After they had played Lightnin' Hopkins and the Reverend Gary Davis, and after they had delighted the crowd with their signature "Hesitation Blues," acoustic blues throwbacks Hot Tuna captured the spirit of the San Francisco Blues Festival with their final number of their Saturday afternoon set.

"I got the blues from my baby down by the San Francisco Bay...." The audience, basking in the September sun on the Great Meadow at Fort Mason, with the Golden Gate Bridge and bobbing sailboats in view at stage right, ate it up. "If I ever come back to stay, it'll be another brand new day, walking with my baby down by the San Francsico Bay."

The Hot Tuna performance was one highlight of the first day of the venerable festival, taking advantage of the glorious September weather overlooking the Bay at Fort Mason's Great Meadow. The other highlight came two hours later, when another legend from a seminal '60s rock band closed out an entertaining all-star blues revue featuring a cavalcade of electric blues performers. After all that great music, Elvin Bishop reminded fans of the fun and excitement that a high-powered blues rock can deliver.  Read more »