Red Hot Chili Peppers will play this year’s Hangout Fest on May 19

Red Hot Chili Peppers will play this year’s Hangout Fest on May 19

By Fran Thompson
Just before the official press release arrived, I wrote a story about The Red Hot Chili Peppers website announcement of their gig at The Hangout Fest on May 19. The band was scheduled to headline in 2020 (along with Billie Elish), the first of two consecutive festivals that fell victim to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Started in 2010 as oil spewed from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig and drifted towards us, the Hangout Fest is described in the release beautifully: “The soundtrack to your quintessential beach vacation on the majestic white sand beaches of Gulf Shores.’’
This year’s fest takes place May 19-21. Other top acts include SZA, Calvin Harris, Paramore and Lil Nas X. Beach vacation packages went on sale last month and ticket pre-sales started on Dec. 9. General admission tickets are priced at $319 plus fees or $299 plus fees, if you buy four at a time. Three other ticket upgrades are available. Access tickets at hangoutmusicfest.com.
The fest release also aptly described the fest as “a weekend defined by dancing in the sand with your best friends and listening to your favorite artists in one of North America’s most beautiful destinations.’’’ That also hits the mark.
To paraphrase the press release issued by Diament Public Relations, this year’s line-up includes:
• Rock: The Red Hot Chili Peppers are described as “legendary.’’ That is legit. Before and after the Hangout, the band is slated for stadium gigs in Houston and Dallas, respectively.
• Pop-punk: The genre is alive and well with Paramore leading the way supported by Mayday Parade and The Maine.
• Pop Rock Sub-Genres: Indie-rock and Americana are well-represented with The Backseat Lovers, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Noah Kahan, COIN and Alabama’s own The Vegabonds. True that! Ed Sheeran ain’t got nuttin’ on Noah Kahan (except for international fame and $500K guarantees). And Rainbow Kitten Surprise’s Dec. 16 show at the Mobile Saenger is already sold out.
• Pop, Indie & Singer-Songwriters: SZA plays hypnotic R&B; Calvin Harris and Lil Nas X fans will dance their hearts out; AJR is a about brotherly indie harmonies and Tove Lo is iconic.
• Hyped: Attendees will find out what all the hype is about at Ashe, Stephen Sanchez, Jessie Murph and Sabrina Carpenter.
• Hip-Hop: The fest is going to roll out its red carpet (or maybe one of those cool blue mats) for A$AP Mob’s FERG and the fiercely independent Russ. The reigning queen of Memphis rap, GloRilla will come proper, and Grammy-winning R&B bassist Thundercat will bring his larger than life live spectacle. The Kid LAROI will rap with an Australian accent, and Baton Rouge’s Kevin Gates probably knows my youngest kid’s beau, Joseph, who has been recording most of the rappers from that beautiful river town for about five years.
• Dance Music: Another Aussie act, Flume gets top billing and may trade a few “G’day, mates’’ with Kid LAROI. The genre-bending producer Skrillex and his ilk are the main reason the fest will sell out to attendees between 18 and 28. Fans will go mental listening to REZZ and Alison Wonderland, both larger than life dance icons. Gryffin, Said The Sky, Big Wild and Two Feet will provide chiller strains, and house heads will unite (close to the stage, we presume) at John Summit, Dr. Fresch, Aluna and HoneyLuv.
• Country: Fest bookers stated that they wanted to give a nod to their southern roots, so they sprinkled in Priscilla Block, MIKE, and Kidd G to provide southern vibes.
“Nothing tops a dance music throwdown with all of your best friends on the beach, and this year’s Hangout lineup is fully loaded,’’ read the fest release. “Prepare to leave reality behind and try paradise on for size. You deserve it.’’
That the fest ties up the public beach for about a month, is almost the opposite of what was originally pitched and funnels money directly into the fest rather than the community is besides the point.
Gulf Shores City Council has rented its public beach to a private business to the detrement of other area retailers and restaurants and against the wishes of a majority of its citizens in return for a payout that improves the quality of life here. The Hangout contract extends through 2025.
The fest does not draw any more of a bad element than senior week or any other busy beach weekend. The rowdiness is confined to Gulf Place. And every word in the press release about 20-somethings coming here and having their best weekend ever is true.