If you love 90s rock, then the Hangout Fest is October's go-to show. Squeal, Henry Ate and more play together for the first time in decades.
It started as an idea to gather the rockers who built the soundtrack of an era. It was all about giving them a stage worthy of their legacy.
For veteran Mix FM DJ and South African music industry stalwart Kerry Ann Allerston, The Hangout Fest is not just another gig on the calendar. It is a tribute. And the second instalment is coming in October.
“I am doing The Hangout Fest as a tribute to all of the rock stars that paved the way for artists going forward,” she said.
“I do not think this lineup will ever happen again. Life happens, and bands are scattered around the world, and there are fewer and fewer opportunities for bands in general to perform and fewer venues to play at.
“To get eight bands from the ’80s and ’90s all on one lineup is a gigantic feat. That was my biggest mission.”
It has taken time to get here.
The first Hangout Fest took place two years ago and featured a mix of genres and age groups.
This year takes a different turn, aimed at an audience that grew up with grunge riffs, indie experimentation, and stadium rock choruses.
If you love Squeal, Sugardrive and Henry Ate and Plum, it’s your kind of gig.
If you love 90s SA rock, this one’s for you
“My plan was always to have a second festival, and then I thought, what if we put a festival together for people a little older this time,” Allerston said.
“There are fewer places to go for people over the age of 40, and those people still want to rock out. They still want to see the bands they saw 30 years ago. This one is for a slightly older crowd. I want to take people back in time, and I want them to relive their youth.”
The 90s, she said, were a time like no other for local music.
“More and more bands came out of the 90s because of the time and everything that was going on. There was so much support back then and different venues on every corner.
“It was possibly just a little safer for people to go out and we were more carefree.
“It was easier to party and to follow your bands around. Everyone had residencies. You knew from Tuesday to Sunday who you were watching and where. It was just easier to support bands than it is now.”
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Allerston has been booking bands for close to three decades and was part of that scene in its heyday.
“I watched all those bands in the early ’90s across the genres. I was the one who put the posters up and had to get my friends to drive me around because I did not even have a car.
“There was a vibe and a buzz. Everyone was excited, and bands were a little more risqué. It was big music.”
A sense of celebration
That sense of celebration is what she wants to recreate.
“It is important to support and to pay tribute to the legends. That is why it is called the Legends Fest. I know they probably hate being called legends, but they are, and I am putting this together to celebrate them and treat them like the rock stars they are, one last time.”
She still wonders why more local rock bands never broke internationally, because SA’s got more than just talent. SA’s got soul.
“The artists that came out of South Africa then and now, a lot of it is better than what we are listening to on the radio. We are just so talented here. We draw inspiration from so many diverse cultures and have so many stories to tell. I do not know how bands like Sugar Drive did not make it internationally.
“Though Wonderboom won an international battle of the bands in China, No Friends of Harry played the Marquee in London. So did the Psycho Reptiles. I do not know why more of our acts did not break through. I wish I did.”
The Hangout Fest promises more than just music.
“It is going to be good times and good fun. There will be stalls, food, drinks all day, fun surprises, and giveaways. It is a day-night party with music from reggae to rock to goth. There will be something for everyone.”
It has not been easy pulling it together.
“It really is a hell of a job. You must look for funding, and people are not sponsoring the bands on this lineup. It has been a huge challenge, but I have no doubt the tickets will sell out because of the lineup. I just want to make it a beautiful day for the fans, but more importantly for the artists.”
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