Samantha Fish: Portland Gig Review

Samantha Fish headlined the show at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, Oregon, on Sunday, November 23, 2025, with Robert Jon and the Wreck opening the evening. The concert began at 8:00 PM with Robert Jon and the Wreck delivering a killer 45-minute set. Samantha Fish took the stage at 9:15 PM for a set lasting over 90 minutes. She opened with the classic MC5 anthem “Kick Out the Jams,” setting the pace for an intense performance. It was followed by the throbbing beat of the title track from her latest album Paperdoll, as she sang,

“You pin me up just to tear me down,
I’m not your paper doll.”

Samantha greeted the crowd and asked, “How’s everybody doin’ out there?” She talked briefly about her last visit to Portland before launching into “I’m Done Runnin’,” the lead track on Paperdoll. “Sweet Southern Sounds,” the third cut from the new album, opened with Samantha’s ringing guitar before her plaintive vocals began. Jamie Douglass’s steady drumbeat drove the song as Fish stepped to the edge of the stage, jamming on her guitar while strobes flashed. “Better Be Lonely,” from 2021’s Faster, featured interplay between Samantha’s guitar and Ron Johnson’s bass, creating a throbbing rhythm accentuated by Douglass’s drums. She told the audience that Paperdoll was recently nominated for a Grammy in the Best Contemporary Blues category.

“Don’t Say It,” another track from the new album, shifted from hard-driving rock to a mellow, passionate groove before erupting again with intense guitar work. The sold-out crowd swayed along as the song concluded with Samantha standing at the front of the stage, playing a savage guitar solo that ended in a delicate outro. “Bulletproof,” from 2019’s Kill or Be Kind, began with Fish switching to a cigar box guitar while Douglass laid down a rhythmic pulse. She danced across the stage as her droning guitar filled the room and the rest of the band kicked in behind her.

“Make me feel something real
I’d fall for your muse.”

She transitioned into “Miles to Go” from 2013’s Black Wind Howlin’, a driving, fast-paced song that pushed the energy even higher. “Fortune Teller,” another song from the new album, opened with a warbling guitar line that evolved into a slow, plodding groove before picking up steam midway and building into a wild finish. “Rusty Razor” was the final song of the night, pulled from Paperdoll. Samantha’s explosive power chords, paired with Johnson’s thumping bass, created an urgent, cutting sound as she spat out the lyrics:

“You come around, cut me down like a rusty razor
Begging for you please, on my best behavior.”

“Poor Black Mattie,” written by R.L. Burnside and recorded by Fish on her 2017 album Belle of the West, followed. The song began with Samantha dancing to Douglass’s driving drumbeat before she asked the crowd, “Are we doing good?” Johnson’s repetitive bass line was hypnotic, blending with the mesmerizing drums and eventually leading into her most intense guitar solo of the night. “Dream Girl,” from Kill or Be Kind, was the mellowest song of the evening and showcased her ability to shift seamlessly between smooth, soaring vocals and rough, ragged tones. Mickey Finn took over on keyboards and lifted the song to a higher plane before Samantha broke in with a screaming guitar solo that sent piercing notes into the stratosphere.

“Black Wind Howlin’,” the title track from the 2013 album, carried a throbbing, bass-heavy beat supported by pounding drums. Samantha danced around the stage before introducing the band members and thanking the audience for coming. She and Johnson faced each other and played back and forth for a few moments before she stepped to the front of the stage and unleashed a wailing guitar break. The band jammed intensely behind her as flashing lights filled the outro, followed by the group leaving the stage.

After several minutes of clapping and stomping, the band returned with Henry James from Robert Jon and the Wreck joining them. With two lead guitarists onstage, they dove into “Goin’ Down South” by R.L. Burnside, unleashing a barrage of angry guitars. Rhythmic drumming created a hard-driving beat as lightning-charged riffs blasted into the ether. At one point, Robert Jon Burrison came out and joined the jam as the band operated at full throttle. Flashing lights synced with the beat as the song built to an explosive conclusion. The musicians took a bow and exited the stage a few minutes before 11:00 PM.