Extra Innings Festival 2024
Tempe, Arizona
March1-2, 2024
By Mary Andrews – photo and words
Photos of Larkin Poe by C. Elliott
This was the inaugural edition of the Extra Innings Festival occurring the weekend after the Innings Festival. It’s no surprise that another weekend was added since the last six years have been so successful for the festival in Arizona. The weather has been perfect for the last two weeks. And don’t forget to check out week one coverage..
Extra Innings had opportunities to see MLB legends Adrian Gonzalez, Ryan Braun, Tim Raines, Rollie Fingers and more. There was also a live talk show, “Off the Mound With Ryan Dempster,” in which the World Series champion hosted interviews and performances from surprise guests.
The fans have been very receptive to the festival with its close proximity to Arizona State University. Here are some of the special moments of the Extra Innings Festival.
Chris Stapleton headlined Friday night. He began his set with “White Horse” playing his electric guitar as he stood at the front of the stage. He followed with “Parachute” and “Second One to Know.” He addressed the crowd, “Hello Arizona. Welcome, thank you for being here with us tonight.” Stapleton is usually a man of few words and this seemed like the longest speech that he has ever delivered.
He performed “Starting Over,” “Millionaire,” and “Hard Livin.” The fans were mesmerized by the country crooner throughout the set as he delivered many brilliant guitar solos along with 20 favorite Stapelton tunes. And let’s not forget his performance of “Tenneessee Whiskey.”
For a complete set list:
Charley Crockertt brought his classic country sound to his set to the delight of the country fans. Strange to think the singer has released 12 albums in eight years with his latest album being The Man From Waco in 2022. His set included covers of Buck Owens’ “Act Naturally” and Ernest Tubb’s “Just a Drink Away.” Both songs blended seamlessly with Crockett’s original tunes. He packed many songs into his short set that seemed to be timeless and ageless.
Elle King brought her country and pop vocals to a scorching mid-day set. She dressed in a red skirt outfit that mused of a flirtiness to the large crowd. She pulled out her popular “Ex’s & Oh’s” in the middle of the set along with Stevie Nicks’ “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” and “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” were offerings from her 13 song set. Evidently country music is not a new genre for King, but she has evolved into it since her big single “Ex’s & Oh’s” in 2015, as evidenced by her latest release Come Get Your Wife. Even though she is more country now, she still has her ‘rock ’n roll’ edge fans have come to love from the singer.King is a strong woman in the country genre breaking down the doors of bro-country.
Ryan Bingham had fans craving for his brand of country rock. The field was packed to capacity as Bingham took the stage. His grins throughout the set garnered the crowd’s attention and added to their mood. His songs are personal and politically charged. The audience sang along and were fully engaged throughout the show. Bingham encouraged as much audience participation as possible, and one couldn’t help but oblige. He kicked off the set with “Nothin’ Holds Me Back.” “The Weary Kind” and “Hallelujah” were included in the offerings of the night. Setlist
Dave Matthews Band was in the headlining spot of the Extra Innings Festival on the second Saturday. One thing that fans can depend on is that no DMB show is ever the same. If you saw their previous Innings Festival show in 2020, there was very little repetition.
DMB performed hit songs as well as some covers. Who would have thought Matthews would cover David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” or Billy Preston’s “Will It Go Round in Circles?” That they did and much more. The band performed multi-genre of music. Matthew’s music crosses many generations of fans as seen in the crowd.
Their special guest, Jennifer Hartswick ,trumpeter and vocalist from Trey Anastasio Band, made the evening very special, even by DMB’s standards. Hartswick joined the band for “Jimi Thing” marking her first ever collaboration with the band. She completed the threesome of the band’s other brass including trumpeter Rashawn Ross and saxophonist Jeff Coffin. They transitioned into a cover of ZZ Top’s “Cheap Sunglasses” and after continuing on with “You & Me,” Matthews stopped to acknowledge Hartswick and thank her for sitting in with the band.
The band tours throughout the summer and it’s well worth catching their show! Setlist
The Innings Festival and the Extra Innings Festival were very special this year and left the fans craving for next year’s festivities.
