Hangout Music Festival 2024 Review
This past weekend, Hangout returned to the white sands of Gulf Shores for the ultimate summer kick-off! Every year, Hangout boasts an exciting lineup that keeps festivalgoers coming back. This year, I had the chance to experience my first-ever Hangout Music Festival, and this is how it went.
Day 1
I started day 1 with the Indie rock band The Beaches and Del Water Gap at the Malibu Stage, which offers festival goers a gorgeous ocean view. I also took the time to catch a couple of Dance/Electronic sets, as this is my favorite genre. Daily Bread, Troyboi, and The Chainsmokers took the Boom The Beach stage and delivered lustrous performances.
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey was our Friday headliner. Lana had the most elaborate entrance as she could be seen making her way to the stage on a utility cart, followed by her backup dancers. Her hour-long set was both ethereal and mystical, complete with backup singers and dancers and a gorgeous set with a staircase and balcony. Lana also brought fellow singer-songwriters Tommy Genesis, Nessa Barret, and David Kushner out on stage for individual duets. Finally, Lana closed her set with Jelly Roll for a duet of “Sweet Home Alabama.”
Day 2
Day 2 had a late start due to rainy weather conditions, which led to adjustments to that day’s set times. Nevertheless, the festival was underway at 2:00, with singer-songwriter Knox taking on the main stage and drawing a rather large crowd. Up next, I had the pleasure of seeing Chappell Roan, a pop star, on her way to the top of the charts with hit songs “Good Luck, Babe” and “Red Wine Supernova.” Following these two sets, it returned to EDM with sets from house producers Westend and Disco Lines. Towards sunset, Cage the Elephant took the main stage and delivered an exciting performance as dazzling lights and pyrotechnics brought the set to life.
ODESZA was our day 2 headliner! Having seen them multiple times in the past, I had a good idea of what to expect. Nevertheless, ODESZA always puts on a magical performance that you will never forget. The duo was joined on stage by an Elaborate glowing drum line and talented vocalists Izzy Bizu and Charlie Houston. ODESZA ended their thrilling set with an insane fireworks show.
Day 3
Day 3 was my favorite day of the weekend. For starters, we were treated to the most gorgeous weather. The sun was completely out, and the beach vibe was 100% there. My day started at 2 pm as Odd Mob and OMNOM took the stage for a set of their official b2b HYPER BEAM. While I wish there was a larger crowd, I am glad I got to experience and jam out at this thrilling set, beacheside. Iconic pop punk All Time Low then took the main stage with the nostalgic set we were all expecting as they ended their set with an energy-packed performance of Dear Maria, Count Me In.” Icon Nelly also took the main stage for a set of throwbacks, drawing a massive crowd pretty early in the day! At 6 pm, I went to catch Dom Dolla’s set! Arguably one of my favorite artists, I looked forward to this set all weekend. The tech-house producer took the stage at 6:15 for an hour-long of hard-hitting tracks that kept the crowd moving nonstop. Mid-set, Dom Dolla acknowledged the crowd’s insane “stamina.” Seeing him draw such a massive crowd before sunset impressed me.
Country singer-songwriter Zach Bryan was our last headliner. He treated the crowd to an hour and a half of feel-good songs. It was amazing to see the entire crowd singing along nonstop. He closed out 2024’s Hangout with his hit song “Revival,” followed by one last fireworks show!
Production and Layout
This year, Hangout hosts six stages, the majority of which are on the beach, and all bring their unique vibe. The main stage, The Hangout Stage, sits on the west end of the festival and hosts headliners, while the Boom on The Beach stage sits on the most eastern side and hosts Dance/Electronic Acts. Festivalgoers can find the Shoreline, Jose Cuervo, and Monster stages between these two stages nestled in the sand.
I was surprised with just how much Dance/Electronic music was present throughout the 3 days. Aside from headliner Odesza, the Boom on The Beach stage hosted massive EDM acts, including The Chainsmokers, Alison Wonderland, Subtronics, and Dom Dolla. Looking for more, Monster and Jose Cuervo also offered smaller DJ sets.
Off the sand, festival goers can find the Mermaid stage and relax on the lawn space by “The Hangout.” Here, attendees can take advantage of the Iconic Hangout photo ops or explore a plethora of food and beverage options!
The overall production of the festival was great! I loved seeing each act take the stage and transform it into their set for an hour. Many artists included pyrotechnics, while others lit the sky with dazzling fireworks!
Activations + Activites
Over the three days, Hangouts sponsors offered various freebies for festivalgoers to enjoy! By the end of the last day, I had accumulated multiple items, including hair products and a few shirts! While Coke-Cola and Shein offered photo booth opportunities, others had unique and interactive displays.
I also enjoyed just how much there was to do outside of catching a set. Music aside, festival goers could access the beach at various access points and lounges and even get married!
Final Thoughts
Going to this music festival, I only knew one thing: it was on the beach. Having a music festival on the beach is something you only see sometimes! I thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone in beach attire. While the sand can be inconvenient, wearing sandals or bringing extra shoes is an easy fix! Sand aside, I enjoyed this festival more than I imagined! Crowds can sometimes be a coin toss; however, I definitely think Hangout has one of the friendliest and most welcoming crowds. The overall energy through the weekend was unbelievable! Seeing massive crowds jam out and sing along to their favorite artists and songs always makes me smile.
There is no other festival quite like Hangout! I cannot wait to be back soon!