You know it’s going to be a good night when Samantha Fish rolls into town. When the support act is the brilliant Zac Schulze Gang as well, you know you’re in for something special.
Opening the evening was Zac Schulze, and whatever he has for breakfast I’d love to know. From the very first note to the final chord, the energy coming off the stage was immense — and that’s before even mentioning the guitar playing. Schulze is one of those young-gun players who clearly lives and breathes what he does. Imagine Rory Gallagher’s fire, Wilko Johnson’s swagger and just a touch of Angus Young attitude, all rolled into one.
The trio delivered a set steeped in classic British R&B, played with conviction and serious muscle. Despite releasing their debut album Straight To It in September 2025, they only dipped into it once tonight with “High Roller” perhaps keeping the rest fresh for their UK headline tour planned for November 2026. What we did get was superb: three tracks from their Made of Three EP release along with the excellent “Woman”, a song that has been getting heavy play on Planet Rock.
The set flew by far too quickly, closing with a fantastic cover of the Fleetwood Mac classic “Oh Well.” But the highlight for me was their barnstorming take on the Dr. Feelgood classic “She Does It Right.” If you get the chance to catch them on that headline tour later this year, don’t miss it.
ZAC SCHULZE GANG GALLERY
Then it was time for the main event.
Samantha Fish is no stranger to UK audiences. Since first coming over in 2013, she has built a loyal following through sheer grit and determination, returning virtually every year. That dedication has paid off, tonight she’s packing out the magnificent O2 Ritz in Manchester, a venue she’s played before and one that recently hosted The Foo Fighters only days earlier.
Samantha Fish and her band wasted no time kicking things into gear, opening with a storming cover of MC5’s “Kick Out the Jams.” It was the perfect introduction, which was greeted by huge applause from a packed Ritz crowd.
From there the set rolled through a powerful selection of material. “Paper Doll,” the title track from her latest album, sat alongside the groove-heavy “Can Ya Handle the Heat.” During “I’m Done Runnin’,” Samantha Fish paused to greet the audience “How y’all doing?” before launching back into the driving rhythm.
One of the standout moments came with “Sweet Southern Sounds,” where Samantha Fish switched to a shimmering silver semi-acoustic guitar, creating a cool, laid-back groove that had the Manchester crowd swaying along. Later, “Lose You More” had the audience clapping along as the band laid fully into the groove.
Things turned up several notches during “Bulletproof.” Samantha Fish strapped on her cigar-box guitar and unleashed a frantic slide workout, screaming vocals cutting through the roaring tones, absolute guitar heaven.
The mood then dipped into something darker and sleazier with “Fortune Teller,” before moving through “Poor Mattie”and the razor-sharp new single “Rusty Razor.” By this point the band were completely locked in, riding the wave of a crowd that clearly didn’t want the night to end.
One of the biggest highlights arrived during “Black Wind Howlin’,” when Zac Schulze returned to the stage for an electrifying guitar duel. The two traded licks back and forth with joyous intensity, the kind of moment that reminds you exactly why live music is unbeatable.
Samantha Fish is the real deal a modern rock star in every sense. She struts the stage with the swagger of a young Phil Lynott while unleashing blistering blues licks that few players can match. Add to that a voice packed with power and raw emotion, capable of lifting you up one moment and tearing you apart the next.
Quite simply, live music doesn’t get much better than this. If Samantha Fish is playing anywhere near you on this tour, go see her. You won’t regret it.
Photos by David Pickles
With special thanks to Peter Noble of Noble PR for the media access.
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