We are now heading into the new normal with live music during the Covid-19 era. Live shows will need to be flexible and live streaming is a great way to keep music going. Streams have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. Things are (hopefully) improving on the pandemic front but live streams will be an option for artists during the foreseeable future. We will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and as a way to help out the artists. You can check out our weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past and as always, please support the artists any which way you can.
Today we highlight: Samantha Fish and Devon Allman Project from Brooklyn Bowl
Tonight from Brooklyn Bowl comes some great guitar rock of both Samantha Fish and Devon Allman. Check out the stream tonight. RtBE will be in person at Brooklyn Bowl rocking out.
To get in the mood here is video from both artists.
We are now heading into the new normal with live music during the Covid-19 era. Live shows will need to be flexible and live streaming is a great way to keep music going. Streams have become essential for live music junkies like RtBE. Things are (hopefully) improving on the pandemic front but live streams will be an option for artists during the foreseeable future. We will highlight various shows/streams/virtual events for your viewing and listening pleasure and as a way to help out the artists. You can check out our weekly Full Show Friday series for concerts from the past and as always, please support the artists any which way you can.
In the midst of her Northeast winter/spring tour Samantha Fish brought her band to the heart of Times Square for a Saturday night show, braving a deep March freeze which saw the wind howling to single digit levels on this night. Perhaps it was the below freezing temperatures or the fact that other New Orleans artists were playing the city on the same night (Galactic at Webster Hall and Dirty Dozen Brass Band at Brooklyn Bowl) or simply Covid, but The Palladium on this night was only sparsely populated on this night.
The show opened with the River Kittens who played soothing acoustical notes to the small crowd on guitar and mandolin. The St. Louis based folk-duo of Allie Vogler and Mattie Schell were excellent harmonizing together as they wrapped up their opening slot with a cover of The Faces "Ooh La La" which fit perfectly into their easy flowing, soothing sound.
The four piece Samantha Fish Band took over the stage like the rock stars they are with The MC5's "Kick Out The Jams" blaring through the speakers while the four piece (Fish guitar, Ron Johnson on bass, drummer Sarah Tomek, and Matt Wade on keyboards) tuned up. The slide work on her cigar box guitar was working overtime for "Bulletproof" as the band blasted off focusing on Fish's recent release Faster.
The rock got ramped up on the strutting "All Ice No Whiskey" while the bass growl from Johnson and the drumming from Tomek shined on "Twisted Ambition". Fish dialed up the smooth soul vocals and shuffling for the slick "Kill or Be Kind" and "Crowd Control" while shockingly a fight broke out right in front of the stage as Fish briefly stopped the show and order was restored.
The set ended with blues guitar majesty as the River Kittens rejoined to add supporting vocals to "Dream Girl" but it was the front woman herself who stole the show delivering impassioned vocals and blazing guitar work on this highlight number. For any in attendance who doubted her talents, this song put it all into perspective, simply put Fish is one of the most dynamic performers in any genre playing music today.
An added bonus found Eric Gales joining the band for a blistering version of Fish's "Black Wind Howlin'" which was pure heavy rocking, blues guitar heaven. The six string dueling crackled with excitement and spontaneity as the set climaxed.
Unfortunately I could only stay for two songs from The Devon Allman Project, so I can not give them a proper review, but hope to catch them next time they are in town.
______________________________
Support both the bands, catch them on this tour and peep some video below from a few nights earlier on the tour:
One of RtBE's favorites, Samantha Fish is hitting the road again, co-headlining with the Devon Allman Project.
Tour dates and video are below and for those who haven't caught Miss Fish yet, it is a must. She delivered our favorite show of 2021 and flat out kills it.
The live show is a slippery thing. There are lots of variables at play, most having little to do with the performance itself. Does the venue have enough bathrooms? Is it going to rain? What day of the week is it on? Did I have a shitty day at work before hand? Did tickets cost waaay too much? All of this effects one's opinion of a live show before the band even tunes up and with reason, but when the stars align, there is no place RtBE would rather be than in the moment of magic occurring spontaneously from the stage.
Live Music Has No Equal!
Taken By The Fantastic Megan Donohue
While obviously we can't see every show that is out there, we try to get out often to catch live music. Sure there are a few left in the calendar year, but for now, here is a listing of the best concerts we were fortunate enough to have caught in 2021 (THANK GOD LIVE MUSIC IS BACK!).
There are links to show reviews in the titles, also because who doesn't love arbitrary rankings, one show at the bottom took the top prize as RtBE's 2021 Favorite Live Show. We also make mention of a few live streams we enjoyed as the beginning of 2021 was still locked down for live music, but we made up for it at the end of the year seeing quite a few great ones safely in person.
It is of Samantha Fish's blistering live show from 10/30/21 at the Brooklyn Bowl.
This was a doozy of a performance of blues based rock and roll. Fish and company brought the goods and she in particular was on it all night, ripping solo after engaging solo.
Over her last few albums Samantha Fish has been searching for a sound. From Appalachian folk, to Memphis soul to Blues rock, Fish has dabbled with everything. Her last offering Kill or Be Kind tried to combine it all while starting the obvious flirtation with modern pop. The ambitious Faster dives into those waters head first.
From the album art tongue lick to the opening guitar licks, Fish is going all in on a modern sound. When she nails it, like on the ripping opening title track, the slinky dynamo "Twisted Ambition" and the organ over electric cackling feedback of "Imaginary War", she recalls the electro/rock/blues hybrid Jack White has displayed on his recent releases. Like those White records however there are a few misses and the album stutters along mixing inspiration with placid offerings ("Forever Together", "Crowd Control").
Working with producer Martin Kierszembaum (Lady Gaga, Sting, Sheryll Crow), Fish has made her preferences known, injecting tons of synth into the swaggering "All Ice No Whiskey" which contains a killer solo, before "Hypnotic" focuses on bleeps and full on electro groove. "Like a Classic" finds the blues strut stepping up around the confident playing while the closer on this short album "All the Words" is a straight ballad focusing on Fish's singing and lyrics.
Backing Fish are drummer Josh Freese (Guns N’ Roses, Nine Inch Nails, The Replacements), and bassist Diego Navaira (The Last Bandoleros) as the band rev up the punky "So-Called Lover" that has a distinct TV On The Radio "Wolf Like Me" feel. The most surprising contributor to the album though is Tech N9ne who ends "Loud" with his rhyme scheme. That track is a good barometer on the album, the quiet to arena rock loud of its title, from verse to chorus, has the markings of a major hit, the guest at the end should solidify it, but there is just something off, keeping the tune and Faster as a whole from the heights shot for.
This modern pop progression was obvious from Fish's trajectory and is the right move. She is a blues guitar dynamo who will be able to play live in acoustic or electric settings for the rest of her career commanding a loyal fan base. However, she has loftier goals and pop superstardom is not beyond her talents, unfortunately Faster is just a first step and there are some stumbles along the positive direction.
