Although the Innings Festival has ended, we’re still reveling in the incredible music. Held at Tempe Beach Park, the festival – now in its 7th year – provided festival-goers with an unforgettable experience.

An Incredible Close to Innings Festival 2025. Photo Credit: Nathan Zucker

Over two days, attendees explored the nostalgia of music, enjoying performances from bands like Neon Trees, All-American Rejects, Boyz II Men, Incubus, Beck, and more, each with hour-long sets. Reflecting on the Innings festival, it has come a long way since its inception. Significant changes have been made, but they come at a cost. Festivalgoers have noted the price increases, which some believe may be due to inflation, while others feel the value is lacking. Be prepared to spend around $6.00 for water, $8.00 to $12.00 for lemonade, over $16.00 for an adult beverage, and $20.00 for food—unless you opt for a whole pizza, which costs $55.00.

The Phoenix area boasts many great dining options, but the festival has not always taken advantage of that. This year, however, the festival introduced a few new choices, marking a positive shift in that direction. While there is still room for improvement in terms of variety—particularly in breaking the dominance of fries and hot dogs—this year represented a step forward. When it comes to ‘food at Innings’, here were our favorites.

Incredible Aerial Shot of Innings Festival 2025. Photo Credit: Ismael Quintanilla III

Let's Toast showcased its famous bulgogi cheesesteak, along with a few other delicious options. This sandwich features marinated ribeye beef, butter-toasted Japanese milk bread, mozzarella cheese, a fried egg, teriyaki sauce, and sweet mayo. Although there was a bit of a line, it was definitely worth the wait. Local Phoenicians may recognize this brand from the Uptown Market, and seeing them at Innings Festival was well received, providing a welcome break from typical festival food. Otra Pizzeria was another standout, though unfortunately, it was only available in the VIP area. If you get the chance to try it, be sure to order a side of their crave-worthy ranch—you won't be disappointed!

All American Rejects Chat with Ryan Dempter for ‘Off The Mound’ at Innings Festival. Photo Credit: Ismael Quintanilla III

Additional pop-ups over the weekend included Zia Records, which offered the opportunity to shop for vinyl records and unique festival merchandise, providing a nice break from the heat. Jersey Mike's rewarded attendees who had the app and were part of their sub club with giveaways, including free subs throughout the weekend. In previous years, the festival featured more activations, such as a wine sponsor (JaM Cellars) and on-site representatives from Corona or Sierra Nevada. Although this year lacked some of those elements, the festival compensated by providing more shade and seating areas for attendees.

Now to the music - the festival had a bit of something for everyone, however, I couldn’t help but notice how heavy the lineup seemed like a nod to millennials. Let’s get into it!

Neon Trees:

Neon Trees took the stage for an early performance at 3:25 PM, which felt like a disservice considering the band's lively energy. The name "Neon Trees" suggests a vibrant show, and starting the set so early robbed attendees of the colorful visuals the band is known for. Despite this, the group delivered an exhilarating performance and even introduced a new song titled “Secret.”

Throughout their set, frontman Tyler Glenn engaged with the audience in various ways. He referenced being a cheeky housewife and mentioned their connection (“neighbors”) to the Phoenix area, despite being from Utah. Glenn also spoke about feelings of self-worth, sharing his experiences with the crowd.

“[I’ve] always felt different; I felt like I wasn’t meant to be here,” he said. “I'm up here with this microphone and all of my favorite things, and it gives me a sense of humanity.” He later continued that “people like to say a bunch of sh*t” before closing with their hit single, “Everybody Talks,” which got the crowd jumping.

All American Rejects Knocked it Out of the Park:

Donning matching “Rejects” baseball outfits and a 70s stache, All American Rejects hit the stage to “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and played the part well. The set was a nice afternoon chuckle. Between random bursts of saying “baseball” and serenading a woman named Patty in the audience (and mentioning she was like a “fine liver pate – sweet like baby butter biscuits on Christmas morning – the set was like nothing you could imagine in all of the best ways. Of course, hits like “Swing Swing,” “Move Along” were crowd pleasers.

Incubus Took a Drive Down Memory Lane:

Incubus Performs at Inning Festival 2025 — What a Trip Down Memory Lane. So Many HITS! Photo Credit: Charles Reagan

Kicking off the golden hour performance with “Megalomaniac” was absolutely incredible. The second song on the setlist, “Wish You Were Here,” quickly turned into a singalong. It was a nostalgic moment to hear the crowd singing along as the sun began to set against the beautiful Arizona sky. Lead singer Brandon Boyd demonstrated that he is still the iconic '90s alt-rocker we've come to know and love. “Pardon Me,” “Anna Molly,” were other favorites before closing out with “Drive.”

Beck Being Eccentric is Cool:

Beck Performing at Innings Festival 2025. Photo Credit: Roger Ho

The more Beck performs, the more eccentric he becomes. His latest performance had attendees laughing out loud. With a 60s-style haircut, denim on denim, round brown glasses, and the “moonwalk” ready to go, Beck delivered quite the set. He opened with “Devil’s Haircut,” set against a neon-colored background, and although the crowd was packed, they seemed a bit unsure at first. It wasn’t until he greeted them with “What’s up, Phoenix?” that they truly came alive.

Between songs, Beck shared some quirky anecdotes to connect with the audience. One story stood out: he recounted going all out for his leading lady by visiting the famous store Bed, Bath, & Beyond. “Can you show me the ‘beyond’ section?” he joked before surprising her at work and inviting her to “step into his Hyundai.” The entire set was commercial and light-hearted as he seamlessly navigated through decades of music.

Fall Out Boy Lights It Up:

Fall Out Boy Set the Stage Ablaze at Innings Festival 2025. Photo Credit: Nathan Zucker

True to par, Fall Out Boy put on a stellar performance full of surprises. From setting the stage ablaze (literally the guitar was lit) to lighting up the night sky. Fall Out Boy closed the performance with an incredible firework display.

Additional Highlights:

The Killers Close out Innings Festival 2025! Photo Credit: Chris Phelps.

Other highlights of the event included Boyz II Men performing one hit after another, such as "Motownphilly," "On Bended Knee," and "One Sweet Day." They truly connected with the audience by handing out red roses during "Make Love to You." The Killers also showcased their showmanship; lead singer Brandon Flowers opened their set by asking the crowd, "Did someone order a good time?" With a smile, he replied, "Coming right up," before diving into their performance.

An incredible time was had at Innings 2025 – with Extra Innings this upcoming weekend for round two! Tickets are still available and can be found HERE.