Dave Matthews Band, Weezer For Third ‘Innings Festival’ in Arizona

The two-day event produced by C3 Presents, Feb. 29 to March 1, will feature 18 artists on two stages, including Portugal. The Man, Death Cab For Cutie, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, O.A.R. and more. MLB star power includes pitchers Jake Peavy, Bret Saberhagen and the “Off The Mound” onsite talk show hosted by pitcher Ryan Dempster and featuring MLB players and musicians.  

“It’s gone really well. You can tell when events are doing well because they return, right?” C3 Presents’ Tim Sweetwood told Pollstar, laughing. “I think we’ve found a nice equation with the two-day festival. People seem to get more excited every year.”

Sweetwood said the opportunity for a festival taking place during Spring Training was obvious after checking out the annual Cactus League, where half of the MLB teams get ready for the regular season with exhibition games in climes typically warmer than, say, the Minnesota Twins’ home field in Minneapolis.

“Every game is sold out, there’s people of all ages, hundreds of thousands of people, and all the games start at noon and then there’s nothing to do when the games are over,” added Sweetwood, who has also developed the Sea.Hear.Now festival in Asbury Park, N.J., and the first-year Exit 111 rock fest taking place on the Bonnaroo site in Manchester, Tenn.

Last year’s Innings was headlined by noted Chicago Cubs fan Eddie Vedder and Incubus, while the first-year event featured Queens of the Stone Age.

Tickets are on sale.