Spring training! It’s an enticing concept for anybody who spends the long winter months awaiting their return to that warm, crowded, open-air stadium, whether you’re a professional baseball player, or just a live music fan. Summer, obviously, is stacked with options, while winter/early spring has always been lighter on live music options. That’s why the Innings Festival- which has just launched its second iteration in Tampa, Florida- has become a fantastic option for anybody looking to chase the sunshine. Full disclosure, I’ve still yet to catch the Tempe, Arizona event, but I shot down to Tampa for an inaugural weekend that scored some major home runs.
Walking through the gates, it became immediately clear that this fest is arranged for optimal visibility and access. The crowd never feels oppressive, and good views to either of the two main stages are never hard to come by. This kind of basic accessibility is remarkably had to achieve, but Innings Tampa makes getting around and catching bands about as easy as a nice underhanded softball. The lineup, by the way, was pretty stacked this year. When great bands like Wolf Alice and Jimmy Eat World are playing the early sets, you know you’ve got a deep bench.
Incubus, to be totally honest, has had better shows. They showed up on time, played the hits, and Brandon Boyd lost his shirt. The sound mix was perfect for their midtempo stuff like Drive and Warning, but head-bangers like Pardon Me sounded a little muddy.
But I don’t want to sound nitpicky, because all things considered, the sound design at Innings is pretty ideal. The main stages sit parallel- as opposed to facing each other, like so many other big fests- and by and large, they’re perfectly arranged to hear everything that’s happening, from just about anywhere, without any overlap. The scheduling is basically airtight. Incubus wrapped up a few minutes before 8, giving the crowd just enough time to walk to the neighboring stage for 311, whose set conveniently ended about ten minutes before Green Day’s, and so on, all weekend long. It’s such an ideal arrangement of scheduling and sound, it makes you wonder why more fests can’t pull this off.
And that brings me to the weekend’s biggest draw. In terms of sheer audience excitement, I counted more Green Day shirts than any other bands, by far. For me, Green Day has always been a small dose band. Love them in small doses, but never really desire to hear them for more than a few songs at a time. And they’re one of the very few bands of their size that I’ve never seen live. Prior to their 9:10 set, it’s fair to say my expectations were somewhat managed.
By about 9:25, I realized why these guys are still playing to stadium crowds, 30 years into their career. Their live show is a monster. The energy is infectious. After years of radio oversaturation, I didn’t think I needed to hear American Idiot or Basket Case or Boulevard of Broken Dreams again, but damn. Even the songs that we’ve all heard a thousand times sounded vital and fresh. The Innings acoustics are occasionally patchy, but usually great, and they were absolutely stunning during Green Day. The nearly two-hour-set was exactly what a Saturday night headliner should be: Totally climactic.
That brings me to the Sunday night headliner, and I’m afraid I might lose a few readers here. I always find it strange to see The Lumineers on top of a bill, no matter how many (vinyl) records they sell. No band epitomizes the vibe of a lazy coffee shop better than The Lumineers, and that might explain why they always seem a little underwhelming in front of a great big open-air crowd. To be clear, I like The Lumineers, I really do. But their set is far more appropriate for that 6:30PM sunset vibe, sitting (not standing) in the grass, sipping a beer and trying to get your second wind. The fact that major fests keep booking them into that precious 9PM closing night slot is a credit to their non-threatening popularity, but you’ll never exactly go out with a bang. More like a softy-strummed mandolin.
That’s my little gripe regarding The Lumineers, and it’s certainly not a big sticking point, because Sunday was otherwise stacked with great sets. Goo Goo Dolls have more hits than you remember, and O.A.R. still deliver a rollicking jam session. As I bounced between stages for a second day, I was again impressed by the sheer ingenuity of the acoustics, as well as the overall scheduling. In terms of logistics, Innings has really cracked the code.
The baseball-themed attractions are worth noting, especially for sports fans, but they’re mostly just perks that come with the very affordable ticket price. Most fans were there for the music, and they were not disappointed. Count me in for Spring Training next year, especially if Innings returns to Tampa, because this fest is already putting big wins on the board. -BRI
