FRIDAY 

HOME PLATE 

Tyler Ballgame 12:50-1:35

Newcomer Tyler Ballgame is right at home at Innings Festival, marking the start of a very busy spring ahead. Opening for St. Paul and the Broken Bones, The Head and the Heart, and a run of headlining gigs in Europe, there is no slowing down after the release of his debut record “For the First Time, Again”. He recently performed the title track live on CBS News Live Sessions. His influences are worn on his sleeve, hearing drops of Elvis and John Lennon throughout the record. 

Marcy Playground 2:30-3:15

In 1994, the figurehead for the grunge movement died and alt radio doesn’t skip a bit diving into the Green Day and The Offspring infused punk scene. But in the few days where people didn’t know what to play, Marcy Playground developed an infusion of post-grunge, and a touch of psychedelic at times that became a staple in the rotating cd readers as people drove.  

Goo Goo Dolls 6:35-7:50

Everyone loves “Iris”. Who doesn’t? But there is so much more to not only the record “Dizzy Up The Girl”, but the rest of the bands discography. Prioritizing analog recording styles and what began their careers, the band released “Chaos In Bloom” in 2023 and the EP “Summer Anthem” in 2025. Continuing their partnership with last summers touring buddies, Dashboard Confessionals, they will both hit this festival. The Goo Goo Dolls will tour Canada briefly in March. 

Mumford and Sons 9:00-10:30

Marcus Mumford, Ted Dwayne, and Ben Lovett have been a powerhouse the past year. In 2025, the trio that is known as Mumford and Sons has released their first record since 2018, “RUSHMERE” on March 28th, played 102 shows across the world, and recorded a new album “Prizefighter”, to release on the night they headline Innings Festival, February 20^th. The return of their classic vibrant folk rock on “RUSHMERE” has led way to a more grounded and calm track listing on the first three of “Prizefighter”. This new record has attracted the likes of Hozier, Chris Stapleton, Gracie Abrams, and more. Mumford and Sons will continue their domination in 2026, including a return to Iowa at Hinterland. With a mixture of never before heard songs and the hits that led them into stardom, it is a can’t miss set. 

RIGHT FIELD 

Congress The Band 1:40-2:25

Hailing from Charleston, South Carolina, this group of five is the youngest band at Innings Fest. A jumble of fun, the indie rock belted by lead singer William Bennet is a joy to hear. While not many songs are available to listen right now, their brief collection holds hooks that latch on, including a great cover of Amy Whinehouse’s “Valerie“. Congress The Band is an exciting group that will be a great start to the festival.

Peach Pit 5:30-6:30

As good as it gets, Peach Pit is going to be a highlight of the weekend. Flying south to the warmer weather, this group of Canadian indie-rockers have been a staple in my ear for a while now. They’re four for four on records after 2024’s “Magpie” continued their hot streak. With melodic riffs today that becomes tomorrows hums at work, Peach Pit is a can’t miss. 

SATURDAY 

HOME PLATE 

Catie Turner 12:30-1:35

First rising to prominence in 2018 during season sixteen of American Idol, the Pennsylvania born singer has had the knack for performance her whole life. Making it to the top 7 that year, it was just the beginning as Catie Turner has gone on to release a barrage of tracks throughout the years since. Heading this together was the split EP, “Comedy and Tragedy” in 2023 reflecting on the passing of her father. These emotionally charged tracks are heartfelt and confident in what they are saying about loss and love. Turner released “Hurt You Now”, a three song selection, this past week.

Cage the Elephant 6:35-7:50

You are in for an unbeatable live show when Cage the Elephant takes the stage. Hailing from the home of bluegrass, these fine Kentucky gentlemen emphasize the “blues” aspect in their slick riffs and beautiful guitar tone. Lead singer Matt Schultz has grown into one of the greatest frontmen alive by turning the stage into a playground, swinging around with no regard to the woodchips in his shoes and scraps on his knees. A must see in every sense of the word.

Twenty-One Pilots 9:00-10:30

Nearing the end of extensively touring their 2024 record “Clancy” “”, Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun put out “Breach” just sixteen months later as they prepare to step away from their hectic schedule. Before they play their singular North American show on Saturday night, the duo are set to release a new single “Drag Path” on February 17th. Twenty-One Pilots will hit the road in Europe to tour “Clancy” this summer playing a variety of festivals across the continent.

RIGHT FIELD 

The Backfires 12:10-12:45

New York indie rockers The Backfires have been on my list for quite a while. Energetic and lively, I was first introduced to them in 2022 from their single “Blindsided”. Word spread to me about their great live shows and the anticipation has only grown. Releasing their first record “This Is Not An Exit” in January 2025, The Backfires have been a force touring this record including a headlining gig at The Bowery Ballroom and opening up for The Happy Fits.  

Deer Tick 1:40-2:25

The Rhode Island native John McCauley created a very unique sound in 2004. Since then, he has been joined by Christopher Dale Ryan, Dennis Michael Ryan, and Ian Patrick O’Neil to create what is known as Deer Tick. Dancing the fine line of folk, blues, rock, country, Americana, and any other genre you enjoy listening to, this versatile quartet has embarked on a journey that has given them an impressive resume. Their most recent venture, the 2024 EP “Contractual Obligations” leans into a rocking maturity that is a must listen.

Silversun Pickups 3:20-4:20

Entering year 26 of their careers, Silversun Pickups are still putting out phenomenal tracks. This can be most recently seen in their 2026 record “Tentahooks“. Lead single, “The Wreckage” creates an atmosphere reminiscent of their hits that gave the bug to all of their fans years ago. The 10 track record is their first in four years. Based out of LA, this band begins a busy year touring this brand new record.

SUNDAY

HOME PLATE 

Common People 12:50-1:35

From all over the country, these gentleman gathered to make music. Some from the west, east, and everywhere in the middle, Common People is a band of destiny. Starting out as all good bands do, just jamming with some friends. Nicky Winegardner, Cormac Cadden, Knorad Ulich, Asher Thompson, and Sam Belzer hit the record button one day, and the rest is history (with most still unwritten). Supporting fellow Innings Fest players on their upcoming tour, Congress The Band, Common People will hit the stage with their latest single “Rain” and a collection of their back catalogue.

Bowling For Soup 2:30-3:15

“If you went to a Bowling for Soup show and the PA caught on fire and all of the microphones failed and somebody stole all the guitars, Jared Reddick could stand there without a microphone and entertain 2,000 people by himself for three hours. He could do it”. This is a quote from Brendan Brown of Wheatus about Bowling for Soup frontman Jaret Reddick. This is spot on too might I add,. A lively and happy show is a staple product of Bowling For Soup, leaving you with a smile on your face after some great pop punk tunes.  

blink-182 9:00-10:30

Innings Festival is lucky, they will play host to the singular show on the books for blink-182 as of now. The California pop punk trio has been out on the road quite a bit since reuniting in 2022, but look to be taking a step back this coming year. An opportunity to see this band and its original members is one that is too good to pass up. This retreat is in hopes of new music, as their 2023 record “One More Time…“, and its deluxe edition have entered the ancient age of three years old now. Hoping for a continuation of their “Missionary Impossible Tour” setlist, this is a great way to send the fest home.

RIGHT FIELD 

Artikal Sound System 1:40-2:25

A reggae vibe at the park is an ideal way to start the day as Artikal Sound System brings their southern Florida charm to Right Field. Entering year 14 of making music, Chris Montague and Fabian Acuña have dazzled across the country. This sound will be a nice compliment to Sublime playing later in the day, both sharing that reggae heart. A.S.S. most recent LP was 2025’s “Are You Smiling” in January quickly followed by their single “Orange Crush” in May. 

Big Boi 5:30-6:30

Sunday holds the hip hop artists as Big Boi will take the stage for the first time in what will be a busy 2026. One half to Outkast, Big Boi has been a staple in the world of rap, anchoring down as an influence to many of todays contemporaries. His music always seems to find a way to young peoples ears, including opening for Kid Cudi on his Rebel Rangers Tour this summer.  

Public Enemy 7:55-8:55

Chuck D and Flavor Flav’s hip hop duo burst onto the scene in 1985, blossoming out of New York with their strong political themes. Public Enemy is a force to be reckoned with.They rose to prominence in the 90’s, receiving four consecutive Bes Rap Performance by a Duo or Group from 90-93 for “Fight The Power” and records like “Fear of a Black Planet”. The pair have continued to make music throughout their 41 years, including 2025’s release “Black Sky Over The Projects: Apartment 2025”.  

LEFT FIELD STAGE

On top of the incredible musicians playing this festival, there is a baseball side to it. Leading the charge is former pitcher Ryan Dempster, who brings his “Off the Mound” talk show to the Left Field Stage each day of the festival. Pairing that with Jake Peavy’s All Star Jam on Friday, this is an absolute joy to have and something you can only find at Innings Festival. Celebrating the start of Spring Training is a glorious thing, and theres no better way to do it than listening to baseball players jam. There will also be meet and greet opportunities at Speed Pitch and Batting Cage with the likes of Brandon Crawford, Mark Grace, and more!

This combination of baseball and music is a match made in heaven. Enjoying the Arizona sun during the coldest months of the year, surrounded by the worlds finest bands and gold glove winners is a singular experience. Tickets for Innings Festival are almost all gone, with limited Friday and Sunday passes left that you can find here. Stay tuned for interviews and a recap and listen to Downey’s Hour Monday nights 9:00-11:00 PM!

The post Innings Festival Preview appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Logan Melia: Hi. How are you doing?  

Jaret Reddick: I’m doing great. How are you?  

Logan: I’m doing well. How’s the tour been? You’re out with Simple Plan, Lolo, and 3OH!3 right now, how’s that been?  

Jaret: Man, it’s, you know, in one way it’s like a family reunion because Simple Plan have been our little brothers since 2002, you know, when we first brought them to Texas and then took them to the UK and now they’re taking us all over the USA and so, yeah, it’s great. And then 3OH!3, we just love those guys so much and Lolo as well and so it’s just, it’s been a lot of fun and the crowds have been absolutely amazing, you know, kudos to Simple Plan for putting this thing together and taking us out and really, really bringing it.  

Logan: Yeah, they are, to you guys too, but incredible live bands. I mean, they are jumping all over the place, they’re a joy to see.  

Jaret: It’s a really, really energetic and fun night. I mean, and that’s, you know, that’s, again, kudos to them for picking the right bands because it’s, man, everybody is leaving with a big smile on their face and that’s what it’s all about.  

Logan: Yeah. Do you have any tours that you remember where you’re just like, God, this lineup was just, you know, if we could do that tour again, you know, is there anything that sticks out in your mind?  

Jaret: Yeah, I mean, there’s so many of them. You know, we’re pretty lucky in that for the most part, our entire career, we’ve hand selected who it is we tour with and, you know, we really haven’t supported many bands. It’s usually been our thing and, but the two co-headlines we did, one with Less Than Jake and one with Real Big Fish are definitely up there with this one as far as the best tours we’ve ever done.  

Logan: Are you a big ska guy? I mean, I wouldn’t say that I’m a big ska guy, but I mean, I love those bands as their music and people. I mean, you know, it’s really to me, it sort of fits in.  

Jaret: I don’t even think about it as ska, I think about those guys as being warped tour bands, you know, because that’s where we all grew up, you know, and seeing each other every summer and that’s where we got to be close and stuff. So it’s funny. It’s really until that I read it every once in a while, I’ll just be like, yeah, Less Than Jake just played our hometown of Dallas and I saw a bunch of posts about it and was like, the ska came to, I forget that they’re a ska band, you know, but yeah, they’re a rock band to me, you know, and, and they’re my buddies and they’re, I can’t think of any band that I like watching more than I do Less Than Jake. Maybe Bad Religion, but, but Less Than Jake being definitely one of my favorite live bands ever.  

Logan: Yeah. Now you mentioned Warped. You have an insanely busy year, you’re touring with Simple Plain, you’re doing a Warped or Bus Tour, you’re hitting Warped, Four Chords, Aftershock, you got a million things and then on top of it all, Wembley. 

Logan: It’s a huge year for you guys. 

Jaret: Huge year for us. I mean, and coming off of our biggest touring year ever and now, you know, doing some of these rock festivals for the first time and just really loving it and, and as I said, as you said, Warped Tour is back. So we have those three weekends and then, yeah, our biggest headlining show ever, Wembley Arena, December 13th and, you know, it’s looking like we’re going to sell it out. And that’s just one of those achievements that, you know, it’s, it’s much like, you know, I guess, you know, we’re sort of stacking those up, you know, we’re Grammy nominated, we just crossed a billion streams and now we’re going to headline Wembley Arena, you know, so it’s like, those are, those are like doctorates, you know, it’s, we’ll always have those things.  

Logan: You mentioned Grammys and the blue tuxes. I did some research that you guys won an award that didn’t win the Grammy, but you won the worst dressed that night from a fashion reporter. 

Jaret: We did, yep. From two actually we won it. We were named Joan Rivers “Worst Dressed” and People Magazines actually.  

Logan: Now in retrospect, would you wear the same, going back in time, would you wear the same blue tuxes? Because I personally think that they’re probably one of the best of the night, but would you have taken it up or would you have kept with the blue tuxes?  

Jaret: No, we would have done it again. I mean, we got so much press out of that, you know, I mean, Jimmy Kimmel even pointed us out on his show before we would ever, we’ve done him three times now, but you know, before we were ever even on there and he pointed out to our tuxes and so yeah, we got a, we got a lot of miles out of that. And also we looked so fun that Brad Paisley was there, he was at his first Grammys and he was, he was walking through and he was like, he was like, hey, I’m here by myself and you guys look fun. Can I just walk through this red carpet with you? And I’m like, yes, Brad Paisley, you sure can, you know, it’s super fun. Yeah, it’s super fun.  

Logan: Now you mentioned Warped earlier and you said like, you know, your bands come up together and stuff like that and I mean, this is the first Warped in, what is it, seven years at this point? Is it a lot of familiar faces?  

Jaret: Yeah, it’s definitely, as I said, it’s like a, you know, like a high school reunion or summer camp reunion or, you know, family reunion or whatever, but it’s, yeah, it’s, I mean, it’s, you know, it’s not quite the same in that, you know, originally your Warped tour for however many years we did it, we were on it for about 15 years, I think. And you know, you’re on it the whole summer and so, you know, you’re, all the buses are parked together and you’re, you know, that’s where you, you’re all hanging out and stuff like that. It’s a little bit different since most of us have to fly in for the shows, you know, and so you see as many people as you can. It’s a little bit overwhelming, but it’s, you know, it’s great to see everybody.  

Logan: I saw Dan Povenmire made an appearance and like, you know, many kids my age, my introduction to Bowling for Soup was, you know, through Phineas and Ferb and everything. So how did bringing Dan out come to be?  

Jaret: That was cool. You know, he’s done that a few times. I can’t really remember the first time we did it. We did it at the Anaheim house. Oh no, I do remember.  

Logan: Is that When We Were Young? 

Jaret: When We Were Young.   

Logan: That’s right. 

Jaret: We did that the first time and he loved it, had so much fun. So then he and Swampy both came, oh, and Vincent, who plays Phineas, all came to our Anaheim House of Blues show last year and we did a little thing and then, but yeah, this one was really cool because Phineas and Ferb, it was the week of the day of the debut of the new episodes.  

Logan: The re-premiere. Yeah. 

Jaret: And so they did a whole exhibit, but like put together a whole installation at Warped Tour and people could walk through it and stuff. And so it just added to the show that Dan was able to come up in the jacket and do the voice and we shot love handle shirts out of the t-shirt cannon and my son was there who’s 19. He was able to do that. So it’s just a great day.  

Logan: That’s awesome. Yeah. I was about, I remember my older sister telling me, I was watching Phineas and Ferb with her and she’s like, they’re like an actual rock band, Love Handle. That’s how I fell down this rabbit hole and fell in love with you guys playing and it’s been very cool seeing that come to be with Dan on stage.  

Jaret: Yeah. And just generations and generations of people who love that show so much. And it’s certainly been a pleasure to be a part of it all this time.  

Logan: Now you’ve been still producing great music, like “Pop Drunk Snot Bread”, I love, you guys are still out cooking, “Don’t Mind If We Do” came out a few years ago. You had the release of “Fishing for Woo’s”. Those creative juices are still flowing, which you can’t say for a lot of bands that came up in the same era. What’s the secret to you guys still putting out good quality stuff?  

Jaret: Yeah, it’s just because we still enjoy ourselves and we never really tried to mess with the formula. We just do what we do and we didn’t try to change with the times or anything like that or evolve or copy any styles or trends or anything like that. We just stayed who we were. I think Bowling for Soup fans would agree that every once in a while you just need a little dose of Bowling for Soup to brighten your day. And we figured that out pretty early, that that was our thing and we really just stuck to that. And we still enjoy what we’re doing. We still love being around each other. So it’s been a blessing for sure.  

Logan: And you added “Turbulence” to the setlist I saw for this tour right now. How do you pick, because you play your hits, but how do you swap in those more deep cut type songs?  

Jaret: Yeah “Turbulence” was an interesting conversation actually. It’s really interesting that you would bring that up because we do that during our full set. It’s usually after I do a whole discussion, a quick two, three minutes about mental health because mental health is really something that is important to me and it’s something that I’ve had issues with in the past and I just really like to communicate that out into the world so that people know that A. it can really happen to anybody. But “Turbulence”, it was really just knowing the Simple Plan audience and knowing that they have those songs like “Perfect” and the “Unnamed Song” and those songs that are just really, really heartfelt. And it was like, you know what, this audience, even though we’re only up there 40 minutes, I think they’re really going to be able to take something away from, with the song Turbulence. And so, actually, it was Rob’s idea, I think, and then we just talked about it as a band and we were like, yeah, let’s just try it and see. And it’s really working. It’s a nice, nice little, we’re really, really in your face for like 30 minutes and then it’s a little breath of fresh air, then we’re in your face for another 10 and then we’re done.  

Logan: Yeah. Well, you mentioned a 40 minute set. Do you remember the longest set you’ve ever played?  

Jaret: Oh, yeah, sure. I mean, you know, yeah, we’ve played three hour shows, I mean, plenty of times and we were one of those bands, you know, when we were back in the bar days, like they would have to pull us off the stage. And our 20th anniversary show, I think, was two and a half hours. And they were literally like, it was a union crew, and our tour manager literally had to walk up on stage and be like, they are going to turn on the lights, you need to get off the stage. So, we don’t, I don’t really see us doing that anymore. We’ve gotten a little older and it gets hot up there, but yeah, I mean, we’ve played some long shows. 

Logan: Yeah. Getting old sucks, but you know, everybody’s doing it as you are.  
Jaret: It’s better than the alternative, right? 
 
Logan: Yeah. Okay. Final one. You got, you know, just a big anniversary tour, you’re opening up. What’s next on that? Are you guys writing, do you write on the road a lot, what’s coming up for Bowling for Soup?  

Jaret: Yeah, as you said, you know, we have this tour, we still got another three weeks left and then we’ll be home for a little bit and then we’re touring some dates in the south to get to Orlando Warped Tour. And we’re playing Epcot as well for two days. And then we got the Wembley Arena show and then in February we’ll be in the studio recording a new album. So, and between now and then we’re releasing “Hangover You Don’t Deserve Live” that we recorded in Manchester last year.  

Logan: I love live records, such a fan.  

Jaret: Thank you. Yeah, well, we’re excited about it. You know, it’s our, I think it’s our third or fourth live record. And so this one, it’s really, really cool because it’s the whole “Hangover You Don’t Deserve” album front to back and then some fun stuff at the end, but yeah, it’s just an exciting time for us. And then there’ll be more, we’ll be in Australia some next year, back to the UK again some next year and then a full US tour late in the summer and fall.  

Logan: That’s exciting stuff. Well, you can catch Bowling for Soup in Council Bluffs, Iowa on August 20th. I’m in Chicago right now, you guys are playing the 24th at Northerly, I’m very excited for that. It’s awesome. You got a good stretch. Well, thank you so much for spending time with me. 

Jaret: Thanks for having me. 

Logan: I really appreciate it. It means a lot.  

Jaret: Thanks brother.

To quote my interview with Brendan Brown of Wheatus, “if you went to a Bowling for Soup show and the PA caught on fire and all of the microphones failed and somebody stole all the guitars, Jared Reddick could stand there without a microphone and entertain 2,000 people by himself for three hours. He could do it”. I couldn’t agree more. The energy Bowling for Soup brings to the stage is contagious, making even tho most stagnant viewers give a little toe tap or head bounce. Bowling for Soup will play their biggest headlining gig at Wembley Arena on December 13th with support from Wheatus and Punk Rock Factory. A handful of US dates, including Innings Festival, have been announced as we await the new album and tour dates for later in 2026. You can keep up with the latest Bowling for Soup news here.

The post Interview: Jaret Reddick of Bowling for Soup appeared first on KRUI Radio.