Hang'N In 2016 | Event Review

Hangout Festival weekend has finally come to a close and although I didn’t attend the festival this year, I had the opportunity to visit a very special after party at Live Bait hosted by Trapezoid Entertainment and Future Astronaut Co. Although Hang’N In 2016 was not affiliated with Hangout Music Festival, they certainly stayed up to par with the level of talent and production. Hang’N In After Party Series brought in music producers and DJ’s spanning the country from New York to New Orleans to Atlanta. But the guys wanted to make this event more epic than any party they have ever thrown. So to go even bigger they added Stööki Sound for a taste of the London Underground. And to cap it all off, Jack Novak made an extra special appearance and joined in on the party for the final night.

This is what the line up looked like at Hang’N In 2016 for all four crazy nights of music mayhem:

Thursday: Swiger, Dino Brawl, WyLER, KTRL, Space Race
Friday: ChrisCross, Space Cadet, Beni Banks, Subset
Saturday: Dr.one, Astronaut, Ryan Lee, # Party Slut, Stööki Sound
Sunday: Krave, Loaded Gunn, $unday $ervice

Stream Stööki Sound – Talkin’ About (Shut Up VIP) on SoundCloud:

As with every Trapezoid and Future Astronaut show that I have attended, the boys stepped up their game once again. They put so much work, time, sweat, and passion into their events and their partnership with Live Bait is something that has helped grow the electronic dance music scene in the little city of Orange Beach, Alabama. Focusing on every detail between both the production and the quality of music and ensuring that their guests have the time of their lives, is at the heart of every Trapezoid and Future Astronaut event. With that being said, here are the top 10 things I loved most about my weekend at Hang’N In:

10) The Location: Live Bait was just close enough to the festival yet far enough away to get out of the mayhem and still enjoy an epic night full of EDM bliss. It’s located right on Beach BLVD with a large lot in the rear so getting to the venue is easy and parking is free!

9) The Good Vibes: What can I say about the Gulf Coast EDM family? Well, they bring some of the best vibes I have ever had the pleasure to be a part of. Everyone who attends is there to have a good time and drama is kept to a minimum. Making friends at this particular party was one of the best parts! Everyone was in good spirits and the interactions I had with fellow ravers was awesome.

8) The Production: Trapezoid and Future Astronaut always go big when it comes to production. Between sound and lighting, they leave no stone unturned. As always, lasers danced through the air, strobes pulsed to the beat, and the LED panels lit up the room with high quality imaging. This type of production hasn’t been seen much down here in the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area and I truly believe that they are setting a new standard of quality that is going to be hard to compete with.

7) The Body Art: What’s a rave without someone there to do a little body art? Well, Nikko Gould was there to provide the talent. Anyone who wanted a splash of color on their body simply had to show Nikko a picture or give him an idea of a design and he would bring it to fruition with precision and creativity.

6) The Handcrafted Items For Sale: Out on the patio you could find a stand with hand crafted jewelry for sale. Everything from necklaces to bracelets, each piece beautiful and different.

5) The Staff: From the security at the door, to the girls checking tickets, to the bartenders, managers, and production staff, everyone was polite, attentive, and happy to be part of this event. Even the police officers keeping an eye on things were respectful and non-invasive.

4) The Flow Craft: As with every successful EDM event, the flow craft is an important and beloved staple. At Hang’N In, flow craft was welcome and attendees enjoyed light shows from local glovers. I happily participated in one myself, getting lost in the music and the wonderful LED choreography.

3) The Concern For Safety And Accessibility: Live Bait offered a free shuttle service from The Hangout Fest to Live Bait and back. This was a safe and effective way to get the party animals to the show and to prevent drinking and driving. This service is incredibly appreciated and it was a pleasure to see attendees come and go safe and sound.

2) THE MUSIC!: From trap to hip hop to electro to dubstep and everything in-between, Hang’N In was packed full of intensity and swag. From international heavy hitters to local EDM heroes, the line up did not disappoint. I think that my favorite set of the weekend was KTLR. The raw power of that set kept me and my crew dancing hard!

1) Being A Part Of A Growing Gulf Coast EDM Scene: It’s been a slow growth down here on the Gulf Coast of Alabama. But, with events like Hang’N In, the tides are beginning to shift and shed light on the brilliance of the scene and its music. It’s acceptance is becoming more and more real as I see attendee numbers rise for each event and it’s only going to get bigger as we spread the word of these local events. Hang’N In is the just the beginning. With more parties in the works, I can’t wait to see what’s next!