(EDITOR’S NOTE — This Friday at Timeless Babez, one of Buffalo’s hardest-working punk bands, On The Cinder, will be hosting Flower House Records holiday fundraising show. The bill also includes hardcore upstarts Monomaniac, who not only has been dropping jaws on the scene but is fresh from the studio and will have new music out soon; Pinch Kitten, which is making a return from hiatus — check out their excellent release ‘Curly-Sue’ at the link in the story below; and Buffalo’s highly regarded ska veterans, The Abruptors, who spent the last month in California recording their third album. — Photo Matt Smith/1120Press)
1120 PRESS: Thank you for speaking with us! So, On the Cinder’s Flower House Records Holiday Party is happening this Friday (Dec. 15) at Timeless Babez. Besides being a punk rock show, it is also an important fundraiser. Can you tell us about who it’s benefitting and how the band chose to get involved in this particular cause?
ON THE CINDER: Thanks for thinking of us! All proceeds from the show will go toward Family Justice Center of Erie County, an organization dedicated to supporting victims of domestic violence and their children. FJC has a number of programs and resources to help people survive abusive relationships, and you can find out more at fjcsafe.org. A challenging part about escaping domestic violence situations is the victim feeling they have nowhere to go, but FJC provides a safe place to get help, alongside support services to break the cycle of abuse.
Flower House Records is On The Cinder's DIY label. We've released music and thrown shows through FHR since our band started in the Flower House — on Flower Street in the UB Heights — back in 2013. The holidays have always been a time to be home, celebrate the season with friends and family, and find ways to support causes we care about in the Buffalo area.
1120: The lineup for the show is a very interesting one, ranging from hardcore to ska to punk, including new, young bands and bands that are scene veterans. You have Monomaniac, Pinch Kitten, The Abruptors and On the Cinder. Can you tell us about what the approach/thinking was in putting a bill like this together?
OTC: Notice we're calling this a holiday party, not a Christmas party. We want everyone to feel welcome and included because what really matters is being together and raising money for an important cause. The lineup has a lot of different flavors of bands who may not otherwise have ever played together, which is why this will make for such a special night. Each band brings something different genre-wise, but collectively represent the strength of the Buffalo music scene.
Monomaniac blew us away when we saw them play a few months back at Timeless Babez and they've been crushing it in the hardcore scene as the literal new kids on the block. Pinch Kitten have been taking a little cat nap and we're so excited they agreed to come out of hibernation to play this show! Big meows to them! The Abruptors are huge players in the bustling ska scene here in Buffalo and we go way back with Mike, Toni, and Alex; we can all name each other's more embarrassing ska moments in Buffalo ska history. And OTC has always been a sort-of-in-between band that can mesh well with punk, hardcore, and since it's Buffalo, every show needs a ska band. So we're stoked to bring a party of stuff we like all together to close out our year.
1120: Is it true you are encouraging those attending the show to wear ugly sweaters? Will the bands be wearing ugly sweaters? Will there be prizes?
OTC: Ugly sweaters are always a staple at [our] holiday events, and being the show is at Timeless Babez, it’s a great time to get creative with your wardrobe. As for the band, we’ll certainly be dressed in the spirit of the holiday season. You’ll have to attend to find out exactly what that means. We hadn’t discussed prizes, but it’s an excellent idea… so that’s a definite maybe!
1120: As far as On the Cinder goes, you guys toured extensively this past year. Any idea how many shows you played and how many states/provinces/cities? And, what’s on the agenda for 2024?
OTC: It’s probably easier to list the states we haven’t played. Without doing too much homework, I think we’ve missed Arkansas, Montana, Mississippi, Hawaii, Alaska, South Dakota, Iowa & Idaho (not for lack of trying). Canada has been limited to Ontario & Quebec, but we have hopes of covering more of the Great White North before too long. We still have yet to find a moose!
1120: Thank you for speaking with us and Happy Holidays! Is there anything else you want to say about the show or anything else we haven’t touched on?
OTC: As cliché as it sounds, we want to thank everyone who continues to participate in our fundraisers and really just supports what we do in any number of ways (including 1120). And be on the lookout for some new music in the very near future!