Courtesy of Hangoutfest.com

Next weekend, the pristine beaches of Gulf Shores, AL plan to welcome 40,000+ festivarians primed to dive headfirst into one of the most electrifying events of the summer. Nanoweb guitar strings and nylon string bikinis, high-energy melodies and low country medleys, shattering audience screams and whiffs of sweet sunscreens: a beachfront celebration covering all aspects of our love affair with good music and the sugar white sand beneath our toes.

Hangout Music Fest has quickly made a name for itself on the festival circuit in its short five year history, and with good reason. It’s tough to pass up three days (four days including Thursday’s Kickoff Party) beach bummin’ on the emerald watered Gulf, buckets of seafood, ice cold Olmeca Altos margaritas by the fistful, and a lineup boasting 70+ bands from all walks of life. If you’ve never been, start planning now. This is one sought-after ticket to paradise. We can’t wait to return and see how it tops 2013.

Here are The Blue Indian’s 2014 artists you most certainly don’t want to miss while hanging beachside:

• The Black Keys – the Akron duo are slated to release their eighth album Turn Blue (listen to the album for free on iTunes now) on May 12^th, this time with a soulful psychedelic side to compliment their raw blues-rock. Hangout will officially kickoff their extensive worldwide tour, after an appearance on Saturday Night Live on May 10^th. Adrenaline will be soaring.  
• Shakey Graves – the underrated one-man band captures the true essence of folk with only a six string, tambourine, and kick-drum-suitcase. Raw talent at its finest.
• The Tontons – the beautiful Asli Omar fronts these Houston indie-rockers, making their 2^nd consecutive Hangout. Seductive and full of silky smooth jams.
• OutKast – it’s been 20 years since OutKast dropped Southernplayalistic, and they’re commemorating with a 40-festival world tour. Both Hangout and its fans are surely stankful to have made the cut.
• The Black Cadillacs – Soul, blues and rock, from the banks of the Mississippi River to the hills of the Great Smokey Mountains, these guys incorporate a beautiful blend of Tennessee’s border-to-border influences in one high-energy roar.
• Gary Clark Jr. – amid today’s fluffy and overused auto tuned songs, Gary Clark Jr. came along to save rock n’ roll’s grit and soul.
• Black Lips – Atlanta’s own “flower punk” rock band shall not be missed. Their brand new album Underneath the Rainbow was co-produced by the Black Keys’ Patrick Carney, and it’s damn good.
• St. Paul and the Broken Bones – this seven-piece soul band is sure to bring the funk with Lead Singer Paul Janeway at helm. Get ready to go to church!
• Gemini Club – heavy on synth, this four-piece indie-electronica group from Chi-Town continue to surprise. Don’t forget to stretch, this will be one of the weekend’s memorable dance parties.

Courtesy of Hangoutfest.com

Combining convenient access to bands on the beach with activities on the boulevard is just one of the many ways Hangout continues to improve the concertgoer experience. These easily accessible mini villages provide plenty of services: bars, charging stations, merch, lockers, carnival rides, tasty eats and intimate stages, and more. Here are a handful of activities to check out between sets:

• Chevrolet Beach – a new addition to this year’s fest, Hangout’s Chevrolet Beach will offer you Gulf access to cool off or relax in a hammock while taking it all in.
• Red Bull Sound Select Stage – Hangout Fest handpicked 12 artists to play on their intimate Red Bull Sound Select Stage located in The Hangout Courtyard. And there’s some serious talent. Don’t miss Chance the Rapper, Gemini Club, Moon Taxi, The Black Cadillacs, The Tontons and a handful more performers.
• CamelBak Water Station – Hydrate or die. Bring a reusable water bottle or hydration pack and fill up at CamelBak’s free filtered water stations located around the festival grounds.
• Waterslide –because…why not?
• Catch a Chevy – flag down an empty Catch a Chevy Equinox or Cruze Eco and score a complimentary ride to your next destination. Chevy vehicles will be cruising the strip every day from 10:30am to 8pm.
• Alabama Seafood Courtyard – Gulf Shore seafood is worth the trip alone. Be sure to grub down on a huge selection of fresh shrimp, gumbos, grouper sandwiches, oysters and more prepped by local seafood restaurants. The onsite BMI stage will feature performances from Bronze Radio Return, Desert Noises, Dugas, Empires, Ethan Tucker, Lonely Biscuits, Shakey Graves, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, The Wans, Wild Belle, and Wild Club.
• Rolling Record Store – Jack White’s Third Man Records’ Rolling Record Store will be parked on the beach side of the East Boardwalk stocked with limited edition records and Rolling Record store-only merchandise.

The 5^th Annual Hangout Music Festival is sold-out. But, tickets to the kickoff party on Thursday, May 15, are still available online. The kickoff party will include acts from Girl Talk, Iron and Wine, Wolfmother, Danny Brown, Dumpstaphunk, Bonobo (performing a DJ set), and Bombay Bicycle Club, Bleachers (featuring Jack Antonoff from Fun.), Magic Man, CLASSIXX, Jamestown Revival and Go Down Moses. Tickets are $50 + fees.

Follow The Blue Indian’s 2014 coverage from the beach on Facebook and Twitter.

Courtesy of Hangoutfest.com