Bring Back the Blues
Mavis Staples, Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram headline 2025 Austin Blues Festival
Mavis Staples is playing Sunday, April 27, at the Austin Blues Festival.
A few days after Antone's announced the extensive events and releases calendar giving shape to its 50th anniversary year, the first of those events is coming into focus. The Austin Blues Festival announced January 8 that its 2025 lineup features greats like Mavis Staples, locals like Jackie Venson, and more.
Although this festival is an old(ish) Austin tradition, having been started in 1999, it only made it three years in its original incarnation. It was rebooted in 2023 — at the time called the "inaugural" year — and with 2025 being its third year back, the new version is going to be as old as the original.
Two headliners for the two-day event April 26 and 27 represent different generations within the blues. Mavis Staples has been among the country's most highly regarded R&B and soul singers since performing in the Staples Singers in the mid-50s. She's stayed relevant thanks to an lifelong commitment to civil rights progress, plus a willingness to keep collaborating with contemporary musicians of other ages and styles. Staples is now 85 years old.
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, the other headliner, is only 25 years old — he was born the same year as the original blues festival. Like Staples, he's toured with big artists in multiple generations and genres, including Buddy Guy (his mentor), Vampire Weekend, and Jason Isbell. He's known for his expressive guitar playing. Many listeners and reviewers have expressed surprised at the depth of soul in such a young person's play.
There's much worth seeing on the lineup, but some local highlights include an enduring symbol of Austin's blues scene, Sue Foley; your favorite Austin guitarist's favorite guitarist, Jackie Venson; the funky, smooth, and playful Sir Woman; and legitimately weird cult Grandmaster, who also happen to be engaging, Steely-Dan-meets-Zappa jazz musicians.
The full lineup, split into two days, is as follows:
Saturday
- Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
- North Mississippi Allstars
- Antone's 50th Anniversary All-Star Jam
- Taj Farrant
- Sue Foley
- Orquesta Akokan
- Elizabeth King
- 2nd Line Parade: Cha Wa
Sunday
- Mavis Staples
- Jackie Venson
- Antone's 50th Anniversary All-Star Jam
- Jalen Ngonda
- Monsieur Periné
- Sir Woman
- Keith Frank
- Grandmaster
- 2nd Line Parade: TBC Brass Band
A discounted presale is running now through ends Friday, January 10, at 9 am. Tickets will be on sale to the public at 10 am the same day. Presale tickets start at $75 for a single day and $120 for two days.
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Faulkner's howls cut through the air, hardly amplified.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Trish Toledo paid homage to mothers and couples in her romantic set.Photo by Brianna Caleri
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Thee Sacred Souls closed out the festival with a brass section.Photo by Brianna Caleri
This backup singer was exquisitely styled in blue.Photo by Brianna Caleri
Singer Josh Lane snapped a photo of an adoring audience. See you next time, Josh.Photo by Brianna Caleri