Why We Get Up Early
Toro y Moi
When Hangout’s lineup dropped there were a few acts that showed the festival’s growth into the sprawling tentacles of indie rock. When the daily schedule was announced, we learned that Saturday was going to be the day that highlighted this trend most. Toro y Moi is the brainchild of Chaz Bundick. Over the years, this project has evolved several times and what we’re left with, at least for now, is one of the most intriguing psychedelic rock experiences around. Bundick was joined onstage by a full band for this performance and together they performed many songs from hist latest (and greatest) album, What For?. The set was as dancable as any during the entire weekend and it proved to be perfect for the festivals second largest stage (Now called the Surf Stage, formerly called Chevy Stage, Surf Style Stage and Verizon stage). This show was the first of many in an indie rockers dream daily lineup.
Most Likely to Thrive
Young Fathers
After Toro Y Moi firmly planted itself inside our top five shows of the weekend, we headed to the Salt Lyfe Stage (located in the courtyard of the Hangout restaurant) for Young Fathers. Each year there is an act that occupies one of the lower spots on the poster but proves to be one of the most talked about shows of the weekend. This was perhaps the most rare booking that Sean O’Connell, The Hangout production team and the newly partnered GoldenVoice put on the lineup. Of all the up and comers at Hangout, no band has a higher ceiling than Young Fathers. The soulful Scottish R&B/Hip Hop hybrid surprised nearly everyone when it took home the 2014 Barclaycard Mercury Prize, given to the finest album in the United Kingdom each year. Previous winners of the award include Portishead, PJ Harvey, Elbow, Artic Monkeys, Alt J and James Blake. The show was one of the fest’s most energetic from those on stage to the back on the crowd. Big things are on deck for Young Fathers.
Hip Hop’s Finest
Talib Kweli
Over Hangout’s six-year existence, the world of hip-hop has been very hit or miss. Yes, we’ve seen Outkast, The Roots, Zion I and Kendrick Lamar, but we often find ourselves wishing there was more to fill that void of a genre we love so much. That’s why we were very excited (and somewhat surprised) to see hip-hop innovator Talib Kweli on this year’s lineup. Along with a full backing band, Kweli ran through hit after hit, getting the crowd involved, and proving he is one of hip-hop’s true performers. Kweli ran through hits from his entire career, including material from Reflection Eternal and Black Star’s “Definition”. Songs such as Kanye West and Kweli’s “Get Em High” had the surprisingly young crowd captivated, and “Get By” and “The World as Yours” shined as crowd favorites. The highlight of the set came with his cover of “Eleanor Rigby”, which truly displayed the diversity and talent of his live band. Overall, we couldn’t have asked for a more unique and consistent set from one of hip-hop’s under-rated greatest. – MM
Words Can Hardly Explain
Father John Misty
Here are a few of the reasons that we thought Joshua Tillman, AKA Father John Misty, put on the best show of Hangout 2015…
As the pop-synth sounds of True Affection began to become audible, the Fleet Foxes drummer gone gosh-darn-it solo act took a bite of an apple and then threw it in to the crowd. He then mentioned that since Skrillex was playing opposite him, that the likelihood of a single fist pump was close to nil. He then brought a couple dozen folks on stage to sing along to Bored in the USA, and requested that they fist pump, which they all did happily (pictured below). Somewhere in the set, he explained to the crowd that he was about to get dangerously intimate with them for the next song. So, for the song’s entirety, he looked dead into the camera filming the show (pictured below). At another point in the set, he stole a fan’s bubble gun and immersed himself into the flow of sticky water orbs, hair blowing in the gulf breeze and all. About a dozen 5-foot-tall inflatable swans were released into the crowd for Chateau Lobby #4, one of which he would later hug and lay on while singing (pictured below). But the finest moment of the set came when, in midsong, he took his guitar off and spun it fifteen feet to the side stage where someone (that he obviously trusts dearly) caught it (not pictured below). It’s his version of Prince’s mysterious guitar throw in the “Greatest Guitar Solo of all time” video…and the crowd went wild.
Now all these things added to the show, but they’d be lost if not for the material actually being performed on stage. The band performed several songs from the latest release I love you, Honeybear, which is squarely at the top of the leader board for BLANK’s album of the year as of this writing. FJM has been a charming front man in the past, but the new material gives him a solid enough catalogue to place him as one of the most entertaining rock shows currently on tour. In fact, Father John Misty may produce the most entertaining show of any kind at the moment. Tickets to his original 2015 tour were so scarce that he’s added dates through November and he’s also nabbed some opening dates with Alabama Shakes in the near future. The point is, listen to the album and then go see the show if you have a chance. If only this band weren’t in UK on August 22nd, we’d go hard at them to headline BLANKfest.
Sylvan Esso
Early on the main stage, Sylvan Esso shocked us with its ability to captivate a crowd with such a minimalistic approach. This North Carolina-based duo is carried by Amelia Meath’s unique and mesmerizing voice. She is a great lyricist, but it may be her captivating dancing that earns the most attention at a Sylvan Esso performance. Nick Sanborn’s beats are just as unique as her voice, and it is no surprise Sylvan Esso has gained the following they have in such a short amount of time.
Future Islands
Future Islands frontman Sam Herring grunted, growled and gyrated his way through an impressive set that was capped by a fitting dedication of “Sea Foam” to an old friend. If this band keeps it up, it may very well be headlining these things in a few years.
The Heat
Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley played to one of the biggest Surf Stage crowd’s of the weekend midday Saturday, as festival-goers of every kind made the trek to the beach for the top reggae act of the weekend. At the same time, rising sensation Strand of Oaks played to a rather modest crowd at the Salt Life Stage. However, this did not stop SoO from giving it their all, as Timothy Showalter and band ran through their folk-rock set with passion and energy. Songs such as “Goshen ’97” and “Shut In” sound fantastic live, and made us realize why this band has gained the popularity they have.
Little Rock’s Knox Hamilton caught our ears in passing, and their melodic, indie-rock sound was a perfect beginning to the day while Major Lazer closed down the Boom Boom Tent on Saturday night, with Diplo and Switch celebrating their career with a fantastic light show and tons of dancers to accompany their intricate, diverse style, that spans all types of electronic music.
Meanwhile on the opposite end of the grounds, Zac Brown band played a cover-packed headlining set which featured Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir”, Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” and Charlie Daniels “The Devil Went Down to Georgia, a song that both he and Trey Anastasio Band played during their respective headlining performances in Hangout’s very first year. He also paid homage to Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” by performing the song with Xavier Rudd, who opened the main stage earlier in the day with his band, The United Nations.
ZBB played a total of 17 original numbers as well, leaving those who were there to see one of country’s most accessible acts happy. Those who were just along for the ride enjoyed the covers, for the most part. There may not be a more grateful band on tour than Zac Brown Band, which comes off on stage. USA! USA! USA!
