For the second year in a row, the SNOB Film Festival has joined forces with a few local venues to add music to the docket, and for the second year in a row we caught up with the man responsible for bringing that all together, Rob Azevedo. Azevedo is already famous in these parts for a couple of reasons – he hosts the Granite State of Mind radio show on WNHN 94.7 FM every Thursday from 9 to 10 p.m., and he’s also entered films in the SNOB festival five times – but now he’s famous because he’s in the Insider telling you about the music scene on Friday night of this year’s festival.
Who will be playing and where on Friday night this year? What kind of music can people expect?
People Skills are a righteous three piece rock band from Brentwood fronted by leading singer Chelsea Paolini that delivers “pop rock on steroids.” Also Beechwood, who’s lead singer Jerry Richardson has – hands down – one of the best voices in the whole state. Deep soulful stuff straight off the mean streets of Henniker. A countrified band fit with a stand up bass, drums and guitar. And finally leading the bill at Penuche’s that night is The Greenlights, a new band from Concord that rocks hard, all while delivering a personal, powerful message. Over at the True Brew, it’ll get funky with Steroch3mistry leading off. They are a funk, blues, sometimes rapping, sometimes crooning three-piece band from Durham. They’re a blast to see. And David Shore’s Trunk O Funk will headline. David and the boys do funk and do funk well. Sweat is guaranteed.
We asked this last year, but it’s still a solid question: what should people be most excited about musically at the festival this year?
Energy and passion and really well-written songs wrapped around tight beats that create a toe blasting, beer drinking atmosphere and hundreds of sweaty, smiling faces.
How do you track down the bands that end up playing the SNOB Festival? Do they have to pass the Rob Azevedo “this sounds pretty awesome to me” test to get in?
That’s about right. And they all do sound awesome to me, and who am I? I’m you! Just your average rabid rock and roll fan with a taste for outlaw country and funkified beats. And if I was looking to knock a few cold beers back and get into some sweaty fun after a day of watching movies, these are the bands I would want to stumble upon when I walk into a pub. Simple as that.
Adding local music and local beer to the festival seems to have helped it reach new heights in recent years. What’s it been like to see that take off?
That’s all Jay Doherty. He came up with this idea last year and it went off like a stick of dynamite. Three packed bars filled with great music and an energetic crowd drinking it all in. I was blown away by the turn out last year. I sat back at Penuche’s at one point and said, “My God. People are loving these bands. I hope we do it again.” Then Jay called this year and said, “Let’s do it again.” And here we are.
Another repeat from last year: any tips to festival-goers to get the most satisfying music experience?
Don’t worry about a thing. Whether you get there at 8:30 or midnight you’ll suddenly find your body shaking and bopping to the music. Easy access from Penuche’s to the True Brew, go back and forth, dabble in it all. Meet everyone. You’ll never dance alone. Promise.
Anything you learned from putting the music together last year that’s helped a ton this year?
Yes, meet more musicians, then a few more. I’m lucky enough to meet a ton of acts that come into the WNHN studios in Concord every Thursday night to play live on Granite State of Mind. I get three song teasers from all these artists and more each week. So, we went with a whole new lineup this year and none of these bands I knew last year. So, that’s been very helpful.
If you could snag any band in the world to play SNOB, who would it be and why?
AC/DC. Why? Cause they kick a**. Why else, right?
