As soon as Christone “Kingfish” Ingram took the stage, the crowd was on their feet. They knew what they were in for — Kingfish played XPoNential 2019, after all — and they weren’t going to miss a minute of it. The legendary blues shredder, joined by his band, performed a dynamic and showstopping set, with Kingfish using every trick in his bag.

The first thing you notice about Kingfish is that his face is almost as expressive as his guitar playing. “If you can’t hear, you can read the music on his face,” said one festival-goer. His stage persona is larger-than-life, and he carries it off-stage, as well. 

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram | photo by Paige Walter for WXPN

Just like in 2019, in the middle of the set, Kingfish traveled off stage and into the crowd with his wireless guitar, all the while not missing a note. Security paved a small path for him through the crowded audience as fans from all over the lawn craned to get a closer look or give Kingfish a kind pat on the back. 

During “Long Distance Woman,” Kingfish even plucked his guitar strings with his teeth. A move that if you weren’t looking, sounded indistinguishable from his staccato runs using a guitar pick. It should also be mentioned that Kingfish ended his set with “Hey Joe” by Jimi Hendrix on the 51st anniversary of the artist’s death. No doubt Hendrix is a huge influence for Kingfish.

Listen to Kingfish’s XPoNential Music Festival 2021 performance and check out a photo gallery below.

Christone Kingfish Ingram – NonComm 2019
Setlist
She Calls Me Kingfish
Fresh Out
Another Life Goes By
Long Distance Woman
You’re Already Gone
Not Gonna Lie
662 / Hey Joe