There are fews ways a three day festival on a beach can go wrong. Hangout Festival was founded in 2010, but you could hardly tell. From the lineup to the festival layout, Hangout is on par with the beloved Coachella Music and Arts Festival.

Just as the sun started to simmer down, I saw The 1975 at the Palladia Stage. I knew I was in for a treat as I had seen the band just days before, but seeing them at a festival was completely different. All four members of the indie rock quartet seemed to be in good spirits as they rocked out to their hits “Chocolate,” “Girls,” and “Sex.”

As soon as the Brits were finished, I sprinted to the Boom Boom Tent to catch Childish Gambino spit his rhymes to an eager festival goers. He must have had about ten Red Bulls before hitting the stage because he was bouncing off the walls throughout the set and successfully left his fans satisfied. After his set, I caught bits of the legendary Queens of The Stone Age, who delivered a solid set to the excited crowd. Jamming out to bangers like “Feel Good Hit Of The Summer,” the band captured the audience’s attention and had everyone pumping their fists and banging their heads by the end of the set.

To close out an already epic first day, Hangout featured their first headliner, The Black Keys, on the Hangout Stage. This was the band’s first live full set since the release of their stellar new album, "Turn Blue." Hearing hits like “Tighten Up,” “Lonely Boy,” and the new single, “Fever,” live was something special. The band has perfected fuzzy guitar sounds like no other act in the world. The chemistry between Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney and their musicianship helped them win best act of the day in my books.

Day Two of the Festival did not disappoint either. Modest Mouse rocked out to a happy crowd at the Hangout stage, playing fan favorites like “Float On.” Lead singer and guitarist Isaac Brock fashioned bright pink shorts that suited the Hangout vibe just fine and made their set even more fun.

The second set I caught of Saturday were The Flaming Lips. Lead singer Wayne Coyne, to no one’s surprise and everyone’s pleasure, stepped onto the stage in a metallic, shaggy, coat and a skin suit onesie. Through the set, rainbow people, a human sun, and aliens froliced around the stage and danced with the band as they sang their tunes, which included my personal favorite, “Do You Realize?” Though I was knocked down twice by one of the eight giant rubber ducks that floated around the crowd, the set was good fun and the visual elements were as good as the sonic ones.

The Saturday headliners put on a quite a party. From the beginning to the end of their set,The Killers delivered. From what I could tell, Brandon Flowers and the band had the entire crowd singing along to all of their songs--not just the hits. But of course, the two crowd favorites are still “All These Things That I’ve Done” and the legendary “Mr. Brightside,” which seemed to be as relevant today as it had been fives years ago. The band’s instrumentality and Flowers’ impeccable vocals transformed radio hits into festival anthems, making that Saturday evening one to remember.

Finally, Day Three, capped off a fantastic festival experience. I started the Sunday with a lovely set from English pianist Tom Odell, who is on a fast track to super stardom in the states having established himself as a talented singer songwriter in the UK. The 23 year old sang songs like “Another Love,” “I Know,” and even covered Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer,” which left the crowd in awe.

Afterwards, English band Bastille played to an excitable crowd on the Chevrolet Stage. Well before the band had even taken the stage, much of the crowd had already set up camp to make sure they could see and hear the band clearly. Pale as they were, these English guys still managed to fit in on the beach and have a great time as they performed hits like “Bad Blood,” “Of The Night,” and the inescapable tune, “Pompeii.” During “Flaws,” lead singer Dan Smith even ventured into the festival crowd to dance along with everyone. From the crowd participation and reaction, it was obvious that they were one of the most anticipated acts of the entire festival.

Just as the sun started setting, the crowd roared as Jack Johnson stepped onto the stage with his infectious smile. Starting off his immaculate set with “Do You Remember” and playing other hits such as “You And Your Heart” and “Better Together,” Jack Johnson took the crowd to his native Hawaii with his acoustic sounds and beautiful lyrics. The festival could not have picked a better performer at the more perfect time (It was also Johnson’s birthday that day, and of course, the crowd sang him a loud and joyous “Happy Birthday").

But alas, festival goers had been waiting for Outkast. Over 40,000 people packed into the beach to watch the Atlanta natives perform all their classics. Clad in funky (but who expected less, really?) getups, Andre 3000 and Big Boi emerged out of a giant cube on the Hangout Stage and tore the stage up. Though the duo maintained the crowd’s energy the entire time, the energy peaked when the two performed “Sorry Ms. Jackson” and “Hey Ya.” As the lights faded to black, “Sweet Home Alabama” blasted out of the PA system and beautiful fireworks ended a beautiful weekend in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

With such a solid lineup last year and this year, Hangout Festival will not disappoint in the future. Even if you aren’t from Alabama, it is worth making a trip to the shores to experience a beautiful festival beach side.  

Reach Staff Reporter Joyce Lee here.