Day two of the MLB themed Innings Festival kicked off on Saturday, February 24th. Celebrating the start of spring training in Arizona, Tempe Beach Park turned into the grounds for Innings Festival. An experience featuring former baseball players, legendary bands, and more, the festival is enough to bring people in from out of state.
The two-day musical lineup featured bands from the ’80s to bands just getting their start post-pandemic. Hosted on two stages, the musical acts alternated every hour at Home Plate near the festival’s main entrance, and Right Stage further into the festival grounds, past the food and vendor entertainment. Left Stage was where the baseball experiences were held, including current baseball media, batting cages, and a speed pitch. While Innings Festival has a rich history of sporting a strong lineup, I personally believe this is the most special roster they’ve had since 2018.
4:00 PM: I kicked off coverage for day two at Right Field with Cautious Clay. The multitalented artist does just about everything possible on stage, including saxophone, flute, guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums—Clay could be a one-man band. Playing alongside his bandmates, frontman Clay mixes R&B with soul and upbeat dance music. This was the group’s first show of 2024, and they started on a high note at Innings Festival. Clay’s upbeat but relaxed sound was a great beginning to the day.
5:00 PM: I head over to Home Plate for Young The Giant. The band has a very unique sound, mixing electronic, alternative rock with subtle Bollywood influences. The band is best known for their tune “Mind Over Matter” which has over 225 million streams on Spotify, but the band is much more than just that track. They have songs you can dance to, songs you can relax to, and everything in between. With the sun shining on day two, seeing YTG knowing there were still 4 bands left on the lineup was an incredible feeling.
6:00 PM: I walked through the festival grounds to the far side to see Cannons take Right Field. The euphoric sound of Cannons was a unique compliment to the prior band at Home Plate. The indie trio has been releasing music since 2014, and their sound is quite trancelike and music you can zen out to. The California natives brought the calming energy as the sun lowered. While it certainly is a more chill set, frontwoman Michelle Joy was fantastic.
7:00 PM: As the sun was starting to set a bit quicker, Macklemore took Home Plate.The independent rapper has been bringing peace and love to the music scene for quite some time now. He consistently maintains a message of equality and supports all walks of life. Amidst spreading his message, Macklemore puts on quite the show complete with a band and backup dancers. It’s impossible to not have a good time at a Macklemore concert, even if you’re not already a fan.
8:00 PM: Third Eye Blind walked onto the Right Stage as the last band to play that stage for the weekend. Founded in 1993, TEB felt a bit nostalgic as the day was winding down. The band falls under the broad rock umbrella, specifically leaning towards the pop punk, post-grunge sound. With more than two decades of music, the band has a wide range of songs in their setlist. Paired with newer artists at the festival, it’s quite the experience to encounter such a wide history of music. The band hasn’t missed a beat throughout the years and looks just like the newer, younger bands. Essentially acting as a warmup for the headliner, Third Eye Blind did not disappoint warming up the crowd.
9:00 PM: The bittersweet last show of the weekend took place at Home Field with every single person on the festival grounds in one spot. Hozier headlined day two and brought the metaphorical house down to wrap up the festival. The Irish native is no regular singer-songwriter, with one of the more powerful voices I have heard live. His captivating lyrics and sound put him over the top,relative to any indie artist out there. In addition to the sheer talent Hozier possesses, he has a rare sense of humility. He thanks the crowd after just about every song, and genuinely shares his appreciation with the fans.
Hozier’s set is filled with upbeat rock songs, complemented with melodic acoustic tunes. The power he sings with, paired with the involvement of his band and backup singers, creates a truly unique atmosphere. Rightly deserving the of the headlining spot, Hozier is one of the most talented and entertaining artists touring right now.
CAUTIOUS CLAY
YOUNG THE GIANT
CANNONS
MACKLEMORE
THIRD EYE BLIND
HOZIER
INNINGS FESTIVAL, FEBRUARY 24, 2024
