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From the Studio

3 Hour Power Shower went from an inside middle school joke to playing more than 200 shows

Courtesy of 3 Hour Power Shower

3HPS is not giving in to the cut throat Syracuse music industry, and the band is working to find venues while making a name for themselves.

UPDATED: Aug. 30 at 9:53 p.m.

In middle school, Jimmy Cinski told his friend that the joke she made would be the name of his first band.

All these years later, Cinski stayed true to his word and is now rocking with 3 Hour Power Shower.

It all started when friends Jon Andrews, Tyler Will and Cinski decided to form a band. Jaden Zhang joined later to complete 3 Hour Power Shower. Cinski is the band’s rhythm guitarist and lead singer, Zhang is lead guitarist, Andrews is on bass and Will is on the drums.

The group spent the summer doing shows around Buffalo and recording a new track. Now, 3 Hour Power Shower aims to bring those Buffalo music vibes to Syracuse.



All the members of 3 Hour Power Shower call Buffalo home, and they amassed some notoriety in the area while performing almost every month in high school. But in the fall of 2016, 3 Hour Power Shower’s performances dwindled as the members studied at different colleges.

The distance turned out to be good for the band, Cinski said.

Cinski started forging a name for himself at Syracuse University as soon as he could. He performed on campus at Schine Underground and for the Syracuse chapter of the International Socialist Organization. Cinski is also a part of the SU Concert Choir and the jazz choir Windjammer.

The other members each got to explore their individual music styles as well. And after several months apart, they reunited over the summer and brought their new sounds back to the band.

“Once this summer started, we decided to get on practicing and writing new music again as fast as we could,” Cinski said. Now, they’re back to performing too.

The band members emphasize punk sounds with loud and energetic performances that reflect their age.

“I also think we’re younger than most of the bands that roll through there, so maybe some of them will be like ‘Wow, those young dudes are pretty alright,’” Cinski said.

But now that the band is back and performing, 3 Hour Power Shower has run into trouble finding venues. Syracuse’s scene is a challenge for an artist because, as Cinski described it, “you have to know a guy” to get a gig.

The band played a few shows in Buffalo, and now have their sights on venues located near the SU campus. The band also recently landed a gig at Space Camp, a nearby house that hosts local bands and artists.

“Space Camp supported a lot of the DIY ethics I appreciated a lot,” Cinski said. “(There’s an) emphasis on it being a safe space that was meant for everyone of all demographics, and they also generally brought really fun, new bands too.”

No performance at Space Camp is set in stone, but whatever ends up happening, the band is thankful for the opportunity to play.

“Even if things don’t pan out,” Cinski said. “I’m still really grateful for the community they’ve created, and I encourage everyone who likes indie-punky-creative music to check Space Camp out.”

Cinski said he knows the band will have an impact on Syracuse, as it’s different than the bands that roll through the city. 3 Hour Power Shower is full of energy and its members are not afraid to leave it all on the stage, he said.

The band’s passion can be summed up in one joke Will made:

“We are going to completely revolutionize the Syracuse music scene.”

This story has been updated with appropriate style.





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