Words and Photos by: Canonblue Lalley

It's been years since the Observer has covered Hangout Music, despite having covered the very first Hangouts in our own backyard. Gulf Shores is such a beautiful little beach town, but once a year it's bustling to the brim with concert goers from around the globe.

If there's one sentence that could describe to you what Hangout is, I would simply just say “it's a whole vibe.” I was absolutely not prepared for the culture shock that was the shift from metal and rock festivals to this beachy pop moment.

First, the festival culture is out on full display at Hangout. Festival goers spends hours on hair with bright colors braided into their hair, body and hair glitter, tailored outfits, the works. It's one of the most colorful and eclectic mixes I've seen in one gathering in a very long time, and I was absolutely here for it.

Let's move on to some of the things to do;

Bringing it back to the old school Venice beach vibe, Hangout situated a full roller rink right near the water in the middle of the festival. They had a bumpin DJ, playing all the hits to make you get up and groove. This was often the party spot, tucked away in the heart of it all. They had a wall of drinks for purchase courtesy of Coke, as well as tons of local food vendors.

We had the brisket Mac and Cheese which was heavenly, and finished it up with peanut butter chocolate gelato while watching the skaters make their rounds.

The Mystery DJ kept us moving and shaking the entire weekend, posted up on top of the disco bus being used as the perfect backdrop to all the must have festival selfies. He definitely had a little bit of the big easy in him, as when we walked up he was playing a bunch of Nola Bounce tracks, bringing that Gulf Coast Vibe to the beach.

Lil Nas X this you? Just kidding!

The festival was in the end of May on the Coast, so day one was HOT. Hangout did alot to mitigate this with water spray cannons, shaded areas (not just for the VIP but for GA too which was nice to see), and free water stations throughout. They also had a hydration station and spa available by appointment on the water.

The ViP areas were DOPE. All drinks and food were comped as part of your ticket, including catering near the big Hangout main Stage. Alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks were available, making an inclusive vibe for anyone not partaking in spirits.

There were also beach hammocks, an entire pool and observation deck area for VIP concert goers. It was truly one of the coolest setups I've seen at a festival.

Days 2 and 3 saw rain, and lots of it. It was very welcome, how we as it cooled the place down and allowed sour bodies some time to recover from the heat of Friday.

And speaking of bodies, perhaps my favorite thing about this festival was the inclusive culture. People of all genders, sizes, ages and ethnicities we're represented. There was just love and acceptance, and I noted kore than once how helpful everyone seemed to be towards one another. It's not always easy having a good time, but they certainly did try to make everyone feel included.

On to the Music!

Friday brought in some amazing acts, including Post Malone for a headliner and the return of Fall Out Boy. The crowds went crazy when FOB took the stage and I was transported back to 2005, screaming the lyrics to “Sugar We're Going Down” with my fellow elder emo kids.

TPain also did not disappoint, lighting up the Boom Stage with his Larger than Life personality and music. The man truly has had an incredible career and the crowd fed off his energy the entire time.

Day two brought a lineup change as Doja Cat had an unexpected medical emergency. Hangout came through in the clutch, filling her spot with none other than the EDM legend Griz himself!

Day three saw our first bits of cancellations and time changes. The weather downpoured for a few hours, but everyone remained in good spirits. The rain would continue to dance in and out all day, pushing back but not canceling Sublime with Rome's set.

They opened with their infamous anthem about police brutality, “April 26 1992” and the entire crowd screamed the words along with them. The timing of the opening track did not go unnoticed considering the political and emotional state of our country concerning rampant police brutality.

The rain continued on and on, and when Jack Harlow took the stage the crowd went absolutely feral. His smooth track and voice serenaded the crowd ina. Light drizzle that turned into a raging downpour, yet not a single person moved from the crowd.