If you were out on the soft sandy beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama May 17th-19th, you were in for a MAJOR treat. Hangout Music Festival kicked off a little over ten days ago and RMR is still reeling from the experience! We had the privilege of checking out Alabama’s best beach party around and everything from the atmosphere to performances was unforgettable.
First Impression of The Best Beach Party Ever
Pulling up to the festival, you immediately feel how hectic and busy the energy is. The first things you’ll see once inside are water stations and a few of the dope vendors that took part in the festivities. There were tents from Beatbox, To Write Love On Her Arms, Headcount and more. There were also samples of M&M’s, Takis, Coca Cola and Slurpees to help get you hyped and fueled up for the day.
The best tent would definitely have to be Smooch-A-Pooch! What’s a better combo than live music and playing with puppies???
The Experience
The food options included things like pizza, gelato, noodles, popsicles and of course, SEAFOOD. The best place to get seafood like snapper po’ boys, shrimp and grits and various seafood boils on the festival grounds was none other than The Hangout Restaurant.
Nestled dead center of the festival grounds with bubble parties every hour, the rubber ducky-lined restaurant was packed non-stop as it also sat adjacent to the Mermaid Stage.
The communal seating gives you the opportunity to make friends with people from all parts of the country while enjoying whoever’s playing live at the Mermaid Stage on a big projector screen while you chow down. We had the pleasure of jamming out to Paul Russell’s “Little Boo Thang” that way, and it brought the best kind of lighthearted vibes. The Hangout Restaurant is what the festival is named after as the owners wanted to bring the festival community to the Gulf Coast (let’s give a big shout out to them).
Now when it comes down to the music, it’s hard to even have a clue where to begin. From beginning to end, your days are riddled with mind blowing talent and stage presence that reminds you why you love music so much. It’s already an incredible adventure to just have a weekend full of concerts with some of your favorite artists, but it’s a whole other kind of dream come true to get the opportunity to do that in the middle of a literal shimmering beach (the sand comes from actual quartz grains). Fewer things come closer to paradise than this, people.
You had bands that took you back to a nostalgic time of teen angst like A Day To Remember with “The Downfall Of Us All” and “If It Means A Lot To You.” All Time Low rocked with songs like “Monsters” and “Dear Maria, Count Me In.” Heads were banging both in and out of mosh pits as toilet paper and beach balls flew across the crowd during ADTR, and ATL even joined the crowd at the pool facing Hangout Main Stage.
You also had bands that brought out a playfulness in people that matched the laid back beach vibes so well such as The Beaches with their badass feminine energy reminding you to blame your ex for everything. Dominic Fike sharing life stories in between songs and funky guitar riffs made for an ambience that was both relaxing and entertaining. Link Moja and Cage The Elephant gave the most charming experiences during their shows as well for all the alt rock fans.
Hip-hop was also in full effect with fans wearing “NLE Daddy” shirts and holding up “Make America Sexyy Again” signs. Sexyy Red really brought out the bad bitch in everyone! Nelly was such a party that I don’t think the audience wanted it to end as every single person sang hit after hit, word for word.
The world of EDM also had a very welcome presence in the world of Hangout that gave attendees the chance to dance like no one was watching and live in the moment. That’s always been the beauty of electronic music. There was a breathtaking performance by Odesza with their electrifying drum line and trumpets flowing perfectly with their electronic tones. Alison Wonderland with her infectious energy that you can feel through her music, took people on such an incredible journey. And Subtronics brings an amazing kind of chaos in his sound that gets you feeling the beat through every bone in your body.
Disco Lines, Austin Mills, Coco & Breezy, Bunt. and so many other incredible DJs did not hold back in Alabama during the weekend with each set just as \dope as the last. One thing’s for sure, dancing to EDM in the sand is one hell of a workout! But it’s just so much fun, nobody seemed to care. All in all, it was an epic weekend for electronic music.
Lana Del Rey’s show was mystical with pole dancers and acrobatic performers that made the whole display dreamy and gorgeous. Lana was a parade of genres and artists as she collaborated with Tommy Genesis, Benson Boone, Nessa Barrett and Jelly Roll. The country and southern influence was also definitely there with Dasha and Jessie Murph being complete rays of sunshine in their stage presence.
Seeing Jessie also bring out Maddox Baston was another great surprise that the crowd wasn’t expecting! Tanner Adell and Laci Kaye Booth all showed immense talent that I am excited to see more of. Koe Wetzel is also a huge name in the soundscape that I know is only going to get bigger. Zac Bryan, of course, was the most notable country artist of all as he shared nothing but love for everyone to close out the festival.
Until Next Time, Gulf Shores
When it comes to the views, you can’t beat them. While there was some concern about the weather over the weekend, the beach did not fail us! The constant breeze was heavenly as you stroll back and forth between stages or rested on the grass or sand during breaks.
The sunsets were breathtaking as tropical and cotton candy-like colors merge and reflect with the emerald green-blue water. We dare you to find a better beach sunset on the continental U.S. than this one. \And lastly, the fireworks were the perfect send off as you hear Alabama’s unofficial official anthem, Sweet Home Alabama signal you that it’s time to go and plan for next year.
ICYMI or if you just want to take a quick trip down memory lane if you were there, take a listen to Hangout 2024’s Spotify playlist. Sit back, press play and picture yourself sitting on the shore with live music in the background, a refreshing drink in hand and the Gulf Shores breeze kissing your face.
