GRiZ Fills In For Doja Cat at Hangout Festival and Steals the Show

Hangout Festival returned to Gulf Shores, Alabama last weekend, but when Doja Cat announced she couldn’t perform due to throat surgery, GRiZ flew down immediately to fill in.

There’s nothing quite like the beachy, relaxed atmosphere of Hangout Festival on the beaches of Alabama. Many fans have been attending the event for almost a decade, and as it’s open to all ages, several generations of families have spent years enjoying the music and laidback vibe.

This installment was no exception, as music lovers of all genres flocked to the well-oiled machine that is Hangout Festival. Mixed-music lineups can sometimes be hit or miss, but not for this gem of the South East. Heavy hitters from the rock, rap, hip hop, alternative, and EDM genres came together for a weekend of marvel.

The main Hangout stage featured banging performances from the likes of Jack Harlow, Post Malone, Zedd, Illenium, Halsey, and Tame Impala, while the Surf stage presented stand out shows from Megan Thee Stallion, Sublime with Rome, Chelsea Cutler, Moon Taxi, Fall Out Boy, and Kane Brown.

The Boom stage was the hot spot for Hip Hop and EDM, as T-Pain, San Holo, Madeon, Lil Yachty, Surf Mesa, Slander and SidePiece thrilled a hyped crowd. A personal favorite was the Malibu Beach House stage, positioned under an iridescent purple, pink, and blue circus tent complete with floating cloud decor. Ship Wrek, Disco Lines, NOTD, and GG Magree all threw down under this covered extravaganza, setting the energy alight.

With a slew of activities throughout the weekend, including a puppy kissing booth, hair braiding, surf lessons, and float games, there was never a chance for boredom on the beaches of Hangout. With such a relaxing and family-oriented atmosphere, it’s no surprise that the artists themselves were wandering the crowds to catch other acts for inspiration.

Although the creators of Hangout did a phenomenal job with planning, sometimes disaster strikes without warning. During day one of the festival, officials announced that Doja Cat was unable to make it due to an unexpected tonsil surgery. But without fear, the lineup cultivators were able to snag funk and dubstep legend GRiZ to fill her spot. EDM fans were delighted to hear that the colorful king would be taking the stage, despite the disappointment of missing Doja.

With less than 24 hours of notice, GRiZ flew down to Gulf Shores, and proceeded to steal the show with the most brilliantly animated performance to date. The talented saxophone aficionado made sure to tribute Queen Doja with a remix of her song “It’s Just Principle,” forcing the crowd to jump wildly in excitement. GRiZ brought along his live band of trumpets, vocalists, and rappers, resulting in a phenomenally colorful performance overall.

Unfortunately the rain put another small damper on Hangout Fest 2022, but the organizers made sure to keep the show rolling as much as possible. With only a few short evacuations, music-lovers were able to return in time to see all of their favorite acts and enjoy the beautiful beaches throughout the entire weekend. Overall, Hangout Festival 2022 was an amalgamation of energy, good vibes, color, and music, resulting in the best weekend of the event to date!