Samantha Fish thrills capacity crowd at The Slidebar in Fullerton

Wow! As great as singer-guitarist Samantha Fish was when I caught her 70-minute set at Doheny Blues Fest just three months ago, her headlining show at The Slidebar Rock-N-Roll Kitchen in Fullerton I caught last night (Aug. 9, 2017) was even more amazing.

I wasn't there to cover the show, and didn't take any notes, but I just had to jot something down and share a couple of pics I took with my iPhone. The Kansas City, Missouri native performed for more than two hours, and backed by a five-man band (including two horn players showcased on the potent and soulful "Either Way I Lose"), simply blended blues, soul and classic R&B was a master's touch. And the energy of the Fish and her band's performance never wavered.

Fish released her fantastic album Chills & Fever earlier this year, and she featured many of the outstanding tracks off the disc during the Slidebar set including an extended "It's Your Voodoo Working" and a fast-moving, joyful take on the title track that really caught my ear. Her guitar playing was impressive everywhere, whether she was playing sharp rhythm, blistering lead solos or using a slide. 

Fish was just as powerful a performer when bringing down the dynamics to perform the emotive acoustic song "Go Home" using her Taylor acoustic guitar later in her set.

A magic night to be sure and I hope to see her perform again soon.

Robert Kinsler