In the review I wrote of Samantha Fish’s September 2023 show at the Gothic Theatre, I semi-reluctantly called it the best show I’d seen thus far in the year. My reluctance had nothing to do with her show, which was completely incredible. It’s just that I see a lot of shows, and I didn’t want to disrespect any of the other fine artists I’d been fortunate enough to see perform live. But the truth is what it is… Fish’s show was just that good.
It’s two years later, almost to the day. This morning I’m basking in the glow of having been to not one, but two Samantha Fish shows over the past three days. Her Paper Doll Tour, supporting her recently (April 25) released album by the same name, rolled through Northern Colorado this past Saturday and Monday. Specifically, Sam and her veteran bandmates (Ron Johnson on bass, Jamie Douglass on drums, and Mickey Finn on keys) played the Arvada Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday night, and the Aggie Theatre in FOCO on Monday night.
Did I say, “rolled through”? More like “rolled over.” Both shows were absolutely off the chain… so much so that today I’m left to ponder if there’s any way for me to rate one over the other, or if I just call it a tie, and lump the two together as the best show I’ve seen thus far in 2025. With all due respect to the extraordinary artists and bands I’ve been fortunate enough to see this year, Fish and crew currently sit at the top of the leader board.
Considering that she’s just 36 years old, Samantha Fish’s body of work, and all the awards and accolades she’s stacked up over the course of her musical career, are nothing short of astonishing. Eight solo studio albums, plus another four collaborative albums with a laundry list of many of the biggest stars in blues rock. And it all started with Live Bait, a self-produced live album released in 2009, when Fish was just 19 years old. (See the Bonus Content section at the end of this piece for more info on that project.)
In other words, she’s kind of a big deal. But even though you knew that when you dropped down your hard earned cash for a ticket to one of her upcoming shows, it still didn’t prepare you for what you saw and heard this past weekend. Even if you’ve seen her perform live before – heck, even if you were in the crowd at the Gothic two years ago – and you know that she puts on a great show, you likely weren’t prepared for just how good she was going to be on this current tour.
The setlists for the two nights were more similar than not, but with notable differences. Both included a whopping eight of the nine songs from the new Paper Doll album. Both started with a bang, with a quick hitting cover of the 1969 MC5 classic “Kick Out The Jams” (see the Bonus Content 2 section below for more musings on the use of this song). Both closed the base set with Fish’s own classic, “Black Wind Howlin’,” from the 2013 album by the same name. Both included a show stopping version of “Dream Girl” that started smooth and dreamy, and ended in a pounding rock jam that shook the walls. And both included Fish’s signature, electrifying cover of the Screamin’ Jay Hawkins classic “I Put A Spell On You,” a song that highlights Fish’s exceptional vocal range.
The Arvada show setlist included fourteen songs (thirteen in the base set, plus a single song encore), with a total running time of an hour and a half. The Fort Collins setlist bested that by one song, coming in with fifteen total (again, a single song encore) for a total running time of an hour and forty-five minutes. The Fort Collins show included two additional covers, both from R.L. Burnside. “Poor Black Mattie” highlighted Fish’s slide guitar skills in a jaw-dropping, extended solo that whipped the crowd into a frenzy. “Goin’ Down South,” which served as that evening’s encore tune, was delivered in a playful, old-school blues style, building to a thundering blues rock finale.
Here’s a side by side comparison of the setlists for the two nights…
Differences in setlists aside, the defining term for the performances on both nights was ENERGY. Complete, total, over the top ENERGY. Watching Samantha Fish pour her heart and soul out for an hour and a half (or more) actually wears me out… I have no idea how she does it night after night after night. I’ve seen Fish perform live six times, and every time I see her, she’s better than the time before. She has it all… an amazing voice, extraordinary guitar skills, style, flair, and perhaps most important, passion. She puts everything into her performances. Her singing and playing, of course. Her movement back and forth across the stage, making sure she gets as up close and personal with as many members of the crowd as possible. By any and all standards, she’s at the top of a very short list of the best performers I’ve seen over the past dozen years or so.
Kudos to the crowds on both nights. Given the extreme differences between the two venues, I wondered if there might be noticeable differences in the respective vibes of the crowds. The Arvada show was at the Center’s wonderful outdoor theater. The Fort Collins show was indoors at the historic Aggie Theatre. The capacity for the Arvada Center is 1,500, with the lower section (closest to the stage) reserved seating, and the upper section general admission on the hillside lawn. The Aggie has a capacity 650, all general admission, standing only. Would the Arvada crowd be more reserved? Would the FOCO crowd be more rowdy?
The answer to both questions was no. While it was certainly true that the Arvada crowd started more on the reserved side, given that everyone was sitting, it wasn’t long before people started getting to their feet. The standing ovation during the break between the end of the regular set, and the band’s return to the stage for the encore, was as loud as I’ve ever heard. Arvada crowd, you done yourself proud.
Not to be outdone, the much smaller, but equally mighty, Fort Collins crowd got things going early. The house was packed, with everyone (of course) on their feet from start to finish. Fish seemed genuinely stunned at the enthusiasm of the crowd, given that it was a Monday night. Toward the end of the set, as she was thanking the crowd for coming out, she noted that the audience was acting “more like it was a Saturday night.” FOCO crowd, a big pat on the back to you too.
And to those people who attended both shows.. You Freaking Rock. I talked to a number of people in Fort Collins who had been at the Arvada show as well. In fact, the guy standing next to me through the entire FOCO show shared with me a picture he had taken at the Arvada show, which had me (well, the back of my head) in it.
On both nights, at both shows, Fish took a moment late in the set to comment on how much she loves playing in Colorado, because the crowds are so responsive and appreciative. She further noted, “we need to get out here more often.” Anytime, Sam. Anytime.
Speaking of “anytime”, as I write this article, Fish and crew are in Albuquerque, NM, readying for a gig tonight. But they’ll be turning right back around, heading back to Colorado for two performances at the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, on Thursday and Friday. Some of the folks I talked to in Fort Collins Monday night are headed down to the festival as well. Safe travels, my friends. Feel free to pass on that “anytime” comment to Sam, when you see her.
Story and photos by Rick Witt www.rickwittphotography.com
In the article above, I mentioned two pieces of Bonus Content. Read on…
Bonus Content… Unless you’re a serious diehard Samantha Fish fan, you might not be familiar with her very first album, Live Bait. Recorded live at Hannibal’s Waldo Bar and Grill in Kansas City, and released on January 1 of 2009, it featured the Samantha Fish Blues Band… a three piece that included Fish, Paul Greenlease on bass and vocals, and Danny Montero on drums and vocals. And while it’s not a finely polished work, it’s flat out damned good. Just nineteen years old when the album was recorded, Fish’s vocals and guitar work are surprisingly impressive. On top of that, the production quality is excellent. Do yourself a favor and hunt it down. You won’t find it on conventional streaming services, but it’s out there on the Interwebs. Here’s a link to the site where I found it, for free… https://bluesfish.bandcamp.com/album/live-bait.
Bonus Content 2 – Major kudos to Fish for her choice of MC5’s “Kick Out The Jams” as the set opener on both nights. Like most really good contemporary blues artists, Fish is a student of the music and musicians that came before her… songs and artists that inspire and influence her to this day. Blues standards like “I Put A Spell On You” (Screamin’ Jay Hawkins) and “Jim Lee Blues, Pt. 1” (Charley Patton) have been staples of her live shows, going back years. But no one is going to confuse “Kick Out The Jams” for a blues standard. MC5, the rock band many considered to have laid the foundation for what would become punk rock, released that highly controversial song in 1969, twenty year before Fish was born. I marvel that out of all of the songs out there to choose from, Fish would land on this gem as the opener for this tour. It was a masterstroke, because the straight forward rocker set the tone, in terms of energy level, for the remainder of the set.
