Hangout Music Fest 2022 Must See, Hear and Do

Hangout Music Fest takes festivalling to a whole other level with a combination of beach, music and more on the golden sands of Gulf Shores, Alabama. The huge line-up merges the biggest and best artists of multiple genres offering 3 full days of contemporary pop, rock, hip-hop, EDM, country and indie music. What more could a festival-goer ask for than good music, friends, and their toes in the sand?! Well, there is actually so much more…

After taking a couple year hiatus due to the pandemic, Hangout is back and better than ever. While the music lineup is AMAZING (which we will get to our must-sees shortly), there is so much more they have to offer for patrons.

A music festival is obviously about the music, but it is also a festival which usually means there are other experiences to be had during your time there. Yes, Hangout is on the beach – that is enough said for most – but did you know that it also has a roller disco, private beach/ocean access, a spa, ferris wheel, a wedding chapel, infamous art installations as well as good eats!

A list of Food Vendors at Hangout 2022 is below but some highlights of our favorites are in our Hangout Ultimate Food Guide

• Asian Sensation
• Frios Gourmet Pops
• Bleus Burger
• Pizza Nova
• Corn Dog Inc
• Daddy’s Dogs
• Efe’s Fine Foods
• Flaming Concessions (Chinese Food)
• Flaming Concessions (Mexican Food)
• Foam Coffee
• The Gouda Boys
• Hebro’s Kitchen
• Meltdown Gourmet
• Spicy Pie
• Tica’s Tacos
• Two Guys Burgers
• Venice Gelato
• Williamso Bros BBQ

When it comes to festivals, I like to think of Hangout as the creme de la creme of festivals. Any true festival goer can appreciate the camping that most festivals offer, but Hangout accommodations usually consist of beach front condos, sun and WATER. It is definitely the most luxurious one on this coast.

If you really wanna get bougey and party in luxury there VIP and Super VIP options are definitely worth every penny. They offer special entrances, a stage-side pool, complimentary drinks, performances and viewing spots for their patrons, and Super VIP event boasts complimentary dining with gourmet meals from award-winning chefs, private cabanas, as well as golf cart shuttles between the main stages. If you wanna level up even more, they even have a Big Kahuna option which includes 24/7 special concierge and basically side stage viewing of the performances. One year we got a day where we were able to enjoy some of the VIP amenities to see what it was like, and let me tell you, if you can DO IT. It was amazing and forever changed our mind on what VIP at any festival should be like.

Now let’s get down to this year’s line up.

The poster says it all but we have a few must see artists to highlight for this year out side of the daily main headliners – those are a given on the must see list. We are gonna break this down by day to make it a little easier.

FRIDAY:

Oliver Tree – think of him as a mix of pop, rock and electronic. He has been killing the Billboard alt. rock charts and for good reason. You have probably even heard some of his music and didn’t even know it. Here’s one of our faves by him to give you a taste of what to expect.

Surfaces – is a Texas-based duo that illuminates that the “no shirt, no shoes, no problem” ideology in their music. They are relatively new, being formed in 2017 but have also taken the Billboard charts by storm with songs like “Sunday Best” and their collab with Sir Elton John on “Learn to Fly”, but the most appropriate song for this festival would definitely be this one…

Lucii – would be our EDM non-headlining pick for Friday. She is the creator of unique genre called Space Bass. Launching in 2017, our favorite quote from her bio is “her music is here to stay until the Earth is no more, where it then will return to the cosmos.”

Audrey Nuna – is a first generation Korean-American hailing from New Jersey and is a true ambassador for not only female hip-hop artists but her culture as well. Her get up and go attitude has proved fruitful in her music career and if you are into boss music babes, you will like Audrey.

Bren Joy – is a Nashville native that kicked off his writing career in 2018 and his music embraces his love of gospel, R&B, hip-hop, jazz and pop. Bren’s sound attempts to redefine the mainstream sound and bring something new to your ear. His song “Henny in the Hamptons” screams Hangout-worthy.

Remi Wolf – has powerhouse vocals, psychedelic pop instrumentals, and lurid lo-fi imagery. All eyes are on her recently as she has been defying music genre rules with her sound. One of our favorites by Remi is “Liz” – she is sure to make a splash at Hangout.

Sidepiece – is a duo brainchild from Ricky Mears (Nitti Gritti) and Dylan Ragland (Party Favor) which was formed in 2019 and has taken the Dance music scene by storm. They were nominated for a Grammy for Best Dance Recording in 2021 as well as having the #1 most supported dance record in the world in 2020. Their sound is on the electronic music spectrum, whilst keeping firm footholds in the bass and trap worlds. If you haven’t seen them yet, now is your chance!

SATURDAY

Moon Taxi – is a Nashville favorite and based band. We wouldn’t be Nashville Music Guide if we didn’t mention this amazing group. They explore everything from folk to soul to inventively crafted electronic pop in their music. This is one group not to be missed. We love it all, but this is one of their big ones.

Breland – is the epitome of the new country hip-hop crossover landscape coming out of Music City. He has been listed as an Amazon Break Through Artist, has multiple 2022 CMT Awards nominations, and is part of the Country Music Hall of Fame’s American Currents: State of the Music exhibit. If you aren’t sure if you like country but are a fan of other genres, he might just change your mind.

Surf Mesa – is a Seattle artist that makes “music for good feels” and has humble aims: to make catchy, chill pop music and give others a way to “feel better about their day.” The 20-year-old songwriter and producer spent much of 2020 honing the escapist energy of the nostalgic electronic ballads he’s been working toward since he got a copy of FL Studio in third grade, was named an artist to watch by numerous outlets in 2021 and since then has been a frequenter on the Billboard Dance/Electronic charts.

Beabadoobee – has been on a stratospheric rise with her flawless output of confessional bedroom pop songs and a dedicated Gen-Z fanbase. Born in the Philippines raised in London, beabadoobee signed with Dirty Hit following the success of her viral single “Coffee” which was sampled years later in 2020’s sixth most streamed song of the summer “death bed (coffee for your head)” – a song which climbed into the Top 20 chart in 27 countries and brought Bea her first RIAA Platinum Certification. “death bed (coffee for your head” has been streamed over 1 billion times. If that’s not enough reason to stop and catch her set, I don’t know what is.

Renforshort – released her debut EP teenage angst, brimming with seven soul-baring, alt-pop bangers influenced by everyone from Nirvana to Amy Winehouse. And she hasn’t slowed down since.  Her sophomore EP off saint dominique, is a collection of deeply reflective and snappy tracks that range from acoustic pop to alt-rock to pop-punk. Her music is her diary: unfiltered, full of angst and the tackling everyday struggles – it’s raw and real.

Neal Francis – is a refined yet free spirit. His musical influences are unmistakable: the vocal stylings of Allen Toussaint and Leon Russell; the second line rhythms of The Meters and Dr. John; the barroom rock ‘n’ roll of The Rolling Stones; the gospel soul of Billy Preston; the roots music of The Band. We can’t wait to hear his set, rain or shine.

SUNDAY

Fletcher – is somewhat of a Hangout veteran to us. We had the honor to chat with her in 2017 during Hangout Fest (she hadn’t even released her EP at that point) and we just love, love, love how far she has come in her music and self. She is an amazing story teller and it shows in her music – magnetic and moody pop songs about feeling like you‘ve found your forever person before you find yourself and, as a result, needing to uncover the parts of you that remain unknown.

The Head and The Heart – are a festival favorite with their high energy live show and overall musicality which makes them a touring powerhouse. The Head and The Heart’s self-titled breakout debut produced instant classics including “Rivers and Roads,” “Down In The Valley” and “Lost In My Mind” (#1 at AAA) and is now Certified Gold. But the fan favorite is “Honeybee”

KennyHoopla – is one of the most notable rising alternative artists right now. His music instantly takes my back to the early 2000’s to bands like Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, and Jimmy Eat World but yet it’s fresh and new. Check out what we mean below and try to argue against his sound

Tre’ Amani – has been Influenced by pioneers such as Tupac Shakur, Bob Marley, and Kanye West, Tre’ depends on self expression, individuality and creativity as an outlet in a world he feels lacks originality. He vulnerably displays his raw talent, while simultaneously allowing listeners to hear the ups and downs of his life. All of this can be heard in his song “Already Famous” which we believe he is.

Montell2099 – is one of the most thrilling new electronic music talents to emerge from New Zealand in recent years. Mixing bubbling VST melodies, manipulated vocal snippets and booming bass hits, Montell2099 is shaping the sound of the future with his genre-bending force, daring frequencies, and dizzying, club-ready dynamics. With a sharp ear for the cutting edge, Montell2099’s mantra is simple — always keep your listener on their toes. With his innovative, shape cutting techniques, the most intriguing part about Montell2099’s craft is that you’ll never guess his next move. He caught our ears for sure and we can’t wait to hear him live.

Sublime with Rome – with this one if you know, you know. You just can not miss this set. Sublime has more hits than one can count and listening to them is beach/festival life religion in our opinions.

Diesel – It’s Shaq. Enough Said

So at this point let’s talk a little bit about some things to remember when attending a beach music festival, like what to bring – what not to bring, and the ins-and-outs of partying like a rockstar but still managing to last a full day in the sun for three whole days. We are going to focus mostly on what to bring – there’s a full list of what not to bring on there website, but the obvious ones are no glass, no outside food or drinks (minus baby foods – but don’t worry there are a ton of food options), no chairs, and the obvious of weapons and things alike.

First of all, don’t bring everything and the kitchen sink with you into the festival – leave that stuff at your home-base for the weekend. Basically if you have to question if it will be allowed, then don’t bring it.

Some items that you should bring include:

• Do not forget SUNSCREEN – I don’t care how well you tan, you will need it. Those UV rays are no joke and if you do burn it will make the rest of your trip miserable. They allow in Liquid sunscreen (3oz or less), don’t try to bring in the spray kind they won’t allow it through the gates. BUT if you do forget, you can buy some in the stores that are inside of the festival grounds, but you will pay a bit of a premium for it.

• Following up on the sun protection, sunglasses and hats are also good things to bring. Don’t be that person that brings the biggest, floppiest sun hat you can find and stands in front of everyone. You are obstructing other people’s views and it’s obnoxious. Please don’t be THAT person, try a bucket hat.

• Blankets and beach towels are a must for staking your claim in the sand for the show. It gives your group a boundary to relax in and most people will walk around them. Now that being said, if you are at an EDM / high energy show near the front of the stage, this courtesy does not always apply.

• A swimsuit (if you aren’t already wearing it in), back up flip flops, band aids, clear plastic ziplock bags, and an empty non-glass water container (max size is 2 liters… STAYING HYDRATED IS KEY).

• A few other items that we suggest but remember they have to be SEALED/UNOPENED are chapstick/gloss, gum/breath mints, travel size deodorant, tampons/feminine products (for the ladies) and cigarettes (for the smokers and as a note- they do not allow vapes or electronic cigarettes – I know this can be a tough one for some).

So getting all of these items in is another noteworthy topic, Hangout has a CLEAR bag policy with size restrictions. so backpacks, bags and purses must follow this rule and be no larger than 12″x6″x12″. There are a few exceptions, Small clutches that are hand size with or without strap that are no larger than 4.5″x6.5″, fanny packs, and CamelBaks. But a note on the CamelBaks, the bladder must be a removable one and empty upon entry, and that can have no more than ONE additional pocket outside of the compartment that holds the water bladder. I don’t know how many years we have seen trash bins outside of the entrance full of brand new bags and such that didn’t fit these requirements. You definitely do not want to be in this situation – it is heart-breaking.

• If you need medicine, please note that prescription and OTC medications are subject to specific guidelines**

• Baby strollers (if you have small children, oh and children under 5 are FREE)

Ultimately, the goal is to stay unburned, hydrated, and have a blast listening to music on the beach. Like any festival it is not a sprint, it is a marathon. Don’t get too drunk, be nice, see something -say something, look out for the environment and pick up after yourself, and appreciate that live music and this festival is finally back!

For more information you can visit www.hangoutmusicfest.com