Innings Festival 2022 Recap

The baseball focused Innings Festival made its way to Tampa for the first time ever, just in time for spring training for the East Coast, Saturday & Sunday, March...
Inning Festival 2022 Recap - Day One
Inning Festival 2022 Recap - Day One

The baseball focused Innings Festival made its way to Tampa for the first time ever, just in time for spring training for the East Coast, Saturday & Sunday, March 19th & 20th. With a wide collection of legendary rock bands and all-time MLB legends, the first day was already kicking off heavily as the gates were already backed up. With a backdrop consisting of the Buccaneers Stadium and right around the corner from the New York Yankees spring training facility, the festival could not have found a better location.


We Are Scientists

Up first on the roster was New York based rock band We Are Scientists. With a quick appearance right as the gates opened, guitarist Keith Murray, bassist Chris Cain, and drummer Keith Carne immediately started to rock hard on Home Plate main stage, getting the crowd ready for the rest of the day. With a short set, the band gave the festival a proper welcome and opening for its first year in the Bay.

The Beaches
The Beaches

As We Are Scientists closed out their set, Canadian rock band The Beaches were set up and ready to go on the Right Field Stage. With their first ever visit to Tampa, bassist and lead vocalist Jordan Miller, guitarists Kylie Miller and Leandra Earl, and drummer Eliza Enman-McDaniel had already garnered a large crowd before making their way onto stage, with several fans carrying signs stating they came all the way from Canada just for their performance. Without a second to lose, the quartet went straight into their set in a flurry of kicks and hair-flips. Dancing around together, the band made their mark in the city as they exited the stage, announcing their next move to see the next performer on Home Plate.

David Duchovny
David Duchovny

‘90s TV star-turned-musician David Duchovny was ready to go on the Home Plate Stage (yes, THAT David Duchovny). Accompanied by his touring band, Duchovny was already moving down the catwalk straight into his set. Under the glaring sun, Duchovny wasted no time getting straight into what he came for. Dragging the mic stand around the stage, Duchovny would occasionally pop over to the catwalk to get low and wave to fans and strut across the stage, smile across his face and hands clapping. As Duchovny greeted the fans, his guitarist was off to the side flashing horns with a stone cold face of pure rock star energy. With a quick set wasting zero time, Duchovny bid farewell as the Right Field stage was set up next for English rock band Wolf Alice.

Wolf Alice
Ellie Oswell

In her bright pink dress, Wolf Alice lead Ellie Oswell emerged on stage with the rest of the band to a flurry of cheers from the young crowd. With a heavy rift of guitars and drums, the band kicked in with their beautiful mixture of indie rock and dream pop. Under the multi-colored spotlights from the stage, the band played through their forty five minute set before the crowd set back out to Home Plate.

Jimmy Eat World
Jim Atkins

Following Wolf Alice was legendary rock band Jimmy Eat World on Home Plate Stage. As the screen lit up with their name, lead Jim Atkins and company quickly emerged on stage to the screaming cheers of fans of all ages. Underneath the hot sun, Jimmy Eat World hit it off with several top hits including “Bleed American” and “Sweetness” from their 2001 album Bleed American. Moving through their set, the band started to close out with their top hit “The Middle” from their 2001 album, as fans sang along in unison.

Highly Suspect
Johnny Stevens

American rock band Highly Suspect was up quick on Right Field Stage, as lead Johnny Stevens emerged with his cool demeanor and outfit to match. Donning his rose pink Beats headphones, the band got straight into their set, while Tampa local and guitarist Matt Kofos shredded out on his guitar to Stevens’ right. Stevens then announced their newest album coming later this year, and graced the crowd with a never before heard song from the upcoming album.

On another stage and area of the festival, MLB All-Star pitcher Ryan Dempster was hosting Off The Mound, interviewing other MLB All-Stars while more were at the batting cages for meet and greets and signing autographs.

Incubus
Brandon Boyd

As the day neared the end, the legends came out of the shadows. On Home Plate, American rock band Incubus came on stage through a cloud of fog. With a psychedelic screen behind them, lead vocalist Brandon Boyd clutched his two microphones as he waved around the stage and catwalk, occasionally moving into more jagged movements and head bangs.

311
Nick Hexum

As Incubus finished up at Home Plate, another legend was up to bat on Right Field. From Omaha, Nebraska, 311 moved onto the stage under a plethora of colors. Lead vocalist and guitarist Nick Hexum approached the mic in his all white outfit as the band started into their set. As the set went on, Hexum then invited the crowd to sing along, as the bright backlights silhouetted him in the night. Towards the end, the band played out with their hit song “Amber” from 2001’s From Chaos.

The night was finally set for the final act. For thirty-five years, American rock band Green Day has had an iron grip on the world of punk rock, with fans of all ages coming out to see them. Consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool, the three friends were ready to rock out as the headliner of the first day.

As the set was prepared to start, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” started over the speakers as fans sang along, swaying back and forth. Immediately after, Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop” began playing, as a mystery man in a pink bunny suit began dancing across the stage until a stagehand quickly grabbed them and pulled them back, marking the usual start to a Green Day set. Without a second to lose, the full band soon emerged shortly after, opening straight into “American Idiot” of the same named album from 2004. Armstrong amped the crowd up as the opening guitar riffs rang into the night, with the crowd following in suit to the lyrics.

With an electric opening performance, the band then started into “Holiday” from the same aforementioned album, with Armstrong bringing out Blue, his first ever electric guitar from 1982. Next on the setlist was “Know Your Enemy” from 2009’s 21st Century Breakdown (QRO review), where Armstrong invited a young fan onto the stage to sing the bridge. As the performance went on, a sudden burst of flames lit up the crowd and stage behind Armstrong and company. As the band moved through their set, the bright moon shone like a beacon in the night, illuminating the night sky alongside the dazzling pyro show.

The band finally moved towards the end of their set, with a young fan about ten years old being invited on stage to play guitar alongside Armstrong during a cover of Operation Ivy’s “Knowledge”. Finishing out the cover, Armstrong gave the kid the guitar to keep as a stagehand brought him to the side of the stage to continue watching the rest of the show. Closing out the set, the band started with “Wake Me Up When September Ends” from the 2001 album, with fans wrapping arms around each other’s shoulders and swaying along, with their phone lights illuminating the stage. The band then moved into their final two songs, “Jesus of Suburbia” from 2001 and “Good Riddance” from 1997’s Nimrod.

Closing out their set, Green Day headed off stage as thousands of fans poured into the night and back home. After such a loaded first day of amazing talent, day two was set and ready to go.

Green Day setlist:

American Idiot
Holiday
Know Your Enemy
Pollyanna
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Longview
Welcome to Paradise
Hitchin’ a Ride
Stuck With Me
Rock and Roll All Nite (KISS cover)
Brain Stew
St. Jimmy
When I Come Around
21 Guns
Minority
Knowledge (Operation Ivy cover)
Basket Case
She
King for a Day
Wake Me Up When September Ends
Jesus of Suburbia
Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)




Inning Festival 2022 Recap - Day Two

The second day of Innings Festival Tampa was off to a start. As the gates opened, crowds poured in with blankets and chairs to grab their spots before the performances began. Opening up the second day was folk rock musician Liz Cooper from Nashville, Tennessee on Home Plate. With a small crowd already forming, Cooper started things off with the folky style that would carry out for the rest of the day.

Liz Cooper
All-Star Baseball Jam

Following Liz Cooper was the All-Star Baseball Jam hosted by MLB pitcher Jake Peavy on Right Field. Accompanied by Ryan Dempster, Bronson Arroyo, and several other MLB All-Stars, the former players got together for one big jam to have fun and hangout with baseball fans from around the country.

Neon Trees
Tyler Glenn

Back over on Home Plate, pop rock band Neon Trees was starting their set, with a crowd of young adults who grew up on their music began to gather around. As lead vocalist Tyler Glenn emerged, he shouted out to the crowd, “Is it okay if I say gay?” remarking on the recent Florida law, as the crowd erupted into cheers of support. The band opened up with “Moving In The Dark” from 2012’s Picture Show and “Animal” from 2010’s Habits. As they sang along, a group of teenagers sang right along with them, getting the attention of Glenn as he ran over to the side of the stage right in front of them, singing with them and waving. Flashing a toothy grin at the cameras, Glenn bounced around the stage for the remainder of their set, before closing out with “Everybody Talks” from Picture Show.

Skip Marley
Skip Marley

As the crowd cleared out after Neon Trees, fans began to move over to Right Field for Skip Marley. As the grandson of legendary Bob Marley, Skip Marley was following right in his grandfather’s footsteps. Marley grooved out on the stage alongside his band, as a familiar scent filled the air. Fans began to dance and sway together to the music, while fans further back lounged out on their blankets and bobbed their heads to the music while they laid out in the Florida sunshine.

O.A.R.
Marc Roberge

Switching back to Home Plate, the screen was lit up for the arrival of Of A Revolution, better known as O.A.R. As the band appeared, lead vocalist Marc Roberge strummed casually on his guitar, as fan shouted out. Roberge and guitarist Richard On danced around back and forth, flashing looks to each other and enjoying their time on stage, not long before fellow band member Jerry DePizzo came out strong for a solo on his saxophone.

Goo Goo Dolls
John Rzeznik

As O.A.R. closed out their set, another legendary rock band was ready to go over on Right Field. Formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, the Goo Goo Dolls had made their way to Tampa. Still donning the same long hair as when they formed, frontman John Rzeznik came out onto the stage to the screams and shouts of fans of all ages. With a full hour set, the band knocked out all of their hits for the crowd, before closing out with their top hit single “Iris” from 1998’s Dizzy Up the Girl.

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Nathaniel Rateliff

As the sun began to set, a golden glow was blanketed across the main stage as Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats began their set. With his yellow cowboy hat, black jacket, and golden brown guitar, Rateliff and his band got straight to the show, with no introductions needed. The band opened with “The Future” from their most recent album of the same name from last year, with Rateliff raising his guitar in the air as he played during the bridge. With the folksy tunes ringing out into the evening sun, the whole crowd got up on their feet and began to dance, with a small dance circle happening in the middle of the grounds. The band closed out their set with “S.O.B.” from their 2015 self-titled album and “Love Don’t” from Future, as the sun began to finally set right before the second to last act.

Khruangbin
Khruangbin

As the sun descended behind the horizon, the dark of the night was ready to be lit up by psychedelic rock band Khruangbin. With funky outfits and the light show to match, the three-piece emerged on stage as they calmly and coolly moved across the stage as the atmospheric melodies rang out. From the front of the pit to the opposite side of the festival, all attendees were swaying and grooving to the music, winding down for the final act of the night.

The Lumineers

As Khruangbin cleared off the stage, the final headliner of the weekend was ready to close out the festival. American folk rock band The Lumineers were the final headliner of the weekend, with a nearly sold-out crowd already formed around the main stage. The band gained international acclaim from the release of their single “Ho Hey” from their 2012 self-titled album, with the album reaching number one on the Billboard 200, and later their second album Cleopatra (QRO review) in 2016 taking the slot for number one.

Wesley Schultz

As the band emerged onto the stage, front man Wesley Schultz greeted the crowd right before the band started into “BRIGHTSIDE” from the most recent album of the same name. Following “BRIGHTSIDE”, the band started into “Cleopatra” as the crowd exploded into cheers. And, with a surprise and the sheer excitement of the crowd, the band did back to back hits with “Ho Hey” following right behind. As the band started into the song, the entire crowd sang along as each musician moved to the front of the stage side by side, playing with a heightened energy as they let the crowd sing out the chorus. As their set went on, attendees in the far back had stood up from their lounged blankets, swaying and singing together for the rest of the night. As the band started “Ophelia” from Cleopatra album as both VIP and general admission sections clapped and cheered. The band finally closed with “Stubborn Love” from their most recent record, III (QRO review), before bidding goodbye to their Tampa fans.

The Lumineers




As the gates opened to let everyone out, the first year of Innings Festival in Tampa was nothing less than a success as the nearly twenty thousand fans poured out of the festival grounds, heading back to their cars and rides, back to rest before the week started up.

-words & photos: Chandler Culotta

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