Well that’s that. After months of speculation, it’s finally official: Morgan Wallen‘s Sand In My Boots Festival won’t be returning to Gulf Shores, Alabama in 2026, after the city announced on Monday that Hangout Festival, which was rebranded as Sand In My Boots for 2025, is cancelled next year. The announcement comes after the first version of Morgan’s festival drew high praise from the city and set the standard for the event going forward. The festival took place back in May as a one year takeover of Hangout Fest, with a lineup featuring Morgan Wallen, Post Malone, Brooks & Dunn and HARDY, as well as a wide range of artists from different genres including Riley Green, Wiz Khalifa, T-Pain, Chase Rice, 49 Winchester, and Three 6 Mafia. It was clear that the festival was going to be a hit after tickets sold out less than two hours after going on sale, and afterwards Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft had high praise for the crowd that the festival brought in: “My analogy has been, my own personal thoughts, in the past, we had young kids with their daddy’s credit card here and not a whole lot for them to worry about. They were on a free leash. So this year we had an older group that had their own credit card. And you could certainly see that they were more disciplined. There were less problems… Really it was a much better behaving crowd.” A couple months ago, the Gulf Shores city council reviewed a proposal on whether or not to allow Hangout Festival to return in 2026, and the city’s director of economic development and public affairs made it clear that if it returned, they expected either Sand In My Boots festival to return, or a replacement that would draw the same type of crowd – or they may not grant them a permit to return in the future: “Festival agrees the 2025 SIMB festival will serve as a benchmark for the type of event they shall offer in order to attract a similar audience to provide a positive reputational and economic impact for the community.” The city ultimately approved a one year extension for the festival, which the mayor said would serve as a test for the future: “Those conditions are going to be along the lines of, create the same group that we had this year… So we’re going to have to get comfortable that they’re going to be able to recreate that group of people we had on the beach, because it was dramatically different… We have made it really clear. The only one we’re worried about right now is ’26. Can they do what they’re supposed to do, in ’26. The motivating factor there, if you can do it right, we can go forward. If you don’t, it’s over.” While they didn’t come out and say it, it seems like the city’s message was pretty clear: They wanted Sand In My Boots to return for 2026. Unfortunately, if the festival makes its return, it will have to wait another year. In announcing the cancellation, the mayor placed the blame on festival organizers, saying they waited too long to book the caliber of acts they needed: “We are already approving the event in 2027. We delayed too long, or they did, in their application to be able to get the kind of acts that we required them to have to be successful in 2026. We will refuse to let them go back to the acts that we’ve had before and so they couldn’t do it… They canceled the 2026 event, but they’ve got time now to pursue the type of talent we want on our beaches to invite the right audience that we want on our beaches, that we proved last time, the last event, that could happen. We’re determined if it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen that way again.” (For reference, the 2024 version of Hangout Festival included Lana Del Rey, Zach Bryan, The Chainsmokers, Cage the Elephant, Sexxy Red and others, while 2023 was headlined by Red Hot Chili Peppers, SZA, Calvin Harris and Paramore). Reading between the lines, it sounds like they really want a country festival (whether that’s Sand In My Boots or some other country festival) versus a pop/EDM festival that would draw teenagers and a younger crowd. And unfortunately, by this point in the year all the major artists are already booked for summer 2026. Honestly, it’s smart to go ahead and cancel now. We’ve seen many times in the past what happens when a festival throws together a subpar lineup and ends up pulling the plug after the lineup’s been announced and tickets have been sold. If they want Sand In My Boots, or something like it, to return in 2027, go ahead and start planning now when artists are still booking shows for the following summer. So while Sand In My Boots won’t be returning in 2026, it sounds like there’s still a possibility for 2027. At least if they mayor gets his way.The post ‘Sand In My Boots Festival’ Won’t Be Returning To Gulf Shores In 2026 As City Announces Hangout Fest Is Canceled Until 2027 first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

@Shaboozey and @StephenWilsonJr slow it down & take us for a walk ?‍↔️ #CMAawards

we are so happy y'all wrote this song to sing ? #CMAawards @chrisstapleton @mirandalambert

Larry Fleet actually has two jobs. Officially, he’s a country music singer, and unofficially, he’s a counselor for his fans. Larry Fleet joined the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast to talk new music, faith, sobriety, and to dive into some downright wild stories. He shared how he connects with fans around the world, and why he still writes drinking songs despite stepping away from alcohol. Larry also opened up about the role God plays in his music… and tells us about the UFO he saw, his ghost encounter, and why he believes in Bigfoot (it gets really interesting at the end of the episode). He’s a steward of good songwriting and someone who sees himself as a force moving country music in the right direction. Fleet has a multitude of songs that put faith and God front and center, and that’s an intentional move by him. The country singer’s main motivation is just his own relationship with the Lord, and hoping to help lead others to Him. But another, sub-motive is to hopefully shift the subject matter of what country music is usually based upon: “With country music, the drinking and the partying and hell raising has been glorified. Where you don’t glorify God or glorify these other things. So I try to write to write the opposite of that. I think that radio and country music and everything else has really glorified the partying and the drinking. That’s not really country music. What country music was back in the day was very much gospel influence and it was on family and love on all these different things. We’ve kind of steered away from things that actually mean something.” Is that a hot take? I personally don’t think so, but I suppose each country music fan has their own opinion on the current state – and current focus – of modern country music. For Fleet, who has been sober for over four years, he’s simply entered a time in his life where he feels as though he understands what is most important. He stated that he no longer needs to party to have fun, but that he can still draw upon past experiences to curate a hit drinking or party song if he needed to. However, Fleet is very aware that his fans really cherish his work because it’s vulnerable, and often shines a light on the importance of a relationship with God. Because he pens and sings song about faith so often, we asked if that leads to fans coming up to him and spilling everything about their lives to him: He immediately answered with this: “Lord, yes. I’m a counselor most of the time. It’s cool because talking to people is fun. I like talking, but I like talking about (real) stuff. I like hearing about what other people are doing in their life.” Larry Fleet says that his career has allowed for him to meet plenty of “cool people.” His one example was NFL legend and broadcaster Troy Aikman recently hitting him up. Even though his wife didn’t know who Aikman was, it was a surreal experience for him. That being said, Fleet is actually more drawn to conversing with those everyday people that he crosses paths with: “I’m really drawn to the guy shoeing horses down the road, or the guy on the skid steer, or the guy pouring concrete. I like talking to those guys and seeing what they are into. I’m drawn to the normal guy, the normal person. They come up to me and they’re drawn to me because I sing ‘Working Man’ and ‘Where I Find God.’ I sing everything about their day.” He sure does. Fleet then jokingly talked about how he was going to get a shirt made that says “Your dad’s favorite singer,” because that’s what most of the younger crowd comes up to him and says. The “Where I Find God” singer doesn’t mind. He’s just happy and grateful to be where he is in his career (Fleet excitedly mentioned that he just bought his first ever new truck recently), and in his eyes, every interaction with a fan is an opportunity for a new song: “Not only am I talking to people just to hear about their life, I’m getting song ideas all day long. They’re just telling me their story and I’m good at making things rhyme. I can twist that around and bring a hook in and sing it in a way – God gave me a good voice – that definitely helps me out. I love talking to people, and yes, (singing about faith) opens them up and they feel comfortable to come talk to me.” So if you ever get the chance to talk to Larry Fleet, just know that he’s listening, and he’s listening so well that your life story could be flipped into a country music hit. If you want to hear more from Larry Fleet, make sure to download the podcast on Apple Podcasts by searching “Whiskey Riff Raff” or by clicking here. We’re also available on Spotify and wherever else you can listen to podcasts. Cheers, y’all. Audio Video The post Larry Fleet Says Conversations With Fans & Everyday People Often Turn Into Song Ideas: “They’re Just Telling Me Their Story” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Setting the record straight. You can argue that, despite the monster success over the past few years, Treaty Oak Revival has been one of the most controversial bands in the genre as of late. Beyond the fact that their patented blend of country, rock and grunge has infuriated the likes of many die-hard country purists, their rowdy live shows have also caught some major flack over the past year. It’s not like Treaty Oak themselves are doing anything never before seen at concerts, quite the opposite, actually. While, of course, you’ll never see the likes of George Strait or Alan Jackson and their backing bands crank up the overdrive on their electric guitars, lay waste to some grungy, country-fried tunes and spray a couple beers out on the stage and crowd, it’s not like their Texas, country/rock predecessors such as Koe Wetzel haven’t raised some absolute hell at venues across the nation. Following in the footsteps of Wetzel, Kolby Cooper and more, in many ways, Treaty Oak Revival serves as a reflection of their upbringing. With nearly all members of the five-piece band hailing from West Texas, primarily near Odessa, the throughline of their patented country/grunge tunes reflect the sights, sounds and inherent problems that arise in an oil town who’s primary source of entertainment come from wild, booze and drug-soaked weekends out in the country. It’s safe to say that this is highlighted best (and arguably most notably) during their live performances of their 2021 fan-favorite “Boomtown.” At this point, if you’ve been keeping up with the alt. country/southern rock scene in general, I’d be surprised if you haven’t seen a few viral videos of Treaty Oak’s “Boomtown” tradition at each and every one of their concerts. Simply put, it gets PRETTY wild every night, with frontman, Sam Canty, and Co. starting the song off by giving fans in the front of the pit a good ole beer shower. @kenzi_jayde0 needless to say I was soaked #boomtown #lubbock #texastech #treatyoakrevival ##greenscreenvideo ♬ original sound – • Kaitlyn • @ellen_a.money Whoever threw that is my opp. #foryou #fyp #treatyoak #concert #foryoupage #treatyoakrevival ♬ Missed Call – Treaty Oak Revival As it is with many good things, however, this has quickly devolved into some chaos at quite a few shows. As shown in the TikTok above, there have been quite a few different occasions where drunk audience members have decided to chuck nearly full beer cans recklessly into the crowd, even hitting fellow fans in the head. Not only are fans at risk, however, Canty himself got hit by a seemingly full (or near-full) beer can at their South Carolina show back in September, which not only gave him a pretty nice gash on his cheek, right above his right eye, but also knocked his microphone straight off the stand during a performance of “No Vacancy.” @saberw23 bro got hit in the face and kept going @Treaty Oak Revival #fyp #treatyoakrevival ♬ original sound – saber It’s safe to say this has been a hot-topic in the country community as Treaty Oak continues to grow bigger and bigger by the day, highlighted recently with the success of their latest album, West Texas Degenerate, which debuted at #1 on both Apple Music and Spotify’s U.S. album-debut charts upon its release on November 28th. While some fans will argue it’s just part of Treaty Oak experience, there’s a huge difference between soaking a section of a crowd with beer, or tossing plastic cups, and launching a full beer directly at the singer’s face. It’s become clear that’s exactly how the band views it as well. In a recent interview with ’90s country legend, Tracy Lawrence, on his podcast, TL’s Road House, Canty himself was asked about getting hit at the aforementioned show and other members of the band weighed in on the growing phenomenon at their shows. Referencing the fact that every member of the band has been nailed by some flying object — whether it’s a beer can, a plastic cup or even a Zyn can — guitarist, Lance Vanley would tell the “Paint Me a Birmingham” singer that they’re trying their best to stop it after he asked the group if they encourage it the way Gavin Adcock does. “No, [we don’t]. We have pour-only [beers] at our shows to stop or try to as much as we can. But I mean, at a certain point, people in the balcony, they don’t have pour-only if they want to throw a can or a bottle, whatever. We don’t encourage it. The biggest thing is, when you’re done throwing the liquid around, just put it on the ground.” Canty would immediately share the same sentiment, noting that, for them, it’s always been about the beer-showers, not the beer-throwing. “Also, our thing has always been the beer-shower thing. I’ve been to festivals where they do it. They hold it up over their heads, and they swing it around in a circle, then you just the thing on the ground. The whole thing where it just turned into throwing full cans and cups and stuff [became more dangerous]. It got a little bit more weight to it.” After pointing to a show with Wetzel a few years ago during a rowdy night in Washington, D.C. as a potential catalyst for the beer-throwing phenomenon at their shows, also referencing how the “High Road” singer himself is no stranger to some wild crowds, Lawrence and Vanley discussed some possible factors to why it’s become such an issue. Lawrence would theorize that the viral videos referenced above played a part in the problem, and Vanley agreed with the sentiment. “Now everyone’s seen the videos. [They’re like], ‘Well, I saw it, so I want to experience the same thing. I mean, I get it to a certain extent, but also, you’ve had people’s heads cracked open. It’s for safety.” As stated previously, there’s a huge difference between a simple beer-shower from both the band and members of the crowd. With that being said, however, it’s become a huge issue when you account for downright stupid, drunk attendees who are putting others at risk with the beer-throwing itself. While it won’t fix the problem over night, it’s good to see Treaty Oak clear the air on the controversy and continue to attempt to fix the problem that’s not only effecting them on stage but their fans as well. Watch the full podcast here: Treaty Oak Revival 2025-2026 Tour Dates Dec. 11, 2025 – Odessa, TX – Ector County Coliseum Dec. 12, 2025 – Ardmore, OK – Heritage Hall Dec. 13, 2025 – Lubbock, TX – Cook’s Garage Dec. 14, 2025 – Lubbock, TX – Cook’s Garage Dec. 19, 2025 – Oklahoma City, OK – Paycom Center Dec. 20, 2025 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena Dec. 31, 2025 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center Feb. 5, 2026 – Worcester, MA – DCU Center ! Feb. 6, 2026 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena ! Feb. 7, 2026 – State College, PA – Bryce Jordan Center ! Feb. 12, 2026 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena ! Feb. 13, 2026 – Charleston, WV – Charleston Coliseum ! Feb. 14, 2026 – Columbia, SC – Colonial Life Arena ! Feb. 19, 2026 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center ! Feb. 20, 2026 – Evansville, IN – Ford Center ! Feb. 21, 2026 – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena ! Mar. 12, 2026 – Springfield, MO – Great Southern Bank Arena ! Mar. 13, 2026 – North Little Rock, AR – Simmons Bank Arena ! Mar. 14, 2026 – Bossier City, LA – Brookshire Grocery Arena ! Mar. 26, 2026 – Greensboro, NC – First Horizon Coliseum ! Mar. 27, 2026 – Knoxville, TN – Food City Center ! Mar. 28, 2026 – Opelika, AL – Auburn Rodeo ^ Apr. 11, 2026 – Gonzales, TX – Cattle Country Festival ^ Apr. 25, 2026 – Indio, CA – Stagecoach 2026 ^ Apr. 26, 2026 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center ! Apr. 30, 2026 – Seattle, WA – WAMU Theater ! May 1, 2026 – Spokane, WA – Numerica Veterans Arena ! May 2, 2026 – Portland, OR – Veterans Memorial Coliseum ! May 14, 2026 – Southaven, MS – BankPlus Amphitheater ! May 15, 2026 – Birmingham, AL – Coca-Cola Amphitheater * May 16, 2026 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena ! May 28, 2026 – Panama City Beach, FL – Gulf Coast Jam 2026 ^ May 29, 2026 – Macon, GA – Atrium Health Amphitheatre ! June 18, 2026 – North Lawrence, OH – The Country Fest 2026 ^ June 19, 2026 – Bloomington, IL – Tailgate N’ Tallboys 2026 ^ June 25, 2026 – Bonner Springs, KS – Country Stampede ^ June 26, 2026 – North Platte, NE – NEBRASKAland Days ^ July 1, 2026 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre ! July 8, 2026 – Chicago, IL – Windy City Smokeout ^ July 11, 2026 – Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena ! July 17, 2026 – Cheyenne, WY – Cheyenne Frontier Days ^ July 18, 2026 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre * Aug. 8, 2026 – Oshkosh, WI – xRoads41 ^ ^ festival * Live Nation ! AEGThe post Treaty Oak Revival Addresses Controversial Beer-Throwing At Their Concerts – “We Don’t Encourage It” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.