Major League Baseball spring training and warm weather aren’t the only things attracting tourists to Arizona in February and March these days. The Grand Canyon State has become a haven for live music lovers looking to start festival season before the unofficial kickoff at Coachella. Though M3F is the longer-standing (and more charitable) such affair in Arizona, Innings Festival has come on strong to not only stake its own claim on the festival circuit, but also help to put the region on the outdoor music map.
Six years since its founding, Innings Festival now spans two weekends at Tempe Beach Park & Arts Park in Tempe, AZ. Between Innings and Extra Innings, the 2024 edition consisted of four days, each of which sported a distinct lineup.
The first of those days featured a heavy rock presence across Innings Festival’s two main stages, aptly named Home Plate and Right Field. 311 brought their signature brand of hip-hop, ska, and reggae-infused alt-rock to bear on the Home Plate crowd. They were followed up by the Led Zeppelin-esque baroque rock stylings of Greta Van Fleet, who, in turn, served as the de facto opener for West Coast alt-rock pioneers Red Hot Chili Peppers as the headliners.
Along the way, Right Field featured a lineup that leaned even more heavily into the alt side of things. Matt and Kim got the crowd jumping with their simple keys-and-drums setup, along with a hefty helping of fun inflatables. Phantogram introduced some electronic elements to the mix, as is their wont, before Mesa, AZ’s own Jimmy Eat World brought a bit of emo to the fore with 2000s favorites like “The Middle” and “Sweetness”.
Saturday of weekend one was slightly more eclectic in its offerings. Third Eye Blind and Young The Giant carried the baton for alt-rock, with Hozier headlining on a more soulful, bluesier note. Macklemore held it down for hip-hop on the Home Plate stage, after Cautious Clay and Cannons splashed the crowd with indie-pop at the Right Field stage.
A week later, Extra Innings took a decided tilt toward country and affiliated vibes for the baseball-loving crowd. Chris Stapleton headlined the first day of March, with the likes of Turnpike Troubadours, Ryan Bingham, Elle King, Charley Crockett, and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram providing support throughout the day.
Come Saturday, Dave Matthews Band and Sheryl Crow took the marquee, with the former welcoming Jennifer Hartswick for a cameo. Tempe’s own Gin Blossoms joined in on the 1990s retro fun, while Noah Kahan and Morgan Wade brought fans into the present day of country and folk.
Dave Matthews Band – Extra Innings Festival – 3/2/24 [Full Set]
[Video: DMB]
As distinct as each weekend was from the other, both were bonded by their ties to baseball. Each weekend brought with it appearances from a slew of former MLB stars, including Jake Peavy, Ryan Braun, Matt Kemp, Luis Gonzalez, Eric Gagne, and Bret Saberhagen, among others.
All told, this year’s Innings Festival cemented the brand’s place as a force to be reckoned with on the live music landscape. The heavy hitter-laden lineups spoke for themselves. Throw in the appeal of warm weather in the winter, and it’s clear that festival season now officially kicks off earlier than ever.
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