The 14th edition of the Mahindra Blues Festival returned to Mehboob Studios on 14 and 15 February, reaffirming its position as one of India’s most established live platforms for blues and related roots music.
Across two days, the festival brought together veteran performers, emerging voices and cross-cultural collaborations, underscoring how the genre continues to adapt while staying rooted in its storytelling traditions.
Day One: Returns, debuts and defining voices
The opening day was marked by the return of Matt Schofield, performing in India after nearly fifteen years. Joined by organist Jonny Henderson and drummer Evan Jenkins, Schofield delivered a funk and swing-leaning set that included a crowd-pleasing guitar exchange with Indian guitarist Arinjoy Sarkar.
US outfit The Altered Five Blues Band made their festival debut, led by frontman Jeff Taylor. Their set, which included a tribute to Robert Johnson, highlighted the genre’s emotional range and performance intensity.
Winners of the Big Blues Band Hunt, Grace n’ The Cliches, followed with a repertoire that moved between soul, jazz and Southern rock influences, rooted in contemporary blues traditions.
The evening closed with a headline performance from Grammy-nominated singer Shemekia Copeland, whose blend of electric blues, soul and Americana brought a sense of authority and depth to the stage. Her set reinforced her standing as one of the genre’s most influential voices today.
Day Two: New energy and intergenerational links
Day two opened with Blackstratblues, led by Warren Mendonsa. Their set moved between acoustic textures and heavier rock arrangements, setting the tone for the rest of the evening.
Louisiana-based guitarist and singer D.K. Harrell emerged as one of the standout performers of the day. His gospel-inflected vocals and contemporary blues phrasing drew strong audience response. A moment of camaraderie with Eric Gales, who assisted him with a guitar issue mid-set, became one of the weekend’s most talked-about exchanges.
As part of the festival’s ‘Blues In School’ programme, Kanakia Beatz Crew and Nanhi Kali Choir presented renditions of Grateful Dead’s Dancin’ in the Streets and Aretha Franklin’s Respect, reinforcing the festival’s focus on education and legacy-building.
Eric Gales later delivered one of the weekend’s most theatrical sets, opening with an extended guitar introduction before moving through material that referenced Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and AC/DC. Alongside technical virtuosity, his performance emphasised resilience and long-term dedication to the craft.
A collective finale
The festival concluded with the traditional All-Star Jam, bringing together artists from across both days for a collaborative finale. The closing session underlined the central idea behind the Mahindra Blues Festival: blues as a shared language that continues to evolve while connecting different generations, regions and musical backgrounds.
With its mix of international headliners, Indian talent and educational initiatives, the 14th edition reinforced the festival’s role as a key meeting point for blues and roots music in India’s live circuit.
