Four acts you won't want to miss at the Hangout Music Fest

It seems like everyone’s excited about Hangout Music Fest headliners Dave Matthews Band, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jack White, and justifiably so — all three are storied acts with phenomenal reputations as great live performers. But there are dozens of other great acts on the bill, so this week, I wanted to point out four of the down-ticket acts you’ll want to be sure not to miss. This doesn’t mean I’m ignoring veterans like Steve Winwood and Chris Cornell; or big names like Skrillex and Wilco. But between those sets, check out these bands.

Sleeper Agent

1 Sleeper Agent performed at DeLuna Fest last year on one of the side stages, and the couple of hundred people that were at that stage (I was one of ’em) got their faces rocked off by this sextet from Bowling Green, Ky. Their debut album, last year’s “Celabrasion,” was one of my favorite albums of 2011, with energetic songs liike “Get It Daddy” making an immediate impression. I love the male-female vocal interplay between Alex Kandel (a compelling frontwoman) and Tony Smith (who does double duty on guitar), and fizzy, hooky sound is downright addictive. Get to the festival early to check them out — they hit the Chevrolet Stage at 12:15 p.m. today.

GIVERS

2 GIVERS also played DeLuna Fest last year, but I had to miss their set, and I’ve been kicking myself ever since. Another band that makes great use of male-female vocal interplay — Tiffany Lamson and Taylor Guarisco are the twosome out front — if you know this band, you first heard them through their single “Up Up Up,” which got big enough that it was covered by the kids from “Glee.” Don’t party too hard tonight, so you can be up to see them at 11:30 a.m. Saturday on the main stage.

Gogol Bordello

3 One of the most theatrical sets of the festival weekend is certain to be provided by New York-based gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello. With members from Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Ethiopia, Ecuador, China, Scotland and the U.S., this multicultural act marries traditional gypsy sounds to the driving energy of punk rock. You may have seen vocalist Eugene Hütz and violinist Sergey Ryabtsev perform with Madonna in the televised Live Earth concert, but the band has also appeared in several movies and is a critical favorite. See them at 4:15 p.m. Saturday on the Chevrolet Stage.

Young the Giant

4 Why do you want to see alt-rock quintet Young the Giant? Go online and find the video of the band’s performance of “My Body” on the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. I’ll wait.

Any questions? Who wouldn’t want to see a band that puts on shows like that?

Along with “My Body,” the Irvine, Calif., quintet has scored hits with “Cough Syrup” (another “Glee”-featured song, by the way) and “Apartment” from its self-titled 2011 debut album, and has been selling out concerts across the country.

Make sure to check out Young the Giant at 1:45 p.m. Sunday on the “Letting Go” stage.