With a steady ensemble of about 20 women, give or take a gal, the Velvet Hammer was born from Carr’s ventures into local nightspots in the southland. And among its denizens, she found inspiration.

“Well, to make a long story short,” Carr says, “I used to love to hang out in really trashy strip bars with my friends to knock back a few, have some laughs. We would really get into tipping our favorite gal, according to music selection, costume and pole tricks. So, of course being a girl, I would sit there and fantasize about what I would do if I were a stripper.”

An aficianado of the era and artform, Carr says that her imagination would result in a grandiose vision, prompting her to question why the girls she was watching did not put a little more moxie on their acts.

“I really wanted to see that,” she continues. “Keep in mind that, for as long as I can remember, I have been an avid collector of old men’s magazines that featured burlesque stars and pin-up queens.”

Then the obvious struck.

“Instead of sitting around wishing I could see a burlesque show, why not get off my ass and do it myself. That’s where the blackmail and intimidation come in. I will realize my vision!”
Five years later, the Velvet Hammer continues to create their lovingly detailed acts on their own. According to Carr, luckily one of the ensemble is a costumer who can help the girls realize some of their more complicated designs. While the girls have free reign to create their routines, they must maintain a certain uniformity to keep the Velvet Hammer essence intact.