Rock Monsters Romania

Summer Well starts today, and besides great music, you’ll also get the chance to meet some of the biggest names in Romanian music.

One of them is, inevitably, Bogdan Șerban, a familiar face if you’ve ever been to Summer Well and walked past the Radio Guerrilla broadcasting cart.

With 30 years of experience in radio, Bogdan Șerban is one of the most recognizable voices on Romanian FM. Since 2004, he has been on the air at Radio Guerrilla, where he strives to support and promote alternative culture and music through his shows Avanpost Radio Guerrilla and Guerrilive.

In a 2019 interview for DoR, he shared that being a radio host means more than just playing songs, it’s about building a connection between artists and listeners.

Before this edition of Summer Well, where he’ll be present as always, we talked to him about what makes the festival special and which Romanian bands he sees as potential future additions to the lineup.

You’ve been at Summer Well many times over the years. In your opinion, what makes it different from other festivals when it comes to showcasing local talent?

The festival, in its 14 editions, has bet on innovative and emerging local artists, not on established stylistic recipes – that is the main difference.

What do you think is the biggest advantage for Romanian bands playing at Summer Well compared to other festivals?

In this case, I don’t think there is any difference. For example, bands/artists from Romania have the chance to interact backstage with management/artists invited from outside the country. They have the same opportunities to be seen by scouts/talent hunters as at any other festival of this caliber.

Can you share a moment or an interview from Summer Well that has really stayed with you over the years?

The interview with the duo Hurts, backstage at Summer Well, in which Teo and Adam told how they decided to come to Romania to film the music video for the song Sunday after they found that the majority of the girls chosen after a photo casting were Romanian!?!

Looking at this year’s lineup, which act or artist from each stage would you say is a must-see?

I am a compulsive consumer of music in general and live music in particular. It is impossible for me to limit my answer to only some live acts. Out of respect for the effort of the artists, but also for the care with which the line-up was curated, I say that all the bands/artists in the festival are a must-see.

Can you also recommend, based on your experience, a Romanian act that would be a great fit for each of the three stages at the festival?

Recommendations for bands/artists from all stylistic areas that should arrive on the SW stages in the coming years: Hypno Ceperco, Snoe Vane, Trixy Gabriela, Berzerk, Absenth, SJS, Gramofone, Missed Call, Tradegy, Armand Popa.

Do you have any special message for the people that are reading this interview and will attend the festival this year?

Enjoy the music, experiences and activities at the festival. We look forward to seeing you at the Radio Guerrilla studio at SW.

So during these three days, don’t forget to have fun (and stop by the Radio Guerrilla booth) at Summer Well! Tickets are still available on the official website if you haven’t had the chance to get yours yet.

Interview by Radu Mihai