Buddy Guy Begins Farewell Tour At Mahindra Blues Festival In Mumbai

Buddy Guy got his farewell tour off to a memorable start in the notable setting of the 11th Mahindra Blues Festival at Mehboob Studios in Mumbai last weekend. Guy had headlined the first such festival in the Indian city ten years ago.

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The blues giant, now 86, took to the Polka Dot Parlour Stage on Sunday (12) to open the Damn Right Farewell itinerary. The tour, announced last October, begins in earnest with Guy’s show in Rockford, IL tomorrow (17). Initial North American dates run until June 30, after which Guy travels to Europe, beginning at the North Sea Jazz Festival on July 7. Another run of US shows begins on August 4, with the itinerary set to conclude, as befits one of the finest exponents of Chicago blues, in that city on October 30.

The independent Indian publication The Wire reported of the set in Mumbai: “Moments before Buddy Guy – in his signature black-and-white polka-dot shirt and a pair of blue dungarees – took total control of the packed house inside the Polka Dot Parlour Stage, fans saw clips from the new documentary Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase The Blues Away, filmed in honour of the legend’s 85th birthday by PBS American Masters. The film follows his rise from a childhood spent picking cotton in Louisiana to becoming one of the most influential guitar players of all time.

“An electrifying performance followed suit, with numbers like ‘I Just Want To Make Love To You’, ‘Hoochie Coochie Man,’ and ‘Skin Deep’, leaving the audience craving for more. This is the only festival where all the artists who have performed on both days come back with an all-star jam to bring the curtains down. The same was seen in this year’s final act, when Buddy Guy himself invited the artists Taj Mahal, Ivan Singh, Christone Kingfish, and Arinjoy Sarkar for the final jam.”

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