Innings Festival 2024: Greta Van Fleet, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Macklemore, Phantogram, Cautious Clay, The Beaches & More Rock Tempe Beach Park (FESTIVAL REVIEW/PHOTOS)

It’s almost March in Arizona and MLB’s Cactus League (Spring Training for many) has begun its annual initiation to remind us summer is on its way. And while most might not assimilate both the charismatic and somber likes of Greta Van Fleet and Hozier to pitchers working on their “stuff,” downtown Tempe has an annual initiation of its own: The Innings Festival.

Blurring the lines between fandom on both sides of the talent spectrum, Innings Fest to Tempe Beach Park took place last weekend (February 23rd and 24th) and shined perhaps its most creative lineup yet with the likes of Hozier, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Greta Van Fleet, Macklemore, Young The Giant, Jimmy Eat World, 311, Third Eye Blind, Phantogram, Matt and Kim, Bully, Cautious Clay, Cannons and The Beaches. Two stages were a-rockin’ almost simultaneously, and here are the impactful highlights and perceptive photos from the 2024 edition.

Photos courtesy of Becca Greenberg @beccag_photography

“Sparkplug” – The Beaches

Landing fresh from a debut late-night performance on Jimmy Kimmel, Toronto’s The Beaches takes the stage in a warmer mid-afternoon set. “We’re Canadian girls so this (heat) is lovely!” Right away, the opening song is thumping and energetic while singer/bassist Jordan Miller and guitarist Leandra Earl perform a small dance on the risers. Bringing classic guitar riffs and easily singable choruses, it’s clear why The Beaches are creating buzz. They finish the set with their hit “Blame Brett” which had gone viral thanks to the band’s grassroots efforts in promoting on TikTok to reach a younger, more female-dominated fanbase. The entire set is gritty, approachable, and tongue-in-cheek irreverent.

“Chin Music” – Phantogram

After spending a few minutes with us on deck, Phantogram takes the stage with singer Sarah Barthel in silver and dark sunglasses and guitarist Josh Carter in his classic t-shirt and hat. The pair straps on their guitars and the beat to “Don’t Move” begins. After playing a few well-known hits early on in the set, Barthel gives the crowd a ”How y’all fuckin feeling? That’s my girl right there!” she yells as she gestures to ASL interpreter on the side stage. The set was comprised mostly of fan favorites including “Mouthful of Diamonds” and “What I’m Small”, with Barthel constantly moving between instruments while adding her breathy vocals over the powerful drums and synth sounds.

“Clutch Hit” – Greta Van Fleet

If you want to experience the grandeur of a 70s rock show in 2024, Greta Van Fleet has mastered the art. Complete with decadent costumes, pyrotechnics, and virtuoso guitar solos, the nearly-capacity crowd was awestruck for the entirety of the Grammy winners’ set. Singer Josh Kiszka along with twin brother Jake Kiszka easily evokes the spirits of Queen and Led Zeppelin, and Josh makes screaming high pitches at full volume in front of shooting flames look effortless. This is what rock music is: flashy, flamboyant, and driving. The hour-long set ends with a high-pitched “Thank you very much!” from Kiszka. Greta proves they belong on the biggest stages in the world as they have erased all their early critics who said they were merely pretenders.

“Four Bagger” – Red Hot Chili Peppers

As the intro music starts for the first night’s headliner, Flea does a handstand walk as he, John Frusciante, and Chad Smith take the stage. The opener feels like an organic impromptu warmup jam that eventually morphs into the first riff of “Can’t Stop” as Anthony Kiedis runs out to center stage. Filled with several Flea/Frusciante interludes between songs and pauses for both Kiedis and Flea to address the audience, RHCP sang several of their hits that have infiltrated American music culture since the 90s and ultimately finished with “Give it Away” for the final song of the night. It became clear through the show that Flea hadn’t lost an ounce of his stage energy, and Frusciante hadn’t lost an ounce of his virtuoso guitar abilities. What makes a Chili Peppers show so invigorating is that despite all their success, this four-piece isn’t just going through the motions: every show carries an undeniable balance of improvisation, virtuosity, and showmanship.

“Gamer” – Cautious Clay

The band straps in for the set just as the sun comes out a bit more, warming up the lawn in Right Field. After a keys and stick click intro, frontman Josh Karpeh known professionally as Cautious Clay walks out and starts jumping. Before ever singing a word, he picks up a sax and solos. Clay’s voice is soulful and warm, and his mult-instrumentality is impressive. After a small introduction to the song, a heavy hip-hop beat starts with a bass that hits the crowd in the stomach. The set was an exhibition of Cautious Clay’s range both in his singing voice and his musical talent, and it ranged from relaxed and soulful to strange and experimental with touches of West African and Reggae influence.

“Hit Parade”- Young the Giant

Returning for yet another Innings Fest appearance, Young the Giant took the stage as the clock ticks to 5 pm to a track of traditional Indian drums. The band walked out to screams wearing their instruments and singer Sameer Gadhia wearing baggy white bell-bottomed pants. The band immediately launches into “Wake Up” for the beginning of the energetic set. Gadhia spends the vast majority of it dancing and emoting around the stage, pausing only to use a stationary fx mic in center stage. Their breakout hit “Cough Syrup” comes earlier than expected in the set with Gadhia screaming “I wanna see you jump with me, Arizona!” during the break.

“Innings Eater” – Macklemore

To add to the spice of the evening, the Grammy-winning Macklemore brought his extremely diverse show to the main stage. The walk-on music begins with a bass drop that can be felt for miles.. Complete with choir singers, dancing brass players, and percussionists, the show launches quickly with Chant. Afterward, Macklemore pulls off his sunglasses to applause and screams “Arizona!” The show throws several curveballs at the audience, sometimes morphing into a standup act as he shares anecdotes about his children, sometimes sharing a heartfelt political message urging for a free Palestine, and sometimes playing a pre-filmed skit of himself in a mullet wig on the LED screens. Midway through the set, the rapper brought up two randomly selected audience members to compete in a dance-off.

“Rally Cap” – Hozier

The second night’s headliner once again managed to change gears completely from the earlier acts and bring his unique and sometimes somber presence to the stage. Starting with a single spotlight on center stage that barely reveals his features, Hozier begins with the soft and somber De Selby that grew with a cinematic crescendo. As the song ends, Hozier asks in his Irish accent “How ye doin Innings Festival?!” Hozier’s overall show makes several turns from being vulnerable and acoustic to traditionally folky to cinematic and then to upbeat and electric. Pausing to echo Macklemore’s earlier sentiments, Hozier also shows a moment of activism. “God bless Macklemore for what he said. I’m a foreign citizen, but I bear witness to the love, empathy, and compassion of Americans.”