Gold Coast green-lights SandTunes, offering beach ’n’ music experience reminiscent of Hangout Music Fest

Next December will see the Gold Coast host a massive two-day festival SandTunes, based on the Hangout Music Festival held on Alabama’s Gulf Shores each May for the past six years.

Patrons can watch big name acts on the sand surrounded by palm trees, and go for a surf in between acts.

Hangout is targeted at an up-market demo - there is no camping, but patrons stay in nearby condos and hotel rooms. Its co-founders call it “a vacation with music”. 

SandTunes is put together by TEG Dainty, nightclub baron Billy Cross’ events company Cross Promotions which handles 90% of Queensland’s music festivals, and US promoter AEG through its subsidiary Goldenvoice which has a stake in Hangout, and runs Coachella and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. 

Up to 35,000 patrons are expected, with two stages on either end of Coolangatta Beach between Kirra and Greenmount beaches.

It is expected to generate $14 million in tourism spending, and while there’ll be no cars allowed, 300 buses will move patrons in and out of the precinct.

Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate said that SandTunes is one of the major events being planned for the region after the Commonwealth Games.

The deal between Hangout Music Fest and the Australian arm is for five years, with the opportunity for a further five-year period.

SandTunes will only be staged on the Gold Coast. 

Before the Council voted last Friday, Paul Dainty noted that other beachside places – including St. Kilda in Melbourne and Fremantle in WA – had also shown interest in securing the event.

It is not known how much of SandTunes will adopt from Hangout.

Certainly given the American festival’s pull and Dainty’s own link to the superstars, we can expect some major names to kick it off.

This year’s Hangout in May featured Mumford & Sons, Twenty One Pilots,  Chance The Rapper, Major Lzer, Weezer, DJ Snake,  Sigur Ros  Migos, Charli XCX and Franz Ferdinand. 

Acts in previous years included Foo Fighters,  Flume, The Weeknd, Panic at The Disco, Foo Fighters, Skrillex, The Black Keys and The Killers.

While most of the Council members were excited about SandTunes’ anticipated injection of tourist numbers and dollars “at no cost of Council”, two councillors voted against the festival. 

Gail O’Neill objected to the event being held on the beach.

“It’s totally unacceptable,” she said. “I love the Gold Coast, I love festivals, I love music events but this belongs somewhere else, not on Coolangatta Beach.”