Samantha Fish Bulletproof Tour Queen's Hall Edinburgh 13th October 2024 Review
Photo credit Callum Scott. Used with permission.
Samantha Fish was at the Queen’s Hall Edinburgh playing the last UK date on her current “Bulletproof” tour, as to be expected, the show was a sell-out.
For many people, it is her very clear, very clean fretwork that has earned Samantha Fish her well-earned reputation as one of the best of contemporary blues music performers, but there is far more to her as an artist than just this. Samantha Fish is unquestionably a great exponent of blues based guitar, but also here is an artist who has the ability to write strong and identifiable songs whilst also being able to add her own very distinctive soul/R&B vocals to them. As if this was not enough, Samantha Fish is also a very good performer on stage who knows exactly how to interact with her audience and give them the show that they came to see.
This show, from the moment that Samantha Fish opened with “Kick Out The Jams”, was one where this audience was so obviously with her from the first few moments of this show and it was obvious that here was someone who not only had the talent, but also had built a reputation on live performances.
This audience obviously knew so many of Samantha’s songs tonight with every one a crowd-pleaser, including “Wild Heart”, “Kill or Be Kind” and “Better Be Lonely”, but without doubt the loudest applause was for the song that gave its name of this tour – “Bulletproof” from the 2019 album “Kill or Be Kind”. With its driving guitar and drum rhythms it is easy to understand why this one has been such a hit.
Away from the sounds of electric guitars, keyboards and drums, another big crowd pleaser tonight was Samantha Fish taking everything back to basics and a classic acoustic guitar cover of “Jim Lee Blues – Part 1”.
As already said in this review, Samantha Fish also has a voice that is perfect for some of the classics from years gone by, and an audience participation “Chills and Fever” and “I Put A Spell on You” left me wishing that one day there will be a vocals only tour from this hugely under-rated singer.
Samantha Fish is one of the few contemporary artists out there who is seamlessly blending traditional blues with a unique and contemporary sound that is effortlessly crossing many musical genres.
Supporting Samantha Fish tonight was The Zac Schulze Gang. This trio, formed in Gillingham in 2020, are already getting a lot of attention for their live performances from many audiences and the music industry. Opening their set with a cover of Rory Gallagher’s “Laundromat” was a good choice that got this audience’s attention immediately. This was a non-stop high energy performance from The Zac Schulze Gang that reminded me so much of watching new-wave bands in the late 1970s. Maybe sometimes this band just needs to let the music slow down from its frantic pace and let it breathe a little.
Review by Tom King © 2024
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
For many people, it is her very clear, very clean fretwork that has earned Samantha Fish her well-earned reputation as one of the best of contemporary blues music performers, but there is far more to her as an artist than just this. Samantha Fish is unquestionably a great exponent of blues based guitar, but also here is an artist who has the ability to write strong and identifiable songs whilst also being able to add her own very distinctive soul/R&B vocals to them. As if this was not enough, Samantha Fish is also a very good performer on stage who knows exactly how to interact with her audience and give them the show that they came to see.
This show, from the moment that Samantha Fish opened with “Kick Out The Jams”, was one where this audience was so obviously with her from the first few moments of this show and it was obvious that here was someone who not only had the talent, but also had built a reputation on live performances.
This audience obviously knew so many of Samantha’s songs tonight with every one a crowd-pleaser, including “Wild Heart”, “Kill or Be Kind” and “Better Be Lonely”, but without doubt the loudest applause was for the song that gave its name of this tour – “Bulletproof” from the 2019 album “Kill or Be Kind”. With its driving guitar and drum rhythms it is easy to understand why this one has been such a hit.
Away from the sounds of electric guitars, keyboards and drums, another big crowd pleaser tonight was Samantha Fish taking everything back to basics and a classic acoustic guitar cover of “Jim Lee Blues – Part 1”.
As already said in this review, Samantha Fish also has a voice that is perfect for some of the classics from years gone by, and an audience participation “Chills and Fever” and “I Put A Spell on You” left me wishing that one day there will be a vocals only tour from this hugely under-rated singer.
Samantha Fish is one of the few contemporary artists out there who is seamlessly blending traditional blues with a unique and contemporary sound that is effortlessly crossing many musical genres.
Supporting Samantha Fish tonight was The Zac Schulze Gang. This trio, formed in Gillingham in 2020, are already getting a lot of attention for their live performances from many audiences and the music industry. Opening their set with a cover of Rory Gallagher’s “Laundromat” was a good choice that got this audience’s attention immediately. This was a non-stop high energy performance from The Zac Schulze Gang that reminded me so much of watching new-wave bands in the late 1970s. Maybe sometimes this band just needs to let the music slow down from its frantic pace and let it breathe a little.
Review by Tom King © 2024
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com