Fancy Feast for the Ears: Musical Cat Duo in Milwaukee

The Drink Wisconsinbly Week in Review Editorial Board is drawn to quirkiness and whimsy like a cat to a laser. So when word reached the News Desk that there was an avant-garde musical duo in Milwaukee playing jazz standards and pioneering a new music genre they call “Feline Expressionism®,” attention was most certainly paid.

For a stripped-down cabaret act, the Hissy Kits provide a lot to unpack. The lineup consists of two cats, Scotch and Whiskie. Scotch plays the piano and sings, while Whiskie plays the theremin and, well, meows.

If you’re unfamiliar with the theremin, it’s an electronic musical instrument with two metal antennas that is played using hand movements through electromagnetic fields, with no physical contact. You probably know its sound best from the eerie parts of Scooby-Doo episodes or from the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations.” It’s not especially common.

Together, they play familiar selections from the Great American Songbook as well as more recent favorites, with Whiskie sometimes stepping out from behind the theremin to provide a floor show or meow to the music into an old-school cheerleading megaphone.

In the tradition of artists like Daft Punk or GWAR, the Hissy Kits hide their true identity behind masks. But that keeps the focus where it belongs — on the music and artistry.

Like your cat, the Hissy Kits are a little elusive. There’s no event calendar listing their upcoming shows; you’ll have to keep an eye on their social pages to see when and where they’re performing. Seeing a live show is like chasing a mouse though: it takes a little bit of work, but it’s very satisfying when you manage to catch one.