Samantha Fish in Full Command at Royal Oak Music Theatre
Royal Oak,Michigan(12/14/2025)-Samantha Fish walked onto the Royal Oak Music Theater stage on Sunday night carrying herself like an artist who has fully settled into her role. The Shake ’Em On Down Tour has become a dependable platform for modern blues and this stop offered a clear snapshot of where Fish stands right now: confident, road-hardened and not afraid to step out of her lane when it comes to creativity and sound.
Dressed in what has become her trademark black leather, Fish took her Gibson SG from her tech and got straight to work. She opened with the MC5’s “Kick Out the Jams,” delivering a version that leaned hard into speed and aggression rather than a play through of the original. It worked as both a nod to Detroit’s musical legacy and a indication that the night was going to be a little different than her long time fans may be accustomed.
She moved directly into “Paper Doll,” the title track from her Grammy-nominated ninth album, before pushing ahead with a tightened, heavier take on “I’m Done Runnin’.” The sequencing was perfection. Instead of easing the audience in, Fish placed her newest material right up front in the set, trusting the songs to hold the room. The response suggested she was spot on, with fans already singing along to tracks that have only been out for a matter of months.
Seven of the night’s 13 songs came from Paper Doll, and the live arrangements showed how quickly the material has taken shape on the road. The sound was thicker than on previous tours, with more grit around the edges and added depth in the mix. Background harmonies drifted in and out, while Fish’s defining elements still remained front and center: precise slide guitar, extended solos that built patiently and a soaring vocal delivery that easily shifted from restraint to controlled power without warning.
Mid-set, “Lose You,” one of the new cuts that highlighted the set, settled into a steady, hypnotic pulse, giving Fish the space to stretch her phrasing while letting the song breathe. Her vocals climbed deliberately before resolving back into the groove. “Fortune Teller,” followed, with its eerie, rythmic bass lines that added a subtle, modern layer beneath her guitar licks. Live, the track leaned more on tension than polish, with Fish pushing her vocals into sharper, more exposed territory than on the studio recording.
Visually, the show stayed in motion throughout it’s ninety five-minutes. Fish changed guitars nearly every song, treating each one as a functional tool rather than a prop. During “Bulletproof,” she reached for a cigar box guitar, roughening up a longtime favorite and reinforcing her ability to pull directly from blues tradition without sounding bound up by it. The crowd responded immediately, many clearly recognizing the song from earlier eras of her catalog.
The set briefly eased up with “Dream Girl” from Kill or Be Kind, the night’s most restrained cut of the set. The band pulled the volume back, allowing Fish’s vocals to sit front and center. It was calculated yet deliberate, showcasing her control as a singer as much as her power. The contrast made the return to heavier material feel earned rather than a necessity.
The remaining cuts off Paper Doll “Sweet Southern Sounds,” “Don’t Say It,” and “Rusty Razor,” kept the rich thick sounds at the forefront, each reinforcing how comfortably Fish now moves between blues, rock, and soul without forcing the blend. Late in the set, she tipped her hat to tradition with “Poor Black Mattie,” the R.L. Burnside cover serving as a clear connective thread between Hill Country blues and her own modern approach. Rather than treating it as a history lesson, Fish leaned into its raw edges, letting the groove and her guitar speak for itself.
Behind her, the band played all night with a focus and minimalism that created a heavier sound than remembered from previous tours. Ron Johnson on bass and Jamie Douglass on drums provided a thick foundation that allowed Fish to push and pull against the groove as needed. Mickey Finn on keys added a texture without cluttering the arrangements noted on the cuts off Paper Doll.
Show staple and fan favorite“Black Wind Howlin’,”arrived late in the set and did what it has long done best in Fish’s live shows: open things up. The song stretched with Fish’s sharp slide work giving the band room to push the groove without losing shape. It felt less like a finale of the main set than a release valve, clearing space for what followed.
For the closing cut, “Goin’ Down South,” Fish brought out both openers, Cedric Burnside and Jon Spencer, turning the finale into a compact but high-impact collaboration. Spencer initially joined on guitar before switching to drums mid-song, shifting the groove into something looser and more relaxed. Burnside’s rooted Hill Country Blue’s presence anchored the performance as Fish leaned heavily into her Gibson and a more aggressive vocal delivery, pushing the song well beyond its traditional framework.
When the dust and the fury had finished, the overall takeaway from the performance was more than evident. This wasn’t simply a strong stop on a busy tour at the end of the run. It was a clear look at Samantha Fish operating at full command — confident in her material, both new and old. Sharp in execution and fully invested in pushing her sound forward without leaving its roots behind. It was bigger and more “in your face” than anything her fans have witnessed from her in the past. Paper Doll is Grammy nominated for Best Contemporary Blues Album with cuts that need to be heard live and loud for the full impact. Don’t believe it? Buy the Paper Doll album and a ticket to her show then thank us later…….yes, they are both THAT good!
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