After hitting a home run on Saturday, the second day of Innings Festival Florida featured a laidback atmosphere at the Raymond James Stadium Grounds.
The early crowd on hand got to see folk-rock singer Liz Cooper kick off Sunday performing on the Home Plate stage. Cooper’s set was filled with an easy-going 45-minute set, where it was clear that she felt comfortable, even smoking a cigarette during one of her tracks. That sight was a little funny due to the electronic signs that thanked fans for not smoking on the festival grounds.
Baseball and music then collided on the Right Field stage, as Jake Peavy hosted an MLB All-Star Jam. The former San Diego Padre and Chicago White Sox pitcher sang and played his guitar while being joined by friends and former MLB ballplayers. The most notable former player who showed up was former New York Yankee and four-time World Series Champion Bernie Williams.As the set concluded, former Cincinnati Red and Boston Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo joined the stage, singing a David Bowie cover. It was a fun 30-minute jam session that allowed fans to see a different side of the former athletes.
Arroyo was one of several former players who met, signed autographs, and took photos with fans throughout day two of the festival. Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith garnered the largest crowd on the day, as the St. Louis Cardinal great restricted fans to only getting their photo taken. Other players making appearances on the day included Brett Myers, Bucky Dent, Nick Swisher, Fred McGriff, Rick Ankiel, A.J. Pierzynski, and Dante Bichette.It was great to see these former players’ interactions with the fans, striking up conversations and telling stories of their playing days. Having those moments just helped make the fan experience that much more significant, and it was evident on the faces of some individuals that meeting those players was a dream come true for some individuals.
Neon Trees then brought the early energy, getting the crowd fired up from the opening notes. Just two songs into their performance, the band already had fans jumping with the track “Animals,” a piece that put the group on the map in 2010.Politics were briefly mentioned during Neon Trees set, as lead singer, Tyler Glenn, asked the fans if he was able to say the word “gay,” making mention of the infamous legislature that recently passed in Florida. The openly gay frontman made the joke but expressed that each audience member should embrace themselves fully and not worry about others’ thoughts.
It was pretty clear what the Tampa audience thought of the Neon Trees set, as fans were jumping up and down and dancing during the group’s 45-minute set. A loud singalong occurred before the band wrapped up with the group’s hit track “Everybody Talks” closing out the performance.
The pop-centered Neon Trees set then turned to a reggae jam session as Skip Marley performed on the Right Field stage. The Jamaican-based singer, and the grandson of Bob Marley, put together an easy-going hour-long set. Audience members who were on hand could just relax while also being afforded the opportunity to listen to some solid tunes. O.A.R. harnessed the energy that Neon Trees delivered on the Home Plate stage and carried that over to their performance. Throughout the group’s 65-minute set, fans were dancing and singing along as it was clear they were enjoying their time. What was great about the O.A.R’s set is they allowed every member to showcase their musical ability, which made for some fantastic moments throughout the performance. Fans then were able to take a fun trip back to the late 90s when Goo Goo Dolls performed. Early into the band’s set, lead singer John Rzeznik expressed how happy he was to be on stage again as this was the group’s first 2022 performance. It was evident that those weren’t just words either, as there was this sense of pure joy on the faces of every single member. It also helped that the group performed many fan-favorites, leading to several singalong moments. From the moment Nathaniel Rateliff walked on stage, he let the music do the speaking for him. He and his backing band, The Night Sweats, wasted little time belting out 19 tracks during the 75-minute performance. While many songs were played in that time frame, it was clear that the Tampa fans were enjoying themselves, mainly when the radio singles were played. No song received a better ovation from fans than Rateliff’s first single, “S.O.B.,” and it had the fans singing, dancing, and cheering loudly when the performance concluded. There was little singing happening when Khruangbin closed out the right-field stage. But that was intentional as the Houston trio features a more funk-infused instrumental sound to their music. The band has seen a rise in popularity over the last year, and that carried over to the Tampa festival when the group played to a large crowd. Throughout the whole set, fans were dancing along, and it was clear that the audience was digging the performance’s vibe. Early into day two of Innings Festival Florida, it was made clear that fans of The Lumineers are devoted. Several individuals dressed in custom-made T-shirts rushed to the barricade as soon as the festival doors opened. Eight hours later, those fans were rewarded for their patience as the folk-rockers closed out the Innings Festival with a fun hour and 40-minute performance.In a bold move, The Lumineers scattered their hit singles early into the set. Two songs into their set, the group performed its chart-topping “Ho Hey,” which received massive attention when the track was released in 2012. That strategy worked for the band, as it helped them harness and hang on to that early energy that the fans had provided.
It wasn’t all perfect for The Lumineers, as they did have to restart “Angela” after figuring out that lead singer Wesley Schultz discovered his guitar was tuned incorrectly. But it was those tiny imperfections that helped craft the perfect ending to the inaugural Innings Festival Florida. Were there things that didn’t work out on the weekend? Yes. Was it still an enjoyable weekend? Absolutely. It will be exciting to see how the festival evolves moving forward into year two.
Click here to see our coverage of day one.
