British blues guitarist Matt Schofield will return alongside rising American artists like D.K. Harrell and Altered Five Blues Band, who will make their India debut on Feb. 14 and 15, 2026 in Mumbai
Eric Gales and Shemekia Copeland return for Mahindra Blues Festival in 2026. Photos: Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage, Erika Goldring/Getty Images
The Mahindra Blues Festival is back on Feb. 14 and 15, 2026 and with it come familiar and stalwart names in the blues world.
Multi-Grammy nominee and blues powerhouse vocalist Shemekia Copeland, American guitar great Eric Gales and British guitarist Matt Schofield will all return to the festival after several years, performing at Mumbai’s Mehboob Studios. Joining them is India’s favorite instrumental blues act, Blackstratblues, with bandleader Warren Mendonsa making his way down from New Zealand.
The 14th edition of the long-running music festival also brings in American blues artists like D.K. Harrell and Altered Five Blues Band for their debut performances in India. The headliners, however, are no strangers to India. Copeland performed at the inaugural Mahindra Blues Festival in 2011 and returned in 2017. The latter year also saw Eric Gales debut at the festival, performing as part of the Supersonic Blues Machine alongside the likes of Billy F. Gibbons of ZZ Top. Schofield—the first guitarist inducted into the British Blues Awards Hall of Fame—performed at the 2011 edition of the festival and now returns nearly 15 years later.
In addition to the international artists on the lineup, the festival will also kick off its Big Blues Band Hunt to add new talent to the Garden stage in the coming weeks. Like the past two editions, the Mahindra Blues Festival will continue its tradition of giving a platform to the young artists through the Kanakia Beatz Crew and Nanhi Kali Choir.
Mahindra Group’s vice president of cultural outreach Jay Shah says in a statement, “We are witnessing a growing interest in blues. This cultural shift is significant, as there are so many talented individuals and pioneers who are striving to preserve and propel the magic of this genre. We at Mahindra Group are always happy to join in this movement to preserve and propagate a genre that has healed so many hearts with its honesty and hope. This year’s lineup is as diverse as it can get, an act from the homeland, a British act, along with veterans and the future voices. This gives us hope that through our efforts, the globe is becoming a unified village, basking in the glory of the blues.”
Tickets for Mahindra Blues Festival 2026 are available on BookMyShow and currently priced at ₹4,000 per day, with a season pass priced at ₹6,000.
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