Don’t let the masks fool you. Buffalo, NY rock band The Bunny the Bear don’t want you to read too much into their face gear, but instead want you to listen to their progressive, experimental taste of rock music that they have to offer instead.
Born and bred in Buffalo, NY The Bunny The Bear’s eclectic sound has had everybody in Buffalo, NY talking. Talking to singer/writer Matthew Tybor, you could definitely tell that this band wants more. “Buffalo is a good starting market, but if we over saturate it, we would fall apart,” says Matthew Tybor.
How did the band get together initially?
We met off of MySpace. We were in all other bands at first. We have been doing this since I was 15 now I’m 24 years old.
You did have a lot of band members come and go.
I like writing a lot of the band’s lyrics, so most of it had to do with that. Some musicians like writing their own stuff and don’t like playing other people’s music.
Do you play in Buffalo, NY a lot?
I like to play there very rarely. I wish I could play there more often, but do not want to play one location too often.
Buffalo staple and small concert venue, Mohawk Place is now closing. Where will TBTB find venues to play in Buffalo now?
I’m so upset! I loved playing there. It’s a bummer. I wish it wasn’t the case, but financially they can’t make it right now.
We will probably play Club Infinity or Extreme Wheels. Our fan base varies so much that most of our fans like a place with a bar. We find a lot of different people coming out to our shows.
A lot of critics like labeling you as post-hardcore.
I really don’t mind it, but I really not a fan of the sub-genres though that much. There are so many genres out there right now. I don’t think we are a hardcore band though, but we are definitely a rock band.
Are you pushing for mainstream at this point? What are your influences?
I don’t think we are mainstream, but it is something marketable. I generally think want to push our music to become a little bit more accessible. I listened to a lot of Brand New and old AFI—a lot of music probably our fans would have not expected for me to listen to growing up.
How would you describe your most recent album, The Stomach For It?
Different. Every album for us is different. It is more guitar-driven. It’s very natural for me to write and to transition.
What’s up with the masks?
A goofy idea that stuck—no deep meaning or idea behind it all.
