The Hangout exploded from a little-known beach festival in 2010 to the sixth largest U.S. outdoor weekend festival in one year, and the ticket lines show it. The intersection of Highway 59 and Ocean Beach Boulevard in Gulf Shores, Alabama—normally a resort town with a few thrift shores displaying tie-dyed pashminas and batik tapestries along the town’s only main highway—has been invaded by an estimated 35,000 ticketholders. The logistics of getting that many people through one beachside intersection into the festival seem nightmarish, and the lines were hours long. Once inside, people celebrated by high-fiving strangers and whooping while they burst past the bag-check staff.
Other than the ticket lines, Hangout appears to run smoothly. Facilities were clean, soda and beverage booths were plentiful, and there was plenty of staff. The lineup is an intelligent mix of jam band, electric (Bassnectar, Pretty Lights), indie (Minus the Bear, Dead Confederates, Portugal the Man), hard rock (Primus, Motorhead, Foo Fighters) and classic rock (Paul Simon). Additionally, there will be many, many sunburns today; most people were in bathing suits and barefoot.
Day One of Hangout is unofficially Jam Band Day. The lineup featured Umphrey’s McGee, followed by Warren Haynes before Widespread Panic closed the night out. However, Bassnectar and STS9 provided some solid electronic sound for festivalgoers who came for some whomp.
Umphrey’s McGee
Umphrey’s set included elements of reggae, hard rock, and the usual jamming. Jake Cinninger’s guitar riffs were deliciously heavy; however, while the set was decent, Umphrey’s sound and stage lights are more appropriate in a smaller night venue than mid-afternoon on a beach. The crowd engaged well with Cinniger, reacting to his thrashy riffs and singing along to Umphrey’s take on the Talking Heads’ “Girlfriend is Better.”
Warren Haynes
Haynes played mostly tracks off his new album, Man in Motion with a strong band which included New Orleans’ Terence Higgins on drums and Ron Holloway on saxophone. Bassnectar’s, Haynes’, and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals’ sets overlapped, so the crowd was able to spread out. Haynes commanded the biggest stage, whereas Bassnectar and Grace Potter were in close enough proximity where Potter’s fans were surely inundated with loud bass during the end of her set. Those people who struggled to choose between seeing Haynes or Potter were pleased when Potter, a friend of Haynes, wiggled onstage for a cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Woman” in a pair of gold heels and a wide-brimmed sun hat. The two sang as a duo, belting out lyrics into each other’s faces. Potter engaged in a lot of hair-swinging and mic-chord-maneuvering that displayed her ability to entertain as a frontman (besides her powerful vocals).
After Potter exited, opera-trained vocalist Alfreda Gerald took the vocal spotlight in what will be remembered as her festival breakout performance. She first showcased her chords during “Promised Land,” prompting a crowd-goer to exclaim, “Holy shit.” Gerald’s performance got a bigger crowd reaction than Potter or Haynes during the previous songs. She threw up her hands in two peace signs during the best song of the day, Haynes’ rendition of “Soulshine,” which he originally wrote with the Allman Brothers. A pelican swooped over the stage while the last chord rang.
Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic ended the night with a typical Panic show—lots of energy, a worshipful crowd, and talented musicianship. Domingo Ortiz, a.k.a. Sonny, had a long drum solo that sent the audience into a flurry of bongo-spurred dancing and gave the rest of the band their only break for the long set. Panic played tracks from old albums including songs off Til the Medicine Takes and a few from 2010’s Dirty Side Down. Warren Haynes joined Panic for “Ride Me High” and “Stop Breaking Down Blues.”
The cover of Black Sabbath’s “Fairies Wear Boots” probably garnered the biggest crowd reaction. John Bell, decked out in a jersey reading “Tourist,” sang out, “Smoking and tripping is all that you do?”
“YEAH!” screamed the crowd.
UPDATED:The name of Widespread Panic’s album, Til the Medicine Takes, was incorrect. The mistake has been fixed.
