The splendid Koko was brimming full for the return of Samantha Fish to these shores with her own band, following last year’s shows with Jesse Dayton. And great to see the crowd that welcomed The Zac Schulze Gang’s support slot was hardly any thinner.

This power blues trio thoroughly warmed everyone up with a rocket-fuelled slalom of classic rhythm ‘n’ blues covers and original cuts from their ‘Made of Three’ EP. Zac flew across the stage, throwing shapes, pulling grimaces and peeling riffs and licks of ferocious intensity from his black strat. It takes some confidence, some gumption to take on a brace of Rory Gallagher standards and make them stick. ‘Laundromat’ and Messin’ With the Kid’ adhered like No More Nails.

The rhythm unit were tight. Ben Schulze on drums and a tasty solo from Ant Greenwell on bass and Sunderland FC top. But the act is built on the vocal and lead guitar talents of Zac. The finale was Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Oh Well’ and simply confirmed that these are boys to watch. Their debut album hits the racks next year.

Samantha Fish and her band kicked off with a sharp cover of MC5’s punk anthem, ‘Kick Out The Jams’. Maybe a little less chaotic than the original, but this was a powerful way-marker for the rest of the set. ‘Wild Heart’, followed in a more mainstream hard rock/blues vein and then we were quickly into ‘Better Be Lonely’. This was an early highlight with its insistent riff and the first real taste of Fish’s dynamic vocals on the final chorus. Mickey Finn’s organ stood out on this track and it felt like we were properly up and running.

‘Kill or Be Kind’ briefly brought the mood down with its retro, almost sleazy opening bars and revenge-soaked lyric, before Fish unleashed the first of tonight’s earthshaking solo pieces that had some in the audience dropping their jaws.

Even as the closing notes were still echoing around the hall, a roadie appeared to effect a swift instrument change and we plunged into the slide guitar fest of ‘Watch It Die’. It was another vocal and musical tour de force, given added zip stripped of the horns that soften the edges on the recorded version. This was a feature of tonight’s gig. Tougher, harder and generally more uncompromising than her eclectic back catalogue might suggest. All in a good way.

Next up, ‘Chills and Fever’ immediately challenged that last assertion, coming over all staccato beats and funky delivery, as befitting something once recorded by the venerable Tom Jones. But it was only a brief interlude. ‘Bulletproof’ brought back the thick riffing played on a cigar-box guitar, slide lead breaks and vocals delivered through a ‘50’s effects mic.

The work rate went through the roof on the wild ‘Miles To Go’. There was more slide guitar action, but Jamie Douglass on drums stole the show here, keeping a frenetic beat and whirling maniacally behind the tubs.

And a word for the band at this point. It is of course Samantha Fish who captures the attention. Her name up in lights, her insane playing and vocals, and her glamorous image to match. But Ron Johnson on bass, stage right, put in a proper shift, looking cool and staying close to Douglass’s keen rhythms. Mickey Finn took plenty of opportunities to trade off Fish’s guitar in some of the longer instrumental passages like the soulful ‘Never Gonna Cry’ back-to-back with the funky ‘Somebody’s Always Trying’.

‘Poor Black Mattie’ brought a gorgeous deep, rolling blues riff, whipcrack drumming and yet more scorching, fuzzed up solos.

‘Dream Girl, featured Fish’s sweetest vocal of the night and provided another of those rare, quieter moments. Until suddenly the performance departed from the rather innocuous studio cut to deliver step-change of emotionally charged singing and a breathtaking organ run from Finn. Topped off with the cleanest guitar solo of the night. Wow.

The set proper ended with a ten-minute epic. There were a few teasing bars of ‘Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down’, which presaged the headlong rush of ‘Black Wind Howlin’. It’s sinuous guitar crawl took us through band introductions/solos and extended, slow/fast instrumental passages.

Fish looked spent, but managed to drag herself and the band back for the encore and more warm words for the crowd. The first encore was another electric moment: Screamin’ Jay Hawkns’ ‘I Put A Spell On You’ given the full vocal works and wringing fretwork.

But maybe the highlight of the gig was saved ‘til the very last tune. Zac Schulze returned to the stage for ‘Goin’ Down South’ and was given free rein to engage with Fish in one of the finest guitar battles I’ve seen in a long time. ‘Take your time Zac’, she said as she stepped away from the mic. Their two styles contrasted and complimented deliciously: Samantha’s fast, flashy fretwork and Zac’s clean, razor-sharp tones. The crowd lapped it up. It was exhausting just to watch.

This was a barnstorming, rollicking, hard-hitting gig. High on power, intensity and pyrotechnics. More so than this reviewer had anticipated. Samantha Fish is quite a talent. Go see her if you can.

Review by Dave Atkinson
Zac Schulze photos by Dan Reddick
Samantha Fish photos by Phil Honley

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 24 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 26 November 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)