Photos by Andy Argyrakis

As is customary, Buddy Guy got warmed up with a winter’s worth of sold out shows at his intimate club Legends, but now he’s back on the road for the arguably even more historic “Damn Right Farewell” Tour.

The landmark Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet served as the lovely, acoustically satisfying and exclusive suburban stop, courtesy of NiteLite Promotions, resulting in such a ticket buying frenzy to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, a second show was added to similar results.

But for those lucky enough to make their way inside, as least as far as closing night was concerned, that meant 90-minutes of nothing but the blues, tracing a revered career that dates back to the 1950s though his latest long-player, “The Blues Don’t Lie.”

Given the fact this longtime Chicagoan is now 86-years-old, it was downright remarkable just how magnetic and monstrous he was at howling through well over a half-century of hits or slaying on the six-string.

Then again, it should come as no surprise considering Guy was a Chess Records session man who played with Muddy Waters, went on to collaborate with Junior Wells, not to mention influence practically everyone onward, including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan and John Mayer.

Regardless, the headliner refused to rest on his laurels, pouring his entire essence into the original likes of “Damn, Right, I’ve Got The Blues,” “Skin Deep,” “Slippin’ In” and “I Let My Guitar Do The Talking,” while frequently veering from the studio versions to bust out a solo or some spontaneous riffs, alongside the smooth flow of a four-piece backing band anchored by Grammy-winning producer/songwriter/opener Tom Hambridge.

He also offered the many generations gathered a masterclass of the genre in general, putting a personal stamp on Willie Dixon’s “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man” and “I Just Want To Make Love To You,” Waters’ “She’s Nineteen Years Old,” John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom” and even a bit of Deep Purple’s “Smoke On The Water” using a drum stick to strike the strings.

In between, Guy offered observational musings, personal wisdom and sincere appreciation for the audience affording him such unrivaled longevity, which is surely getting close to breaking a record as far as staying constantly active is concerned, if it hasn’t already.

Although he probably had enough material to play forever, it eventually came to a close with a rollicking rendition of “How Blue Can You Get,” straight into a jam session with his son Greg Guy and fellow guest Ronnie Baker Brooks, as the Rialto rose to its feet in hopes this really wasn’t the last hurrah.

For additional information on Buddy Guy, visit BuddyGuy.net.

For a list of upcoming NiteLite Promotions concerts, visit NiteLite.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at the Rialto Square Theatre include Tommy James And The Shondells (Mar. 3); Get The Led Out (Mar. 4); Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit (Mar. 14-15); Sammy Kershaw, Aaron Tippin and Collin Raye (Mar. 26); Engelbert Humperdinck (Apr. 27); The Mavericks (May 18); Patti LaBelle (May 19); Killer Queen (Jul. 11-12) and The Australian Pink Floyd Show (Sept. 12). For additional details, visit RialtoSquare.com.

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