It doesn’t matter what state of mind you go into Hangout Music Festival with, you’ll eventually never want to leave.
It’s safe to say that HMF 2015 is just as awesome as it has been every other year. Every part of a festival experience was covered wonderfully and brilliantly – and then some. Feel like taking a break from a DJ set to play volleyball? Hangout’s got you. Want to stuff your face with lobster macaroni and cheese? Check. I could go on and on with more pleasurable examples but the point is Hangout has solidified itself as one of top new festivals of the decade. Here’s why:
Lets start with sound. Every year, everytime, Hangout Music Festival hires an amazing crew to coordinate sound for the 6 stages present at the event. The instrumental bands had a gracious balance between the instruments that were to be at the forefront and background, every part able to be heard easily. DJs had a well-balance sound as well, but not without a generous amount of bass boost that got the crowd screaming on every drop.
Sound is only as important as the artists who are making it. Even though there were a few last minute changes to lineup, the eclecticism Hangout is known for proved successful in 2015. Electronic, hip-hop, indie, jam bands, rock bands; a little bit of everything was present and none of it was dedicated to one stage, allow an attendee to, for example, experience the dynamics of a DJ in the Boom Boom Tent or at the Surf Stage.
I experienced several dozen bands and DJs, my favorite of which I will list here. On Friday night, Paramore and Jack U were the highlights. Paramore still contained the kick-ass energy the 13-year-old in you loves. They played out old and new jams that the crowd new word-by-word. Jack U replaced Sam Smith, as he is having vocal surgery, which makes it only the 4th show Diplo and Skrillex have played together as Jack U. To say their set was ground-breaking is an understatement. They blasted handfuls of tracks off of their new album while playing out underground and cutting-edge singles in between, creating a wild, weird, but insanely entertaining set that everyone into motion.
On Saturday, I got a piece of JackLNDN, which was peaceful, chill and magnificent. He played under the Malibu Tent which had the crystal clear Gulf of Mexico visible from inside the tent. Amazing. I closed the night seeing Skrillex. Who sadly played a distractingly similar amount of songs from his Jack U set from the night before, as well as messing up once and making up for it it by jokingly stating “just kidding” after the slip up occurred. His set was still overall good, filled with massive, creative bass tunes and delivered a fluidness from start to finish, but it had it’s surprising moments.
On Sunday, Tove Lo played out her now famous singles like “Talking Body” and “Habits (Stay High),” which was more satisfying than the recorded tracks , but I could of gone without her flashing herself at an all ages show. Not cool. Krewella was the last of my favorite shows. All-in-all, they impressed me. Their added instruments, featuring live guitar and drums, was completely on point and matched their electro-emo undertones well. Jahan and Jasmine spent a balanced amount of time DJing and singing over their tracks, a hard feat to pull off, add live instruments in the mix and playing a mistake-free set gets even harder. Their mixing and overall sound was A+, regardless if you’re a fan of their music or not.
Complimenting the artists and attendees was the smooth and functional layout of Hangout Fest. All vendors, stages, live art pieces, and activities were well-matched with beachy, lively color schemes. The feel of the festival is so unbeatable and sets the good vibe tone that flourishes throughout the weekend. But good vibes can’t be felt without good people present.
The positive attitude is contagious. Hangout Music Festival is an all-ages show, so while the majority of attendee’s are young people, the blend of kids and older folks is warm and friendly. Everyone is in a great mood, either eating wonderful food, drinking, cheering, but always smiling.
Important aspects that keep this positive attitude alive is Hangout’s excellent handling of bathroom locations and hygienic accommodation to prevent germ spread. Among several bathroom locations and many stalls available, Hangout’s cleanliness was pitch-perfect. You certainly wouldn’t know that 35,000+ people were around around you from the trash.
The only element I’d like to see improved is more free water stands. I saw very few and the lines were long at the ones I did see, given the 80+ degree weather and amount of people present, water is essential for all fest goers and better access would mean less medical treatments throughout the fest and better times to be had all around! The water was a very, very small infraction comparing to the overall quality that Hangout Festival was able to pull off in every department. HMF was my first fest ever and still maintains a special place in my heart as it continuous to thrive on the same atmosphere and organization it always has. One thing is for certain, Hangout is here for the long run and can coordinate a massive festival experience just like their juggernaut counterparts who have been around for decades. HMF can’t wait to see you in 2016!
Connect with Hangout Music Festival
http://hangoutmusicfest.com/
https://www.facebook.com/hangoutmusic
http://www.pinterest.com/hangoutfest/
http://instagram.com/hangoutfest
Interested in more photos from Hangout? Check out CrowdAlbum.com‘s social photo collections from attendee’s like you!
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