Carolyn said "now most people just call us "The Panties" and Jenn chimes in with "or them Ho's." And so it goes throughout our conversation, which is peppered with quips, them cracking themselves up and some very funny declarations. Out of the blue I'm told, "some of us are not afraid to burp into the microphone" which just means once these totally uninhibited girls get onstage, anything can happen. In contrast to that, there is a softer side to The Hypnotic Panties, which they bring to their stage show. They like to play "dress up" and it's not unusual for them to bring their own "feminine accoutrements" to a gig. Satin, lace, mood lighting and feather boa's adorn the stage as well as the women. Miriam describes it as "Girly stuff, like a boudoir." Carolyn told me "the ladies like to dress in sexy clothes, I'm sure that's a draw. Plus, I've heard some rumblings over at the Acme about Miriam and how hot she is." And in typical Panties fashion Jenn says, "They like it when she bends over to pick up her bow." Carolyn comments "and now that Kammi has joined us, she comes to the gigs looking like a supermodel." One thing I do know for certain, The Hypnotic Panties are as easy on the eyes as they are on the ears.
The music that The Hypnotic Panties play is as eclectic as the women in the band. Whether it's surf music, obscure jazz songs or the "dirty" blues tunes they find by scouring the Internet, their repertoire is full of great music that you're not likely to hear being played much anymore. Jenn told me "We sort of have a couple of themes going. One would be the Gypsy swing and the Jazz stuff, and then there's the Western swing. The Hot Club of Cowtown (a band they cover) combine the Gypsy with the Western swing and a lot of our stuff comes from them or that type of thing. Same thing with the Red Stick Ramblers (another influence), they combine the two genres of swing". Their calling card describes it as"foot-stomping, belly-laughing, Gypsy-swinging, jazzy, bluesy, randomly-surprising music." which I find to be a very accurate description. When they find a song they want to cover, they're not above taking "artistic license" to make it fit their agenda. As Carolyn explained to me, "We found a song called Your Feets Too Big and I changed it to "Your Meat's Too Big". When they're not looking for ways to make a song more risqué, they'll take one that already is, like the double entendre of Right Key, Wrong Keyhole and make it their own. They have a sassy, sexy style and they play it to the hilt. Although they may soon be known for that sound and image, are by no means locked into it. You are just as likely to hear Secret Agent Man or the theme from "The Munsters " as you are a swing tune or a Sarah Vaughan classic. Carolyn said, "It's so cool. We can play a tango, we can play a polka, or we can play blues or rock. What we look for in the songs are fun and humor and songs that challenge us. And we like to poke fun at ourselves". At the Acme show, the tiny space in front of the makeshift stage was crammed with people of all ages moving to the beat of the Hypnotic Panties. The 20-somethings were mixing it up with the 50-somethings and everybody seemed to be having a great time. Carolyn thinks part of their appeal is the fact that "We have four generations in the band. Our band members are in their 50s, 40s, 30s, and 20s, and we all bring something to the mix". With Jenn adding, "one of the really cool things I've found is, first you've got young kids who have never heard this stuff, the kid with the sideways hat on who you expect is going to hate what you're doing. And they go wow, what is this? And everybody's psyched. And then we were playing at an event where there was a lady in a walker, who was probably 70 years old and she was dancing. You kind of reach backwards to people's past, and it's a novelty for the young people." The truth of the matter is, good music knows no age boundaries, and as word gets out about the Panties arrival on the scene, it's just a matter of time before they break through to a larger audience. With a CD in the "embryonic stage", the only way to experience The Panties is live, which is really the only way to experience The Panties. They would love to be part of your special occasion, and are available for parties, weddings, bar mitzvahs, and the like. Check out their web site at myspace.com/thehypnoticpanties, or contact them at hypnoticpanties@hotmail.com.
Their next appearance will be on February 13 for a pre-Valentine's Day hoe-down at the Acme bar and Grill on Main Street in Annapolis, and there will be future shows at 49 West. Come on out and I guarantee you'll "get into" The Panties. It's a hot date with five of the loveliest and talented ladies you'll ever meet.