Batter up!

The Baseball Project brought their 2023 tour to the Guild Theatre in Menlo Park, to a crowd of adoring baseball (and REM) fans. It was a night of puns and fun-spirited rock n’ roll.

If you’re not aware, The Baseball Project is a supergroup consisting of former REM members Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and longtime touring member Scott McCaughey, fronted by Steve Wynn of The Dream Syndicate, and bringing it home with Linda Pitmon on drums (Filthy friends).

Touring for their 4th album Grand Salami Time (2023), the Baseball Project is exactly as it sounds: a baseball-themed band. Classic rock tunes set to baseball-themed lyrics.

The band seemed to be in great spirits, and kicked off the evening with “Uncle Charlie”, before sliding into 2nd with “Erasable Man”, and rounding 3rd with “The Yips”. The audience (largely dressed in various baseball gear/jerseys) clearly responded well, enthusiastically yelling along with all the lyrics.

The REM influence could clearly be heard in the guitar and bass tones, as well as in the song arrangement themselves (i.e. “Journeyman”, but the tunes have more of a classic rock vibe than REM.

Ending with the punk rock “All or Nothing’s” was perhaps the highlight of the evening. Only two dates remain on this tour, so catch them if you can in Tacoma and Portland.

All photos by Clay Lancaster (claylancaster.com)