Hassle Fest stands out when compared to larger music festivals, such as Boston Calling, because of the proportion of Boston-based bands that get a chance to showcase their talent, according to musician Steven Instasi.
“There are a lot more local bands,” Instasi, lead singer and guitarist for Black Beach, a rock band from Middleborough, said. “Hassle, in general, gives some pretty weird and obscure bands a shot to play some pretty cool stuff.”
Hassle Fest not only represents an openness to all genres but also a creative spirit among artists, according to Santiago Cárdenas, lead guitarist for Free Pizza, a baby-punk band that formed in Boston but now calls Nashville its homebase.
“We owe everything to the Boston music scene,” Cárdenas said. “People go to all kinds of shows, and bills are more mixed, so you get into a lot of stuff you wouldn’t have gotten into and that changes the music. “ Liam Hofmeister / Huntington News
