May 7, at Festivals , Reviews Tags: blues , blues music , bluesfest , buddy guy , Glenn Cartier and the Sideshow , gospel , jake shimabukuro , lloyd spiegel , mavis staples , Max Jury , michael kiwanuka , Mud morgan field , soul , ukulele. Buddy Guy at Bluesfest. Photos by Stuart Bucknell Photography. Our main aim is to grab lunch and make haste to see Glenn Cardier and the Sideshow , at pm on the Delta stage. Heading to the Mojo stage for a 2pm grin-fest Jake Shimabukuro and his wicked ukulele.
Touting his new album recorded in Nashville, Shimabukuro is accompanied only by an electric bass. His epic dexterity and speed builds to crescendo and then lulls in to a beautifully entwined and intricate plucked wonder. After a decadent medley of some favourite pop tunes, and something with a Spanish flair, he finishes the set with a crowd sing-a-long to Bohemian Rhapsody! We make our way to catch Mud Morganfield at 3pm on the Delta stage.
A wicked harmonica solo herald the entrance of the man himself, the son of legend Muddy Waters, Mud Morganfield steps out on stage. The entire crowd is tapping, bopping or swaying to the old time jive sensibilities transporting us to another time. After grabbing a quick drink and bite to eat, we settle in to witness Buddy Guy take over Bluesfest in his pm set on the Crossroads stage.
His performance is so highly anticipated that the crowd not only packs out the tent and overflows behind, but is also overflowing to the sides, all the way to the big screen and back to the craft beer bar. Starting big and only going bigger, he may be 80 but he gives the rest of his band a run for their money. Resplendent in polka dots, Buddy commands the stage with both his presence and his swaggering guitar riffs.
His voice shackled the high notes and melted all the way down through every blues note with such passion and showmanship.
