With over 3K attendees, Mahindra Blues Festival celebrates the largest turnout in its history!

by  EVENTFAQS Bureau Entertainment | February 15, 2023 | News

Mahindra Blues Festival Buddy Guy Arinjoy Trio Christone ‘KingFish’ Ingram The Beatz Crew

Thousands of blues lovers left no stone unturned to shower their admiration on the blues musician Buddy Guy at Asia’s largest blues music festival, the Mahindra Blues Festival (MBF). This 2023 edition was extra special as it not only marked the final Indian tour of Buddy Guy, one of blues music’s all-time greats, but also brought together 6 Indian and global artists to share the stage at the legendary Mehboob Studios on February 11 and 12.

This year’s edition witnessed over 3,000 attendees per day, immersing  in soulful blues sounds. From renowned musicians Papon, Neeraj Shridhar and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy to celebrities like Aditya Roy Kapur, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Vidya Balan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Kirti Kulhari, Denzil Smith, Gaurav Kapur and Aahana Kumra - some of the biggest Bollywood blues connoisseurs were also present at the festival, making it a star-studded evening.

On Day 1, the Arinjoy Trio performed diverse old-school and contemporary blues music, while Argentine bluesman Ivan Singh’s electrifying performance at the Soul Start Saloon set hearts racing. Likewise, The Karan Mahajan Band, winners of this year’s Mahindra Blues Band Hunt, a segment that discovers, encourages and provides rising blues artists with a platform to showcase their talent, took the Garden Stage with their distinct sound. The main stage, aka the Polka Dot Parlour, saw Grammy Award winner Taj Mahal enthral the audience with his stellar performance transcending the conventional boundaries of the genre.

On Day 2, Christone ‘KingFish’ Ingram made his MBF debut at Soul Strat Saloon, while The Beatz Crew & Nanhi Kali Choir performed two bluesy numbers. The Nanhi Kali Choir included girls who are part of Anand Mahindra’s Nanhi Kali Project, which schools disadvantaged girls.

Lastly, the Polka Dot Parlour witnessed a stirring blues journey to which the crowds grooved and moved all through the evening as the 85-year-old bonafide legend Buddy Guy, bid adieu to India at his farewell performance. He culminated the evening with a soulful, free flowing jam session with leading Indian and international musicians joining the fray, including, Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram, Taj Mahal, Arinjoy Sarkar, and Ivan Singh.

Jay Shah, Vice President - Cultural Outreach, Mahindra Group said, “At Mahindra, we have always endeavoured to passionately nurture arts, music, culture and stories of inclusivity and empowerment that build lasting connections with communities worldwide. And the Mahindra Blues Festival has been core to this vision, facilitating conversations across cultures and bringing together people with a shared love for the genre. This year’s edition was especially meaningful as it marked the farewell tour of blues virtuoso Buddy Guy in India. It was heartening to see the festival receive an overwhelming response from the audience eager and excited to celebrate a weekend of exceptional blues music.”

VG Jairam, Founder, Hyperlink Brand Solutions said, “The Mahindra Blues Festival has grown into a substantial cultural movement, bringing the genre to the mainstream by redefining it for new-age audiences, with renowned and rising talents sharing the stage. This year’s edition, too, witnessed the audience mesmerised by the magic of blues, experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime moment and connecting with their rawest, innermost emotions through the genre. We were happy to be a part of the festival and look forward to many more successful editions in the future.”

For editorial related queries, reach us at edit@eventfaqs.com