Hangout 2017 Preview

Head down south to Gulf Shores, Alabama, and hang out at Hangout Festival, Friday-Sunday, May 19th-21st (with pre-party on Thursday):

FRIDAY, MAY 19th

Hangout Stage Phoenix, 9:30 PM – 11:00 PM There are a precious few bands out there who you can’t understand anyone not loving, and one of them is Phoenix (QRO live review). The Versailles outfit (QRO interview – that’s oddly where all the French indie acts come from…) built and built their indie-pop songcraft throughout this century/millennium (including getting a song on the Lost In Translation soundtrack – and singer Thomas Mars would later marry the director, Sofia Coppola), with greater and greater international success (QRO live review), but broke through into the tops (QRO live review) with 2009’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (QRO review), which saw them win such acclaims as the Grammy for Best Alternative Album – and QRO’s #1 Album of 2009. It was been a tough wait for the band (QRO photos) to return, but return they did (QRO spotlight on), and in full force, with 2013’s highly anticipated Bankrupt! (QRO review) and big shows (QRO live review) to headlining festivals from California’s Coachella to Catalonia’s Primavera Sound to fellow-Francophone Osheaga (QRO photos at Osheaga) to New York’s Governors Ball (QRO photos at Governors Ball) to Los Angeles’ FYF (QRO photos outdoors). The band disappeared again, only to return again this year behind next month’s again highly anticipated Ti Amo.

MGMT, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM All of a sudden, Wesleyan University gave birth to a bunch of indie acts, but none blew up like MGMT (QRO live review). Songs like “Electric Feel” (QRO video) and “Time To Pretend” (QRO video) launched 2007’s Oracular Spectacular in the stratosphere. The follow-up was bound to bring them more back down to earth, and Congratulations (QRO review) is a classic over-ambitious sophomore release, with third, self-titled record full-on weird. There was a big break after MGMT, but this year they’re coming back with Little Dark Age. The two-man psych-rock band of Ben Goldwasser & Andrew Van Wyngarden (QRO photos outdoors) is more than prepared to blow minds outdoors when they come to Hangout (QRO photos outdoors at a festival).

Charli XCX, 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM Charlotte Aitchison, under the moniker Charli XCX (QRO photos at a festival), is one of Britain’s most elusive dark pop songstresses (QRO photos at a festival). Already after opening slots on big-name tours as well as festivals (QRO photos at a festival), not to mention co-writing the breakthrough song for Icona Pop (QRO spotlight on), “I Love It”, she started to solidify her career as a pop songwriter to be reckoned with (QRO photos), with 2013 seeing her release her debut full-length, True Romance, and playing her own headlining gigs (QRO photos). Two years ago she achieved her own breakthrough single, “Break the Rules”, on sophomore full-length Sucker, and comes to Hangout on her ‘Number 1 Angel’ Tour.

Joseph, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Sisters Allison, Meagan, and Natalie Closner form Portland’s Joseph (QRO photos) have been getting serious notice for their folk sound, including at festivals (QRO photos at a festival).

Surf Stage Weezer, 7:45 PM – 9:15 PM For a long time, the new output from Weezer (QRO photos at a festival) like 2010’s Hurley (QRO review) and Death To False Metal (QRO review) or the previous year’s Raditude (QRO review) wasn’t up to their nineties classics (and 2008’s red album-covered self-titled – QRO review – couldn’t hold a candle to the blue- and green-covered earlier Weezers – *QRO blue Weezer* live review** – or Pinkerton – QRO deluxe edition review), but they still played those nineties classics like “My Name Is Jonas” (QRO video), “Say It Ain’t So” (QRO video), “Buddy Holly” (QRO video), “No One Else” (QRO video), “Surf Wax America” (QRO video – they are playing the Surf Stage…), “Falling For You” (QRO video), and “Dope Nose” (QRO video), which can even lift later pieces like “Islands In the Sun” (QRO video) and “Beverly Hills” (QRO video). And their live show (QRO live review) – especially outdoors (QRO live review outdoors) headlining a festival (QRO photos headlining a festival) – has stayed great (QRO photos headlining a festival). 2014 came Everything Will Be Alright In the End (QRO review), their best record in years & years (*QRO Everything* live review*), then last year another Weezer, the white one (QRO review), another good one (QRO White Album* live review*) – plus dude, Hurley* (QRO photo).

Sylvan Esso, 5:40 PM – 6:40 PM Durham, North Carolina indie-pop duo Sylvan Esso (QRO photos outdoors) have moved up very fast (QRO photos at a festival) since the release in 2014 of their eponymous debut full-length, with well-titled follow-up What Now just out.

The Strumbellas, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM The “folk popgrass” of Canada’s The Strumbellas (QRO photos at a festival) comes to Hangout behind last year’s third record, Hope.

Also: The Suffers – QRO photos at a festival

Boom Boom Tent Dillon Francis, 9:45 PM – 11:00 PM American electronic artist Dillon Francis (QRO photos at a festival) has worked with big name DJs like Calvin Harris (QRO album review) and Diplo (QRO photos), to the point where he’s a big-name DJ all on his very own, headlining the first night of the Boom Boom Tent.

A$AP Ferg, 6:00 PM – 7:15 PM From out of the acclaimed hip-hop collective A$AP Mob, A$AP Ferg (QRO photos) has made his own name (QRO photos at a festival), most recently with last year’s sophomore solo record, Always Strive and Prosper.

Also: Cash Cash, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM Kungs, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Elephante, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM – QRO photos at a festival

Fitz’s Stage Russ, 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM This year rapper Russ Vitale finally released his debut record, There’s Really a Wolf, after a whole slew of mixtapes.

Andrew McMahon In the Wilderness, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Frontman of Something Corporate and then Jack’s Mannequin (QRO live review), Andrew McMahon’s emotional piano has since gone solo (QRO photos) and In the Wilderness (QRO photos at a festival).

Also: Bishop Briggs, 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM – QRO photos Missio, 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM 888, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Mermaid Stage PVRIS, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM Coin, 5:15 PM – 6:00 PM White Reaper, 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM – QRO photos at a festival Jimmy Lumpkin & The Revival, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

BMI Stage Barns Courtney, 6:30 PM – 7:15 PM – QRO photos Foreign Air, 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM The Heydaze, 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM Bassh, 11:45 AM – 12:30 PM

Malibu Beach House Kap Slap, 7:15 PM – 8:15 PM Le Youth, 5:00 PM – 6:15 PM Nora En Pure, 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM DJ Hashim, 12:30 PM – 1:15 PM

SATURDAY, MAY 20th

Hangout Stage Twenty One Pilots, 9:30 PM – 11:00 PM The somewhat uninspired pop of Twenty One Pilots (QRO photos at a festival) comes to Hangout (QRO photos at a festival) behind 2015’s Blurryface. The record was somehow a hit, including single “Heathens”, which was in the soundtrack to the similarly inexplicably successful Suicide Squad. But people seem to love ‘em…

Band of Horses, 6:15 PM – 7:30 PM Before the current, unceasing wave of alt-country, there was Seattle’s Band of Horses (QRO live review), who broke through with debut Everything All the Time and “Funeral” in 2006. While guitarist/co-founder Matt Brooke left after that for Grand Archives (QRO live review), singer/guitarist Ben Bridwell kept on the trail, with the following year’s Cease to Begin (QRO review). Band of Horses (QRO photos at a festival) dropped a little off the radar following that, but came back (QRO live review) in 2010 with Infinite Arms (QRO review), a more polished record in ways good & bad, but picked it up in 2012 with Mirage Rock (QRO review) and last year’s Why Are You OK (QRO review), and are riding (QRO live review) from festival (QRO photos at a festival) to festival (QRO photos at a festival).

RÜFÜS DU SOL, 3:45 PM – 5:00 PM Sydney’s RÜFÜS DU SOL – a group, not a person – come over to Hangout behind last year’s Bloom, which like 2013 debut Atlas hit number one in their native Australia.

MUTEMATH, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Putting some ambience and psychedelica into their alt-rock is New Orleans’ MUTEMATH (QRO live review), who have been building in success, acclaim, and sound, like on 2011’s Odd Soul (QRO review), and come back to Voodoo in after last year’s release of their first since Soul, Vitals. The band (QRO photos) blew up in 2007 with their video “Typical”, where the band performs the song backwards. The Gulf Coast band moves down along the Gulf Coast to Hangout.

Surf Stage Major Lazer, 7:45 PM – 9:00 PM The collaboration between DJ/producers Diplo (QRO photos) and Switch (QRO photos) made a serious breakthrough in 2009 as Major Lazer (QRO photos at a festival), with Guns Don’t Kill People. Lazers Do. They’ve since released more, like this year’s Music Is the Weapon (even produced Reincarnated, Snoop Dogg’s reggae album as ‘Snoop Lion’) – and know how to do it at festivals (QRO photos at a festival), like Hangout ’15.

Tory Lanez, 5:00 PM – 6:15 PM Daystar Peterson, a.k.a. Tory Lanez, is the latest hip-hop artist from suddenly hot Toronto, putting out I Told You last August.

Local Natives, 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM Silver Lake’s Local Natives (QRO photos at a festival) have been riding the alt-country/folk wave, but seem to be doing it better than most, charting in 2010 with debut Gorilla Manor and 2012’s Hummingbird (QRO review), moving up to headliner tours (QRO live review), and well-received on the festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival), including old England (QRO photos at an English festival). They come to Hangout after last year’s release of their latest, Sunlit Youth (QRO review). Also: Magic!, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Boom Boom Tent Sigur Rós, 9:15 PM – 10:30 PM Hands down, Sigur Rós (QRO live review) is one of the best bands to come out of the ‘90s. Few acts have emerged from that decade and been able to maintain even a career, let alone the longevity with grace and style that has been demonstrated by these boys from Iceland (QRO photos from literally the other side of the globe from Iceland). Maybe that’s the big secret: they aren’t from America (QRO photos at a non-American festival). Their music is the definition of beauty and 2012’s album Valtari (QRO review) was absolutely no exception. It was their first in four years, after people thought that the band was finished, the next year they had their follow-up, Kveikur (QRO review). With their share of some of the best and most affecting music of their time, and a live show fuelled by a newfound vigor, Sigur Rós (QRO photos outdoors) is set to deliver one of the best performances of the festival (QRO photos this year).

Cheat Codes, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM Electronic trio Cheat Codes (QRO photos at a festival) come to Hangout fresh off the international success of hit single “Sex” (which samples Salt-n-Pepa’s 1991 classic “Let’s Talk About Sex”).

Also Snakehips, 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM Louis the Child, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Phantoms, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Fitz’s Stage The Head and The Heart, 7:45 PM – 9:00 PM Things have been seriously booming for The Head and The Heart (QRO live review). The Seattle alt-folk/pop band (QRO photos outdoors) was signed by Sub Pop (QRO photos outdoors), named their city’s best new band by Seattle Weekly, opened for everybody from Dave Matthews (QRO live review) to Death Cab for Cutie (QRO album review). They since graduated to headlining status (QRO live review) behind 2013’s sweet Let’s Be Still (QRO review) – though their crowds never were (QRO photos at a festival). They come to Hangout behind last year’s Signs of Light (QRO review).

Also: Lewis Del Mar, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM – QRO photos Rainbow Kitten Surprise, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Mondo Cozmo, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Mermaid Stage LP, 5:15 PM – 6:15 PM Laura Pergolizzi, a.k.a. LP (QRO photos), has written for the big-name pop likes of Cher, Backstreet Boys, Rihanna, and Christina Aguilera (and before all that, the secret track “Cinderella” on 1998’s Gentleman’s Blues from Cracker – QRO spotlight on). More recently she released Lost On You – and her song “Muddy Waters” was featured in an emotional scene from the fourth season finale of Orange Is the New Black. Also: Tkay Maidza, 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM Joshua James, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

BMI Stage Cobi, 6:15 PM – 7:00 PM Susto, 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM A R I Z O N A, 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM Fletcher, 11:45 AM – 12:30 PM

Malibu Beach House Nora En Pure, 7:00 PM – 7:45 PM Kap Slap, 4:45 PM – 5:45 PM Jillionaire, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Le Youth, 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM

SUNDAY, MAY 21st

Hangout Stage Mumford & Sons, 9:15 PM – 11:00 PM London’s King’s College & St. Paul’s School are serving as something of the English alt-folk Wesleyan, seeing related acts hit it big. First there was Noah & The Whale (QRO live review), with graduates of both, then Noah’s female vocalist Laura Marling (QRO live review) went out on her own. But the biggest hit from there has to be fellow Marling collaborator Mumford & Sons (QRO live review). Debut Sign No More saw them break through to the mainstream (QRO photos outdoors) with songs like “Little Lion Man”, and 2012’s follow-up Babel (QRO review) hit number one on the charts (QRO photos) on both sides of the Atlantic (QRO photos at a European festival). Oh, they’ve also done such feats as perform on the Grammys with Bob Dylan – and win album of the year in 2013! They also got a Grammy for their tour documentary Big Easy Express (QRO screening review), where they, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (QRO spotlight on), and Old Crow Medicine Show toured the southwest by train – a railroad version of their ‘Gentlemen of the Road Stopover’ tours (QRO review). And now Mumford & Sons (QRO live review) headline Hangout (QRO photos at a festival), after 2015’s Wilder Mind (QRO review) and last year’s run of massive shows (QRO live review in 2016).

Young the Giant, 6:00 PM – 7:15 PM These Irvine natives toiled for years as The Jakes, but when they changed their name to Young the Giant (QRO photos at a festival), things finally took off (QRO photos at a festival), with their self-(new) titled album & TV performances, including at MTV’s Video Music Awards. They’ve since been gracing bigger (QRO photos) and bigger (QRO photos) stages & shows (QRO live review), including festivals (QRO photos at a festival), like Hangout ‘12. YtG (QRO photos) come after the release of last summer’s Home of the Strange (QRO review), following 2014’s Mind over Matter (QRO review).

Lukas Graham, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM Not a Middle America country singer but a Danish pop/soul/funk trio, Lukas Graham hit charts across the world with 2013 debut Lukas Graham and 2015 follow-up Lukas Graham (Blue Album) (a self-titled ‘blue’ record? Who do they think they are, Hangout headliner Weezer? – *QRO blue Weezer* live review**).

Shaggy, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM You know you came to hear the sweet reggae fusion R&B of Shaggy – don’t say, “It Wasn’t Me”.

Surf Stage Chance the Rapper, 7:15 PM – 8:45 PM Two mixtapes, 2012’s 10 Day and 2013’s Acid Rap, have launched Chicago’s own Chance the Rapper (QRO photos at a festival) into the big time (like an endearing Kit Kat commercial, and his Chicago-sponsored South-by-Southwest showcase in 2015 was shut down due to massive overcrowding – QRO recap). He comes to Hangout (QRO photos at a festival) behind his latest collaboration, last year’s team-up with Jeremih, Merry Christmas Lil’ Mama, and his Grammy-winning mixtape, Coloring Book. Book was the first streaming-only album ever to get a Grammy nomination, let alone a win – oh, and he also won the Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Rap Performance!

DJ Snake, 4:45 PM – 6:00 PM France’s trip-hop producer DJ Snake comes to Hangout off of working in 2014 with Diplo (QRO photos) and touring with Skrillex (QRO photos at a festival). More recently came debut album Encore, including single “Let Me Love You”, which featured none other than Justin Bieber (QRO photos at a festival).

Lil Yachty, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM All it takes is a couple of killer singles & a great mixtape to make it big in hip-hop, like Georgia’s Lil Yachty.

Hurray For the Riff Raff, 12:30 PM – 1:15 PM New Orleans’ Hurray For the Riff Raff (QRO photos at a festival) bring their folk-blues along the Gulf Coast to Hangout (QRO photos at a festival).

Boom Boom Tent marshmello, 9:30 PM – 10:45 PM Inspired by the masked DJ likes of deadmau5 (QRO live review) and Daft Punk (QRO album review), masked DJ marshmello (QRO photos at a festival) remains a mystery (QRO photos).

Also: NGHTMRE, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM Matoma, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Gryffin, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM CBVZ, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Fitz’s Stage Franz Ferdinand, 5:15 PM – 6:30 PM Playing Sunday Tonight: Franz Ferdinand (QRO review). The Scottish band broke out of their native Glasgow in 2005 with Franz Ferdinand and killer single “Take Me Out”, and even if their studio output since then hasn’t matched up, they’re still a great band live (QRO live review), and come to Hangout (QRO photos at a festival) after 2013’s Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action (QRO review) and 2015’s team-up (QRO photos) with art-rock new wave greats Sparks, FFS.

Bob Moses, 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM A duo, not a band, Jimmy Vallance & Tom Howe form electronic act Bob Moses.

LANY, 1:45 PM – 2:30 PM L.A. Electro-pop outfit LANY (QRO photos) are already getting big (QRO interview), and that’s before next month’s release of their self-titled debut full-length. Also: Susto, 12:30 PM – 1:15 PM

Mermaid Stage Warpaint, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM The experimental, even psychedelic rock of the four ladies that make up Warpaint (QRO photos) took a while to take hold, but has by now (QRO photos), and they come to Hangout (QRO photos) behind last year’s Heads Up (QRO review).

Towkio, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Out of the Savemoney crew is rapper Preston Oshita, a.k.a. Towkio.

Strand of Oaks, 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM For those looking for something a bit more heavy, look no further than Strand of Oaks (QRO photos at a festival). Timothy Showalter is not afraid to be honest in his guitar-driven songs punctuated with soaring solos. There’s a touch of pop, some Neil Young and the cathartic release of Strand of Oaks (QRO photos at a festival) will have you feeling nostalgic and ready for the future all at the same time. He comes to Hangout behind this year’s Hard Love (QRO review). Also: Pardison Fontaine, 12:30 PM – 1:15 PM

BMI Stage Lawrence, 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM Grace Mitchell, 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM The Worn Flints, 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM The New Respects, 11:45 AM – 12:30 PM

Malibu Beach House Le Youth, 5:00 PM – 6:15 PM Nora En Pure, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Kap Slap, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Pre-Party – Thursday, March 18th Boom Boom Tent Migos, 10:00 PM – 11:00 PM Quarvo, Takeoff and Offset together form hip-hop group Migos, and come to Hangout behind this year’s Culture.

CHERUB, 8:30 PM – 9:15 PM Nashville electro-indie duo Jason Juber and Jordan Kelley come to Hangout as CHERUB. Also: Tchami, 7:00 PM – 7:45 PM

Mermaid Stage DJ Jazzy Jeff, 9:15 PM – 10:00 PM West Philadelphia, born & raised, DJ Jazzy Jeff (QRO photos at a festival) became one of the first widely famous DJs, thanks to his nineties work with The Fresh Prince, both in music (classic “Parents Just Don’t Understand”) and his hilarious appearances on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, usually ending with the same clip of Uncle Phil literally throwing him out of the house. Even as The Fresh Prince became leading man Will Smith, Jazz helped usher in a whole new generation of musicians, from Jewel to The Roots to Eminem, and has been scratching records around the world. Also: Shaun Frank, 7:45 PM – 8:30 PM Nawas, 6:15 PM – 7:00 PM