Maybe it was the mild, 75-degree weather and the cool, ocean breeze.
Maybe it was the folksy, festival music.
Maybe it was the fact that our press passes came with VIP access.
Whatever it was that made it so, Hangout Fest was not the raucous land flowing with alcohol-induced rudeness and rage that I expected.
When I signed up for a weekend of music on the beach, I knew it would be one big party. But I didn’t know that the partiers themselves would be so mild-mannered. There was none of the usual pushing and shoving to get a glimpse of whatever band was playing. The vendors never seemed irritated by the constant influx of intoxicated customers. The security officers were invisible and hands-off.
It was downright bizarre.
Although it occurred to me that this opinion could have been very different from the general admission Hangout experience, my perception was proven correct after reading Monday headlines stating the festival resulted in all-time-low arrests. Numbers totaled just over 60, despite the festival’s largest turnout ever of around 40,000 people.
One story quoted a Gulf Shores police spokesman as stating there were no reported incidences of violent crime at Hangout.
Festivals in the past have resulted in as many as 200 arrests.
As a member of the camping community during the four-day fest, there was ample opportunity for frustration. Bathroom access was a daily trial and loud music thumped into the early hours of the morning.
However, the general mood remained calm and composed.
Even post-party crowds held onto vestiges of common courtesy despite the alcohol blurring their judgment. While waiting for a late-night shuttle back to the campground, fellow festival-goers organized themselves into an orderly line to await transportation. Apparently, everyone in attendance paid attention in their elementary school days.
My generational skepticism of my fellow man softened each time I saw a dropped $20 bill earnestly returned to its oblivious owner by a random passerby.
Despite the crowds packed into the cordoned public beach, lines never seemed to get out of hand and most concerts allowed everyone their own personal square foot of dancing space. The crowds at Hangout Fest defied both expectations and physics.
As for the music, well that’s a different story.
Exactly as predicted, the bands were amazing. The Killers, The Black Keys and Outkast all played to sold-out crowds, while even lesser known groups like Knoxville’s own The Black Cadillacs drew relatively large crowds.
During the nightly headliner performances, the beach transformed into a fluid sea of hands and lights. All eyes faced the main stage. The energy from the stage pulsed through the rows of dancing admirers like a tangible current.
Performers appeared to be having the time of their lives.
After their daytime shows, artists from smaller bands wandered the festival, blending seamlessly with what had been captivated fans only hours before. Hangout is an apt name for the festival; everyone was just a normal person, hanging out at the beach, listening to great music.
There was an undeniable sense of camaraderie among festival-goers, although the masses assembled could populate a small city. No strangers, just friends you’ve never met.
As one performer said it: music is a simple force that brings people together. When you place that music on a beautiful beach in Gulf Shores, it also brings out the best.
Hangout Fest was not what I expected, and I can honestly say I’m glad I was wrong.
Emilee Lamb is a rising junior in journalism and electronic media. She can be reached at [email protected].
Dan Smith, lead vocals, and William Farquarson, guitarist, from the English rock band Bastille take the Chevrolet Stage at the Hangout Music Festival on Sunday, May 18.
