By Val Tapia, BADS Contributing Writer
It’s already the last weekend of February, which means only one thing for fans of music and baseball— the annual Innings Festival 2024 in downtown Tempe, specifically Tempe Beach Park & Arts Park.
The festival, now in its sixth year, brings out some major hitters for 2024– musically and athletically speaking!
For those who don’t know, Innings Festival ties in to the start of Cactus League Spring Training, which has been an Arizona staple for at least six decades.
The Innings Festival has really grown over the past six years, and it continues to draw fans from all over the Southwest. Truth be told, that’s something that doesn’t happen very often with other festivals during any given year.
I’ll give a sample of what to expect upon arrival at the park. First, there are three stages where much of the action takes place. In the spirit of annual spring training, they’re appropiately titled the Home Plate Stage, Right Field Stage, and Left Field Stage.
On the Home Plate Stage, you’ll find the major music headliners of the weekend: Red Hot Chili Peppers (on Fri. Feb. 23 from 9:15 p.m.-11:00 p.m.) and Hozier (on Sat. Feb. 24 from 9:20 p.m.-11:00 p.m.), respectively.
The Right Field Stage will feature Mesa’s own Jimmy Eat World, who are scheduled to perform on Fri. Feb. 23 from 8:10 p.m.-9:10p.m. 2024 marks the band’s 30-year anniversary of its self titled debut album, released in 1994.
The Left Field Stage is the one reserved for all the baseball fans in attendance. The “main attraction”, if you will, is arguably the fan favorite of the Innings experience: a live talk show called Off The Mound, hosted by Ryan Dempster.
Dempster, a 2013 World Series champion and analyst with the MLB Network, will conduct interviews with various musical artists on the Innings bill, as well as current and former MLB players.
Truth be told, I was pleasantly surprised last year at how much I enjoyed Off The Mound, which featured a live interview with former Arizona Diamondback pitcher Randy Johnson, as well has Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Vedder.
I imagine it’s not too often where you see these two share a stage together— except Innings Fest.
There’s also an All-Star Jam on this stage, which is hosted by Jake Peavy. I missed this segment last year, so it’ll be cool to hopefully catch it this year. No pun intended.
Ready to play a few Extra Innings this year?
In a surprise move for 2024, the Innings team decided to add another weekend of music and baseball fun— which takes place next Fri. March 1 and Sat. March 2. The inaugural Extra Innings Festival commences with a bang! Read on:
The Home Plate stage will be headlined by country superstar Chris Stapleton (Friday) and Dave Matthews Band (Saturday). Both have participated in past Innings weekends as well.
Other notable musical acts include newly-inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sheryl Crow, as well as Tempe’s own Gin Blossoms. I’m confident it’ll be a triumphant homecoming for the latter. Don’t miss ’em— I predict they’ll be the MVPs of Extra Innings— for what it’s worth.
Just a side note: I think it’s (past) time that the Blossoms resurrect a lost classic in the band’s catalog live at Extra Innings, that being Angels Tonight (the version from their 1991 EP Up and Crumbling.) It would be an awesome remembrance to the band’s late guitarist and founding member Doug Hopkins.
In short order, the audience would go into a frenzy. Guaranteed.
Looking forward to both weekends— the weather should be great as well. See you there.
For ticket info. please visit inningsfestival.com/innings/tickets
