By Val Tapia, BADS Contributing Writer
Well, it’s that time of year again when the world(s) of baseball and music collide once again as Innings Fest 2023 takes the stage at Tempe Beach and Arts Park this Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 25 and 26) from 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. both days.
Make no mistake, this year’s installment of Innings Fest will leave many a Gen Xer happier than a pig in mud. Saturday night’s headliner Green Day will mark it’s first Valley appearance in six years. On Sunday, Eddie Vedder (of Pearl Jam) will do the honor of closing out the weekend with his (I’m told… “exceptional”) solo band.
Other bands and artists on the two stages of music include a new incarnation of The Black Crowes, as well as Weezer, The Pretty Reckless, and The Revivalists, among a plethora of others.
Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the other draw of the festival: the various MLB athletes who will be “making the rounds” throughout both days.
Matt Williams, Kevin Mitchell, and Dontrelle Willis are scheduled for Saturday, while Rafael Palmeiro, Edgar Martinez, and Randy Johnson are scheduled to appear on Sunday.
Not to fear baseball fans: the popular Innings staple talk show Off The Mound w/Ryan Dempster makes a return as well.
It should be noted that Innings Fest actually features three stages: the Home Stage (where Green Day and Vedder will close their respective shows), the Right Field Stage (where The Black Crowes and The Pretty Reckless will play), and the Left Field Stage (which will feature the MLB All-Star Band.
For clarification, the Left Field Stage is also the area of the park which will provide all the baseball-themed fun for the sports fans in attendance. To its credit, there is a little something for most everyone at Innings Fest.
At press time, all of the two-day passes and single-day Saturday tickets are sold out. However, single-day Sunday tickets are still available. There are also some other “VIP” options that are still available at www.inningsfestival.com/arizona/tickets .
The following are the start times for most of the musical artists that are scheduled to appear. Attendees beware: all times listed below are subject to change without notice.
With any luck, let’s cross our fingers for nice weather, given what we’ve seen all week. But I digress.
Have fun, be safe friends!
Sat. Feb. 25
The Home Plate Stage:
Green Day: from 9:05-11:00 p.m.
Weezer: from 6:25-7:40 p.m.
The Offspring: from 4:15-5:15 p.m.
The Glorious Sons: from 2:30-3:15 p.m.
Annie DiRusso: from 1:00 p.m.-1:45 p.m.
The Right Field Stage:
The Black Crowes: from 7:45-9:00 p.m.
The Pretty Reckless: from 5:20-6:20 p.m.
Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness: from 3:15-4:15 p.m.
Heartless Bastard: from 1:45-2:30 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 26
The Home Plate Stage:
Eddie Vedder: from 9:30-11:00 p.m.
Marcus Mumford: from 7:20-8:20 p.m.
Mt. Joy: from 5:10-6:10 p.m.
Magic City Hippies: from 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Hazel English: from 1:30-2:15 p.m.
The Right Field Stage:
The Revivalists: from 8:25-9:25 p.m.
The Head And The Heart: from 6:15-7:15 p.m.
Umphrey’s McGee: from 4:00-5:10 p.m.
Paris Jackson: from 2:15-3:00 p.m.
TBA: from 1:00-1:30 p.m.
