The highs and lows of Innings Festival 2023 in Tempe from chilly weather to Randy Johnson
Innings Festival returned to Tempe Beach Park Saturday with Green Day headlining a sold-out bill that also featured heavy hitters Weezer and The Black Crowes. The Sunday lineup was stacked with appearances from Paris Jackson, Marcus Mumford and, of course, Eddie Vedder topping the bill.
This marked the fifth year for Innings, the baseball-meets-music bash that rang in Arizona's Cactus League spring training. The 2023 event brought musical artists and MLB players to the park near Tempe Town Lake for a weekend of performances, appearances and a fair amount of fun and games.
A lot of the weekend was an unmitigated blast. But it wasn't all, ahem, a walk in the park. Here's a look at the weekend's highs and lows of Innings Fest.
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High: Eddie Vedder was rockin' in the cold world
Eddie Vedder fans were feeling the winter chill in their bones by the time he brought his headlining performance to a rousing conclusion Sunday night with Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World.”
It was 45 degrees.
But Vedder made it worth our while with a solo set that thrived on spontaneity and humor. He smashed a ukulele, dusted off songs by the Beatles, U2 and Tom Petty and spoke at length about whatever popped into his head. And he brought friends to join him this time, from Josh Klinghoffer, a utility player in Pearl Jam's touring band since 2021, to a major league baseball star, Bronson Arroyo. It was loose, it was fun, it was freezing.
Here's hoping Innings has him back as often as he'd like to play.
— Ed Masley
High: It was all Mumford, no sons
Marcus Mumford’s Home Plate Stage performance included stark acoustic versions of songs he recorded with Mumford & Sons (“Awake My Soul,” “The Cave” and “I Will Wait”) as well as Taylor Swift’s “Cowboy Like Me,” which he played on a guitar named Eddie, as in Sunday headliner Eddie Vedder.
Unlike Vedder, though, he’s touring with a backing band. They fleshed out the bulk of his set in arrangements that could be quite sparse but more frequently approached a widescreen cinematic grandeur largely driven by his lead guitarist, an expressive master of sustain.
— Ed Masley
Low: As in temperatures
By the time Marcus Mumford finished his performance, the temperature had plummeted to 50 degrees. It cycled through comfortable, chilly and brisk to land on “too damn cold to be outside.” And yes, I know it’s colder in a bunch of other places on the planet at the moment. But I wasn't shivering my way through Eddie Vedder in those other places.
— Ed Masley
High: Cubs fan Eddie Vedder chatting with Randy Johnson
Before he took the stage to headline Innings Fest on Sunday, Eddie Vedder dropped by “On the Mound with Ryan Dempster,” a live talk show, to geek out on his love of baseball and specifically, the Cubs.
At one point, Dempster was trying to set up a question with “You’re a huge baseball fan” when Vedder interrupted him.
“No, Randy Johnson is huge,” Vedder said. “I’m just a baseball fan.”
That height difference became more obvious when Johnson strolled onstage.
Vedder wanted to ask Johnson a question, which didn’t have anything to do with baseball. It concerned a bar fight in Seattle, where Johnson intervened after someone hit Soundgarden’s manager with a bottle.
Vedder wanted to confirm the details of what happened as he understood them. He invited the crowd to “just picture a 6-10 Joe Pesci from ‘Goodfellas’ with a pay phone.”
Vedder also traced his love of baseball and the Cubs to hanging out at Wrigley Field and playing sandlot baseball as a kid. “Those days at Wrigley Field were some of my happiest times,” he said.
And being a Cubs fan taught Vedder a lesson that came in handy as a struggling musician. “Keep trying to stay out of the basement,” Vedder said. “That’s good enough.”
— Ed Masley
High: Nothing but praise for Mt. Joy
Mt. Joy eased into their Home Plate Stage performance with "Lemon Tree." Matt Quinn strummed an acoustic on a hushed first verse that didn’t even hint at the electrifying, borderline-cacophonous conclusion the song came to, driven by Sam Cooper’s truly heroic guitar leads.
Variations on that same dynamic template carried Mt. Joy’s set through highlights as transcendent as "Let Loose" and "Silver Linings."
Other songs — the full-tilt rock 'n' roll of "Evergreen," for example — exploded on impact to equally brilliant effect. And the fact that they tossed in a suitably funky rendition of Fatboy Slim’s "Praise You" didn’t hurt their case one bit.
— Ed Masley
High: Paris Jackson turned around a bumpy start
Watching Michael Jackson’s daughter mumble her way through the opening verse or her opening song while chewing gum and being drowned out by her bandmates, I thought this set was destined for a weekend low.
But it got better as the singer started having fun. “We’re having so many technical difficulties, it’s actually hilarious," Jackson said. That was the turning point.
Her sound is straight-up ‘90s alt-rock with heavy distorted guitars and occasional screaming. By the time the band launched into a roughed-up cover of Blind Melon’s calling card, “No Rain,” the singer/actress/model had emerged as an engaging presence with the attitude it takes to make this kind of music hit like it should.
— Ed Masley
Low: Sound issues plagued several sets
The technical difficulties Paris Jackson mentioned in her second-stage performance on the second day of Innings Fest were not an isolated incident. Several acts on Saturday were temporarily undone by muffled sound that muted their performances, including main-stage sets by Green Day, Weezer and the Offspring. It wasn’t bad enough to kill the vibe, just bad enough to notice.
— Ed Masley
High: Green Day brought the sold-out bill to crowd-pleasing finish
Green Day brought the night to a crowd-pleasing finish with a hit-filled set that featured all the staples you’d expect, from “Basket Case” and “When I Come Around” to “American Idiot" and “Wake Me Up When September Ends” before sending the fans on their way with a wistful rendition of “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life).”
It was the perfect ending, with Billie Armstrong singing “I hope you had the time of your life” to a crowd of people who certainly seemed as though they may have put the moment on their shortlists of the best times of their lives.
— Ed Masley
Low: Traffic
You can’t have a major music festival without some traffic hassles, right?
I got there early for Annie DiRusso, who opened the Home Plate Stage at 1 p.m., which, as it turns out, was the right decision for two reasons.
First and foremost, she was really good. But as the day wore on, I started noticing the pace at which the traffic was inching down Rio Salado Parkway as I made my way from one stage to another.
So I texted home and had my wife plug in the address of the park on her phone app. When I left the house at 12:15, it was a 15-minute drive. By 3:15, it was a 30-minute drive. And there’s no way that number isn’t going higher as the day goes on.
— Ed Masley
High: Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness set mix-up was a treat
Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness had just treated the large, enthusiastic crowd that gathered for his second-stage performance to the first live performance of “Lying on the Hood of Your Car” from a forthcoming album called “Tilt at the Wind No More” when the singer segued seamlessly into “I Woke Up In a Car” by Something Corporate, his other band.
At least it felt like a seamless transition.
When the song was over, McMahon explained that the computer printout of the set list had bumped the word “car” to the next line, and when he saw it, he assumed it was “I Woke Up in a Car,” completely confusing his bandmates.
That unintended segue was an unplanned highlight of a set whose other highlights ranged from “So Close” to “Fire Escape,” which ended with McMahon hopping on the keys of a baby grand covered in stickers — not the only time the animated front man found himself on top of that piano.
— Ed Masley
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High: Baseball fans got to meet star players
The Innings Festival’s first day on Saturday gave fans the chance to meet six iconic baseball players and take pictures with them. Kevin Mitchell, who played for the New York Mets’ World Series champion team of 1986, kicked off the player appearances at 2:30 p.m., greeted by a big crowd of fans. Rafael Palmeiro, Jake Peavy, Vinny Castilla, Matt Williams and Mike Cameron were also scheduled to appear Saturday.
Near the Left Field stage, baseball fans could test their swing at the batting cages or their throw at the pitching cages. On Saturday afternoon, the top pitching speed recorded was 85 mph.
— Michael Salerno
Low: The merch line felt as long as the line to get into the festival
As a concertgoer, my first instinct after getting through the doors is to see if there's anything cool or unique at the merch table. I usually try to get there early to beat the crowds. But on the first day of the Innings Festival, it seemed like everyone else had the same idea.
Just before 1 p.m., the line nearly reached the Mamitas Tequila Bar tent. By 3 p.m., the line looked like it was about to snake well past the tent at any moment. It felt discouraging for fans looking to remember the experience with a band shirt, Innings Festival commemorative poster or blanket, or an exclusive Eddie Vedder poster depicting a goat in a baseball cap and uniform holding a baseball bat.
Fortunately, fans looking for vinyl records from Innings Festival performers didn't have to wait long. Zia Records' booth, located next to the merch table, had no wait. People filing in and out of the booth seemed particularly interested in the selection of Green Day and The Offspring records. Signed copies of records from The Pretty Reckless, Heartless Bastards and Hazel English would be available later in the afternoon.
— Michael Salerno
High: All-Star Jam with Jake Peavy brought baseball and music fans together
Former baseball pitcher Jake Peavy led an ensemble cast of musicians for the All-Star Jam at the Left Field stage. The band had the crowd tapping their toes to classic rock and blues songs from a viewing area made to look like a baseball field.
Peavy kicked off the show singing lead on a cover of “Atlantic City” by Bruce Springsteen that sounded convincingly enough like The Boss that you could have imagined him there onstage.
The performance included multiple musicians sharing vocal duties, including one Tempe local, Jennifer Hartswick, who joined the band on a rendition of “Piece of My Heart,” made famous by Janis Joplin’s band Big Brother and the Holding Company. The crowd enjoyed Hartswick’s performance so much, she stuck around for a second song, singing the Beatles’ “Come Together.”
— Michael Salerno
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High: Local farm ice cream
The Innings Festival food court won the day for the presence of local dairy farm Danzeisen Dairy alone. Based out of Laveen Village, about 16 miles from Tempe, Danzeisen Dairy makes ice cream and glass bottle milk produced by its own cows.
I had a double scoop of the cookies and cream ice cream ($10.30 with tax). It was smooth and creamy and sweet without being overpowering. It was probably the best ice cream I’ve eaten in Arizona.
— Michael Salerno
Low: Food and drink prices were too high
Few people go to festivals expecting a bargain. But most of the food at the food court was snack food sold at casual sit-down dining prices. The above mentioned ice cream was arguably worth it, but it didn't come cheap.
Drinks were no easier on the wallet. Menus at the bars showed $15 beers, $5 bottled water and $3 for small cups of Coke about the size of half a can.
— Michael Salerno
High: The Offspring came out to play
The Offspring didn’t waste any time reasserting their standing at the forefront of the ‘90s punk explosion, crashing the gate with the song that put them on the map outside the California punk scene, 1994’s “Come Out and Play,” before proceeding through the highlights of their catalog at the breakneck pace those songs demand.
It was as though they hadn’t aged a day in 30 years, at least to hear them blaze their way through the crowd-pleasing staples like “Staring at the Sun” and “Gotta Get Away,” ending with a joyous singalong on "Self Esteem."
It was a blast. And Noodles remains the greatest onstage foil singer Dexter Holland could’ve hoped to meet, proclaiming the crowd “a heavenly choir who loves their curse words.”
— Ed Masley
Low: Verizon’s phone charging station had few chargers
People at the Innings Festival who needed to charge their phones and electronic devices were invited to use a courtesy charging station from Verizon. But there were few available charging ports available considering the number of people at the event with just two stations with a total of 20 phone charging lockers. By 6 p.m. all the charges were in use.
— Michael Salerno
High: There were a lot of portable bathrooms available ...
Tempe Beach Park had four different areas with restrooms available for fans: one across from the Corona Dugout, one outside the Off the Mound stage and batting cages, one along the walkway between the Home Plate and Right Field stages and one near the Sierra Nevada Little Things Lounge. Each one had about 30 to 40 portable toilets.
There’s also a building near the Off the Mound stage with men’s and women’s bathrooms available.
— Michael Salerno
Low: But, there wasn't enough soap
Despite the abundance of toilets, there was one letdown: Not all of the portable bathrooms had soap in the soap dispensers. I hope folks remembered to bring hand sanitizer.
— Michael Salerno
High: The Black Crowes shook their money makers
The Black Crowes were exactly what rock ‘n’ roll needed when they hit the streets with “Shake Your Money Maker,” an unapologetic throwback to the sound and spirit of the early ‘70s that felt both relevant and necessary.
In Chris Robinson, they had a frontman who could work the mic stand with the swagger of a young Mick Jagger or Rod Stewart and the voice to back it up while his brother, guitarist Rich Robinson, delivered a seemingly endless supply of the sort of riffs on which this type of music thrives.
Three decades down the road from “Shake Your Money Maker,” The Black Crowes effortlessly lived up to their legend with a gospel-flavored rock and soul revue that touched on any number of the greatest hits, including all the biggest singles from the first release, occasionally stretching out on epic jams that ventured into Allman Brothers territory.
Chris Robinson was as animated as I’ve ever seen, and by the time he introduced their classic take on Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle” by proclaiming Redding no less than the greatest soul singer of all time, you’d have guessed he felt that way just based on his performance.
— Ed Masley
High: Saturday had a dream lineup for Millennial rock fans
The packed GA pit and the ADA viewing bleachers at the Home Plate stage said it all.
For anyone who grew up on 1990s and 2000s alternative rock music, the first day of the 2023 Innings Festival felt like an all star lineup of the era's biggest bands. Green Day, Weezer and The Offspring — three of the most popular and influential artists of the era — drew a sold out crowd on Saturday, bringing together thousands of fans excited to see at least one of them.
— Michael Salerno
High: Weezer asked us to the Green Day concert
Rivers Cuomo was five songs deep in Weezer’s hit-filled set at Tempe Town Lake when the moment you could tell he had been looking forward to since they agreed to share a bill with Green Day finally arrived.
As he sang the line “I asked you to the Green Day concert,” everyone stopped playing and he let the lyric linger. Then he stepped out from behind the mic and played the riff to Green Day’s “When I Come Around” before returning to “El Scorcho” with “You said you never heard of them.”
It was a goofy detour custom-made for Cuomo’s willfully eccentric brand of showmanship.
That same impulse is why Toto’s “Africa” is destined to be part of Weezer’s set list for at least as long as it continues to inspire singalongs as massive as the one it touched off Saturday in Tempe.
Fortunately, they spent more time going through their own back pages, including such classics as “My Name is Jonas,” “The World Has Turned and Left Me Here,” “Undone (The Sweater Song)” and “Buddy Holly.”
— Ed Masley
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Low: The GA main stage pit was miserably congested
Unless you had access to a VIP viewing area or the ADA viewing platform, getting a close view of the stage on Saturday was a challenge. Getting out was even more perilous, requiring navigating waves of people who patiently staked out their places near the stage to watch their favorite bands perform.
The Offspring's 4 p.m. set and Weezer’s 6:30 p.m. set attracted overflowing crowds, some assembling near the areas leading to the Corona Dugout and High West Distillery booths when the pit got full.
— Michael Salerno
High: Annie DiRusso knocked it out of the park
Saturday started with Annie DiRusso and her bandmates on the Home Plate Stage, setting the tone with a set that leaned into the sludgy guitars and whisper-to-a-scream dynamic that took alt-rock to the masses when Green Day and Weezer were making their first inroads with the breakthrough hits on which their legacies have come to rest.
At 23, DiRusso obviously wasn't born in time to have experienced the thrill of "Basket Case" or "Buddy Holly" as a new song. But by putting her own spin on that '90s aesthetic in songs about her dead dog Bella and feeling like the Beatles poster on her wall was judging her for having casual sex, her set felt like the perfect way to get things started.
Reach the reporters at [email protected] or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley. And at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @salerno_phx.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Innings Festival 2023: Highs and lows from Tempe Beach Park
