Hangout Music Festival returned to the white sandy beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama, on the weekend of May 20th. This is the first time the festival has been able to open its gates to the public since 2020 due to Covid. Fans were eager to return to the popular destination festival, as it was completely sold out. The Hangout Fest team made sure this comeback was a memorable one. The lineup for the weekend had some of the most prominent artists in today’s music while also showcasing some amazing up-and-coming talent. Ranging from Pop, Rock, EDM, R&B, Hip Hop, and Country, there was music to satisfy everyone’s tastes.
Day one for most festivals is usually the hardest to navigate, and the three entrances getting into the festival were packed with excited concertgoers. Luckily, the Hangout Fest teams had everything streamlined to get people in quickly. Remi Wolf was the first act I caught on the main Hangout Stage. I loved her fun personality and psychedelic stage screen videos that fit her vibe.
On the other side of the beach, on the Surf Stage, I was able to catch Oliver Tree’s over-the-top performance that had fans questioning whether his hi jinks were real or just a part of his stage act. Afterward, I rushed back to the Hangout Stage just as Maren Morris started her set. Her performance was at the perfect time of day. The sun was close to setting on the beach, so she had a beautiful, warm glow for almost her entire performance.
Ironically as night was slowly approaching, Los Angeles DJ duo, Emo Nite, got us pumped up on the Boom Stage. They played banger after banger from artists like Paramore, Blink-182, 3OH!3, and even Fall Out Boy. Fast-forward a couple of hours; the real Fall Out Boy took to the Hangout Stage. They started their set with the song “Phoenix.” Their performance included an insane amount of pyro, illuminating the stage, and fans sang along as they played all their hit singles.
The highlight of the night was headliner Post Malone. Posty started the night playing the song “Wow” as some impressive firework style pyro went off in the background. Malone then had a little moment with the crowd, saying how much he loved and appreciated the crowd’s support as he segued into “Better Now.” The fans sang loudly along to “Take What You Want” as Posty walked through literal flames. The night ended beautifully as Post Malone sang “Congratulations” as a bouquet of dazzling fireworks illuminated the evening sky above the stage.
