The Beach is Calling

May is the Month for Music on the Gulf Coast

No matter what month you visit Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Ala., there’s no shortage of live music. From mellow beach tunes to classic country and smooth rock n roll, the Gulf Coast has more than its share of great bands and musicians ready to rock out on any day or night of the week. But, if your trip to the coast happens to be in May, there are two annual events you may want to put on your itinerary.

The annual Hangout Music Fest is slated May 18 to 20 and will boast three days of music right on the sugar-white sand beaches of Gulf Shores. More than 60 bands are set to hit multiple stages with headliners like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews Band and Jack White. While general admission tickets are sold out, a few VIP and Super VIP festival passes remain. Festival lodging partners are also offering tickets with accommodations while supplies last. The festival opens at 11 a.m. and ends at 11 p.m., nightly.

If you’re in Gulf Shores Memorial Day weekend (May 26 and 27), don’t miss the annual LuluPalooza Weekend Music Fest. In its eighth year, the family-friendly, two-day event features free concerts by Eric Lindell, Honey Island Swamp Band, Dread Clampitt, Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars and more. Held at Lulu’s at Homeport Marina, there will be plenty of music, activities and great food for the young and young at heart. Music starts at 4 p.m., but you’ll want to arrive early and treat yourself to some of Lulu’s famous LA Caviar or a Cheeseburger in Paradise.

Not in the area on these dates? Don’t fret. If there’s one thing you can count on during your vacation to the Gulf Coast, it’s a steady lineup of live music. Take a peek at the Calendar of Events to get plan your itinerary.

Throw a Few Fish at the Annual Mullet Toss and Beach Party

If you’re looking for a little something different to do on your next visit to the Gulf Coast, head down to the Flora-Bama Lounge and Oyster Bar April 27 to 29, 2012 for a competition all its own. In its 28^th year, the annual “Mullet Toss and Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party” will hit the sand for a weekend of friendly competition and live entertainment.

Located on the Alabama/Florida state line, the star attraction consists of competitors throwing a mullet from Alabama across the state line into Florida. More than two decades of games have proven that tossing a slippery, wet fish more than just a few feet can be a difficult, yet entertaining task, and champions come back year after year to defend their title. The children’s toss will begin at 10 a.m. daily and the adults toss is at noon. Admission is $10 for ages 21 and older and $15 for those under 21.

The weekend of events doesn’t stop with the fish toss. Throughout the three days, there will be three stages of live music, beach games and great food.  The annual event is a fundraiser by the Flora-Bama for local youth charities, including an education and prevention program by the Community Drug and Alcohol Council. Each year, the event generates more than $20,000 in donations.

If tossing mullet isn’t for you, there are plenty of other activities in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. From charter fishing to shopping or just simply relaxing on the beach, come on down and enjoy what the Gulf Coast has to offer you.

Concert News

When people come to visit the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach area live music is often as important as the beach. You have come to expect great outdoor concerts and we are only too happy to keep bringing great bands to the area for your entertainment. Our biggest and most successful concerts are the massive three-day music festival The Hangout Music Fest and the continuing concert series at the Amphitheater at the Wharf – The Pepsi Concert Series. Both of these venues periodically add artists to their roster so be sure to look here regularly for updates.

The Hangout Music Fest

Last week the festival announced the following additions to the line-up: Kaskade, Umphrey’s McGee, Delta Spirit, Heartless Bastards, Greyboy All Stars and Givers.

Additionally, if you have a boat and are interested in attending the festival, you might want to consider docking at Homeport Marina and catching a daily shuttle to the concerts. Homeport Marina is the first ever Official Marina of the 2012 Hangout Music Festival. It is located 3 miles from the festival site at Lulu’s at Homeport, on the Intracoastal Waterway Mile Marker 155 and the Highway 59 Bridge. Please CLICK HERE or call 251-968-4528 to make your reservation today for your Hangout experience.

Pepsi Concert Series

There are three upcoming concerts scheduled at the Wharf so far but additional acts are added throughout the summer.

Luke Bryan with Special Guest James Otto, Saturday April 14, 8:00 PM.

Luke Bryan is responsible for three country number one hit songs Rain Is a Good Thing and Someone Else Calling You Baby  and I Don't Want This Night to End. His energetic show is sure to get your toes tapping. For ticket information click here.

 

Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg, May 4, 8:00 PM
Rap icon Snoop Dogg joins rising start Wiz Khalifa to promote their soundtrack to the movie Mac and Devlin Go to Highschool. Both artists are hailed as innovators in rap and hip/hop. Together they form a compelling musical partnership. Be advised that the music is often explicit. For ticket information click here.

 

Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band, July 4, 8:00 PM

Celebrate Independence Day with a British invasion! Ringo Starr, legendary drummer of The Beatles, plays with a few of his friends for a great night of classic rock and roll. Steve Lukather of Toto; Gregg Rolie of Journey and Santana; Richard Page of Mr. Mister; Todd Rundgren, Mark Rivera, and Gregg Bissonette comprise the All Starr Band. For ticket information, click here.

 

Red Hot Chili Peppers and The 2012 Hang Loose Band Competition

The Hangout Music Festival officially added Grammy award-winning alternative music super stars, Red Hot Chili Peppers to the 2012 line up last week. Dave Matthews Band and Jack White round out the list of headliners.  For a complete line-up click here.

2012 Hang Loose Band Competition

If you dream of seeing your own band on the line-up of performers at this year’s 3-day event, you have a chance to make your dreams come true! This year, the festival, in conjunction with ReverbNation will host a contest called “The 2012 Hang Loose Band Competition” that will give one band the opportunity to join the stage with national talents.

To enter, click here to create a ReverbNation account and direct your fans to the profile you create.  Ten ReverbNation artists will be selected by Hangout Music Festival to have their song streaming on the Hangout website. Fans will then vote for the band they want to see at Hangout, may the best band win. If selected as a finalist, get your fans to vote you into Hangout’s 2012 artist line-up! Entry is free and runs through February 28th. Accepted genres include alternative, DJ, electronica, folk, hip hop, pop, R&B/soul, rock, Americana, dance, indie, jam, and rap.

Good luck!

 

The Hangout Music Festival 2012

Tickets went on sale Friday for this year’s event of the season, The Hangout Music Festival. Now in its third year, this massive three-day festival offers a beachside opportunity to hear some of the hottest musicians around. This year is no exception. The line-up, announced last week includes Dave Matthews Band and Jack White in the headliners tent along with, along with dance tent headliner Skrillex and the following:

More artists will be added – check here for updates. .

The 2012 Hangout Fest will offer even more room for amenities and the comfort of fans, with capacity capped at last year’s limit of 35,000 attendees per day, but with a considerable amount of new space added to the festival grounds. Hangout takes great effort in making sure that every concertgoer receives star treatment, and that VIPs are treated like royalty. All fans will enjoy a plethora of amenities including: Hammock Beach, a shaded area with art installations; the Sky-bar tower, offering 360-degree views of the festival; amusement rides; water stations with free refills for all guests; plus live comedy performances and a family-friendly kids’ stage at The Hangout club.

Gulf Shores offers a wide range of lodging options, from luxury to budget to family-friendly, many within walking or biking distance of the site – packages are available at www.hangoutmusicfest.com/info/lodging/. Travel package information is available at www.hangoutmusicfest.com/tickets/travel-packages/.

 

More Treasures at the Orange Beach Festival of Art, March 10 – 11

With hundreds of artists representing visual, literary, performance and culinary arts, visitors are sure to find more great treasures than they can carry. The real treasures, though, are the artists themselves. This festival is a great opportunity to find something unique that speaks to you and to be able to discuss it with the artist directly. Having that connection to a piece, makes it that much more special when you display it in your home.

Last week we addressed some of the remarkable artists visiting the area to share their craft. This week we want to highlight just a few more so you can see just how diverse and intriguing the roster of artists truly is.

Pottery - Larry Allen

Mr. Allen comes to the festival from Kentucky where he has been making magic with pottery since the 70s. His style brings together modern architectural symmetry with bold color and classic lines.  He says he has been inspired by a variety of events and cultures in his time. Mr. Allen’s specialty is a technique called Sgraffito. In Sgraffito (or sometimes spelled Scraffito) the Pottery Artist applies two layers of a contrasting colored slip (clay in a liquid form) to an unfired ceramic form. The artist then scratches or incises his design on the slip, which in turn exposes the lower layer slip color.

See his works on his Orange Beach Festival of Art Facebook page.

 

Music – Lisa Zanghi

Ms. Zanghi, a talented singer-songwriter, left this area in the early 90s to pursue a career in Nashville. Her influences include Bonnie Raitt, Carole King and Joni Mitchell. After honing her songwriting craft, she returned to the Gulf Coast area in 2005. Her performance at the festival promises to be emotionally powerful and a toe-tapping good time.

Learn more about her on her Orange Beach Festival of Art Facebook page.

Interactive Art – The Tannehill Forge School of Blacksmithing

The Tannehill Forge School of Blacksmithing will share its artisanship with festival-goers by allowing them to participate in creating rustic beauty during the festival. Children and adults get to join in the fun as molten metal is turned into sculptural design. This is a great opportunity for children especially to connect to the kinds of skills so essential to our forefathers.

Find out more about it on the Orange Beach Festival of Art Facebook page.

 

Entertainment Series 2012

Each year the City of Gulf Shores presents a winter line-up of top entertainers in a series of shows that run from January through March. Already this season we’ve seen Jukebox Junction – the combination of two great big band attractions – the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra and The Diamonds. We have also seen the Dukes of Dixieland offer a fascinating fusion of Dixieland jazz, country and modern music. If you missed either of those shows, don’t despair. It’s not too late to take in great national entertainment at our own outstanding local venue, the Erie Meyer Civic Center.

The next show on the schedule is Linda Davis – An Evening in the Round, January 24. Linda Davis, a Grammy-winning country music star, graces the stage to present her powerful musical skill and deeply heart-felt lyrics.

For the first show in February, we go back in time for a full big band experience with In The Mood. This 1940s musical revue includes singers, dancer and a full orchestra to make the illusion complete. The show runs February 6^th and 7^th.

Toward the end of the month, we get a rare double-bill called Raindrops and Boondocks. B. J. Thomas who wrote and sang “Raindrops Keeps Falling On My Head,” joins the stage with Billy Joe Royal, who sang “Down in the Boondocks.” They each have remained true to their singer/songwriter roots and together sing their greatest hits and duets like “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling.” Their show runs February 27th and 28th.

On March 3^rd and 4th, Cloris Leachman kicks things off with her one-woman show. With more than 70 years entertaining audiences, Miss Leachman brings a stunning repertoire of characters and life experience to share on stage.

Laughing With Legends follows next with a playful look back at the 1950s. Married couple, Brian and Joey Gurl keep audiences enthralled as they take a tour through the era showcasing their many talents. The show plays on March 6^th.

The season ends March 10^th and 11^th with Celebration Winds, an orchestral performance of favorite classical, pop and broadway tunes. The performers – from Birmingham and Atlanta – have brought their show to venues across the country and to London, England. The show is a musical extravaganza not to be missed.

Tickets for the shows vary between $21 and $39 and, if available, can be purchased here.

 

2012 Pepsi Concert Series

The first concert for the 2012 Pepsi Concert series was announced last week. Eric Church – Blood, Sweat & Beers Tour will kick off the season on March 10, 2012. Eric's chart-topping album, Chief, has earned him his first ever Grammy nomination for Best Country Album at the 54th annual Grammy Awards.  Church’s 2006 debut album, Sinners Like Me, established him as one of the most acclaimed new songwriters in country music. Brantley Gilbert & Drake White will join the marquee as special guests.

The show starts at 7:30 pm and tickets range from $36.75 to $44.50.

For those new to the area, the Pepsi Concert series brings headlining talent each Spring and Summer to the Wharf Amphitheater in Orange Beach.  Last year the series brought close to 20 amazing acts ranging from Jason Aldean to Steely Dan to Kid Rock. This year promises to be equally exciting as acts are constantly added to the roster of shows.  Keep looking here regularly for current information and special deals.

To purchase tickets and for more information regarding shows, click here.

 

 

Get Ready for Hangout Music Fest 2012

Tickets go on sale Friday for Hangout Music Fest 2012. Fans can purchase early bird, 3-day passes on November 18 for $159. The festival will take place May 18-20 at The Hangout in Gulf Shores.

The early bird price is the most economical option. Closer to the concert date the advance price will be $194 and, if they are not sold out, 3-day passes at the door will cost $209. Tickets must be purchased through the Hangout Festival website to guarantee authenticity. In addition to 3-day passes, avid fans can purchase VIP passes at the early bird price of $699, or Super VIP passes at the early bird price of $999.

The line-up for 2012 has not yet been confirmed, but headliners for last year’s concert included such luminaries as Paul Simon, Foo Fighters, Cee-Lo Green and Widespread Panic.

Those visiting from out of town for the concert, look for special travel packages to be announced soon.

 

Venues for the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival

This week the much anticipated Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival comes to the Alabama and Florida shores. For your convenience, we have the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach area venues listed below geographically. With so many venues participating, you should be able to find a place nearby where you can hear great music and storytelling through song. For a full schedule of events, click here.

 Gulf Shores

Happy Harbor Oyster Bay
4159 County Rd 6
Gulf Shores, AL
251-968-2778

 

LuLu’s At Home Port Marina
200 E. 25 Ave.
Gulf Shores, Al  36542
251-967-5858

 

 

 

Nolan’s Restaurant
1140 Gulf Shores Parkway
Gulf Shores, AL  36542
251-943-2111

 

 

Sunset Cork Room

225 E. 16^th Avenue

Gulf Shores, AL 36542

251-967-4772

 

Tacky Jacks Gulf Shores
240 E 24th Ave
Gulf Shores, AL 36542
251-948-8881

 

 The Hangout

101 W Beach Blvd
Gulf Shores, AL 36542
251-948-3030

 

Orange Beach

Flippers Sports Bar
5749 Bay La Launch Ave
Orange Beach, AL
251-981-3547

 

Ginny Lane’s
4780 Wharf Pkwy, Suite F101
Orange Beach, Al 36561
251-224-6500

 

Rafters Restaurant @ the Wharf
4725 Main Street, Suite 228
Orange  Beach, AL  36561
251-224-6900

 

Shipp's Harbour Grill
27842 Canal Rd
Orange Beach, AL
251-981-9891

 

Shuckers at the Wharf
4673 Wharf Parkway
Orange Beach, AL 36561
251-224-1007

 

Tacky Jacks Orange Beach
27206 Safe Harbor Drive
Orange Beach, AL 36561
251-981-4144

 

Tipseas Steam Shack
23479 Perdido Beach Blvd
Orange Beach, AL 36561
251-981-8477

 

Surrounding Area

Tin Top Restaurant & Oyster Bar
17240 Bon Secour Hwy
Bon Secour, Al  36511
251-949-5086

 

Pirate's Cove

6664 County Road 95
Elberta, AL  36530
251-987-1224

The Frog Pond at Blue Moon Farm
19375 Rada Rd
Silverhill, AL

251-232-3072