“I’ll bet there’s more Cubs fans here than Blink-182 fans”.
And while there wasn’t a census conducted from this overheard conversation, day three of Innings Festival had Blink-182 fans flocking to Tempe Beach Park by the thousands for the fest’s final day. As always, there was plenty of music to be enjoyed before the night’s headliner and Atlas jumped right back into the pit- check out our best moments from Sunday!
Summer Vacation Started Early with Bowling for Soup and Eve 6
The temperatures got even hotter for the last day of Innings but the intense sunshine didn’t faze the guys in Bowling for Soup. The goofy Texas trio had the audience in the palm of their hands from “Girl All the Bad Guys Want” to their now most popular tune- the theme song from Disney Channel’s Phineas and Ferb. As part of a running joke, the band always throws in a cover of Fountains of Wayne’s “Stacy’s Mom” (and no, it’s still not their song) before ending a riotously funny performance with a sped up “1985”. There might only be 104 days of summer vacation but Bowling for Soup got things started a few months early and not a single person challenged moving up the season.
Eve 6 made an understated entrance on the Right Field Stage and their crowd was already buzzing with anticipation. Another band with a plethora of nostalgic hits, they jammed away to “Promise” and “Black Nova”, all while reminding the fans of carefree days driving with the windows down (Arizona weather permitting). Naturally the set concluded with “Inside Out” and the singing could be heard across the field as fans made their way back to Home Plate for even more music.
Switchfoot was the sleeper hit of the day, taking the Home Plate Stage crowd to church from the first notes of “Stars”. Singer Jon Foreman leapt onto the barricade- to the palpable delight of the fans in the front row- to sing “Dark Horses” up close and personal with the audience before letting younger brother and bassist Tim Foreman pick that day’s surprise cover- and their rendition of the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage” had an unexpected amount of grit behind it.
From there, the band was nothing but back to back bangers and it was impossible to not sway and sing along to “Meant to Live” and “Dare You to Move”, both delivered with copious amounts of genuine soul and emotion. It was almost a disappointment when the set came to an end, as the audience was more than willing to let the band continue for as long as they pleased.
Hip Hop Reigned Supreme at Right Field
The Right Field Stage was graced by two hip hop legends as the sun began to set, starting with Big Boi. One half of the fantastical Outkast, the rapper was joined by Sleepy Brown for a set that included his solo material and plenty of Outkast classics. The grassy hill was packed with fans dancing to “Ms. Jackson” and “The Way You Move” and even the stage’s technical difficulties didn’t dampen the party atmosphere throughout Big Boi’s set.
Headlining the second stage was Chuck D and Flavor Flav- otherwise known as the mighty Public Enemy. While they told everyone “Don’t Believe the Hype”, the excitement for their appearance at Innings was a major draw for the fest’s last day. The duo has gotten no less political since their career’s start and that echoed through their chosen setlist and Flavor Flav’s profanity-riddled monologue where he adamantly denounced the president and the current state of the country. Public Enemy’s pulsing beats could be heard from the main stage and they kept their crowd mesmerized until fists rose in the air for the final notes of “Fight the Power”.
A Sublime Time with Blink-182
It was a special day for Sublime singer Jakob Nowell- Sunday marked the birthday of his late father and original vocalist Bradley Nowell. The audience was fully aware of this fact, singing “Happy Birthday” in celebration and giving the band even more of their energy to mark the occasion. Nowell has stepped firmly and confidently into his father’s shoes, performing the band’s familiar hits with passion and his own unique flair.
“Kill each other…with kindness!” Nowell shouted at the moshpits that popped up throughout the set, drawing grins from the band and laughs from the crowd. Their time onstage contained nothing but positive energy and the classic riff of “Santeria” echoed into the night as the performance came to a reluctant end.
By the time Blink-182 hit the main stage, it was safe to say that Tempe Beach Park contained more Blink fans than Cubs fans and they were ready to party with the pop punk trio. From Tom Delonge’s cheeky innuendo to the band’s effortless banter, their headlining set was equal parts music and comedy woven together. It’s always a treat when the band pulls out the greatest hits setlist and Innings (so far their only announced show for 2026) got an all-time. From “The Rock Show” to “Dumpweed” to “Bored to Death” the night was only at the halfway mark. Delonge turned the mic over the crowd to sing his iconic line in “I Miss You” before picking right back up into “Anthem Part Two”.
Choosing to forgo the performative exit before the encore, Blink-182 instead hit the audience with four straight classics, culminating with “First Date”, “All the Small Things” and “Dammit”. Fans hoping to catch the band at other dates this year counted themselves lucky to witness their only set of 2026 and left the park satisfied after three days of incredible music and community surrounding Spring Training in Arizona. It was a fest for the books and plans are already underway for next year’s installment of this beloved Arizona event.
