As life returns to a level of normalcy across the country, festival season is definitely in high gear now, and that was certainly on display at Hangout Music Festival, which returned May 20-22 for the first time since its 2019 edition.
Like so many other live music events, Hangout was forced to scrap its 2020 fest, which sold out within two weeks of the announcement of that year's lineup. But its long-awaited return to Gulf Shores, Alabama, proved worth the wait, as a number of 2020 "holdovers" came ready to party, including Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion, Kane Brown and Illenium, as well as Zedd, Halsey, Tame Impala and Jack Harlow.
HANGOUT 2022: Tyla Yaweh interview
The timing couldn't have been better, as Post Malone's headlining appearance came just days ahead of the release of his new album Twelve Carat Toothache, and of course, Jack Harlow himself is currently riding perhaps the biggest wave, with his own, buzzworthy new record Come Home The Kids Miss You arriving earlier in May.
It was Halsey, however, who proved to be the most worthy headliner, as a pop star who has sometimes been overlooked, earning top 10 songs yet being passed over by the Grammys. This past year has been a big one, though, following the release of the singer's mammoth record If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and marking a new era of a music heavyweight, taking the crown instead of waiting for it to be hand-delivered.
That was clearly on display at Hangout, as Halsey delivered a fiery performance of "Nightmare," while images supporting abortion rights flashed vividly on the giant screen overlooking the stage. It was a powerful moment, especially in the Deep South.
See photos from Hangout 2022 below, by Tyler Raye.
