The historic Center Stage Theater in Atlanta, Georgia, welcomed fiery singer-songwriter Samantha Fish to town on Thursday night. Built in 1966 to honor Atlanta’s performing arts community and to memorialize Helen Lee Cartlidge after she and 100 other arts patrons perished in the Orly plane crash of 1962, Center Stage is an iconic live performance destination that has played host to major stars, including Sir Elton John, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry, just to name a few. With a large stage experience supported by great acoustics, this intimate 1,000-capacity venue was the perfect general admission spot for a bluesy rock night out on the town.
Supporting Fish on her Paper Doll Tour were the Texas Headhunters, a band that self-describes as “representing a trifecta of guitar mastery, deeply rooted in the rich musical soil of the Lone Star State.” Anchored by a triple-guitar threat in Johnny Moeller, Ian Moore, and Grammy-nominated Jesse Dayton, the Texas Headhunters kicked off just after 8:00 p.m. and delivered a blistering clinic of Southern-fried rock, swampy blues, and outlaw attitude over the next 40 minutes. Currently out on the road supporting their self-titled debut album (released August 2025), the band joked about being “a bunch of old guys that were finally convinced to put out some new music together.” If their single, “Maggie Went Down to Mineola,” is any indication of what this supergroup is capable of, then the Texas Headhunters are poised to redefine Southern rock with a raw swagger that hits like a shot of whiskey at last call.
Texas Headhunters
Jesse Dayton – Guitar, vocals
Johnny Moeller – Guitar, vocals
Ian Moore – Guitar, vocals
John Bradley – Bass
Eric Tucker – Drums
As the clock crept toward 9:15 p.m., the house lights went dark, illuminating a green-lit “Samantha Fish” backdrop on stage. After her bandmates took their positions, a leather-clad Fish appeared before the adoring Atlanta audience and immediately reminded everyone why she’s become one of the most respected names in modern blues. Confident and cool, Fish wasted no time turning the Midtown venue into a house of blues, immediately powering the band into a high-octane cover of MC5’s “Kick Out the Jams.”
I last caught Fish a bit over a year and a half ago at the Variety Playhouse here in Atlanta. While that show was a fairly even balance of covers and originals, Thursday night was primarily focused on Fish’s latest release, Paper Doll (April 2025). In fact, aside from one track, Fish performed the entire new album, blending in a healthy mix of fan favorites throughout that kept the audience fully engaged. The backing band also deserves its own praise: tight grooves, tasteful fills, and a clear sense of chemistry added depth to the performance without overshadowing Fish’s lead. Together, they created a sound that filled the venue without overwhelming it.
As the concert hit its stride following one of my favorite new tracks, “Sweet Southern Sound,” Fish picked up her recognizable Stogie Blues Cigar Box guitar and lead her band in a rousing performance of the catchy “Bulletproof,” the opening track from her sixth studio album, Kill or Be Kind (2019). What’s remarkable about Fish is how her presence is commanding without ever feeling overdone. She complements her captivating vocals with a musical tone that remains rich and expressive, regardless of which guitar she plays.
Following “Bulletproof,” Fish dipped into her back catalog with the tune “Miles to Go” off Black Wind Howlin’ (2013), before jamming out to three more Paper Doll tracks in “Fortune Teller,” “Rusty Razor,” and “Don’t Say It.” However, like her prior visit – and much to the audience’s delight – the finale of the band’s main set was the hip-swaying, bluesy rocker “Black Wind Howlin’.” After a quick break, Fish and her band returned to the stage for a single-song encore, putting an exclamation point on the night by inviting guitarist Moeller back out to help lead the crowd through an emphatic performance of fan favorite “Bitch on the Run” pulled from Fish’s third studio album, Wild Heart (2015).
Fish delivered exactly what you’d hope for from a now-seasoned live performer — a tight, passionate set that showed off her strengths without relying on gimmicks. If you’re a fan of blues, rock, or just live music that hits with both skill and soul, be sure to catch her Paper Doll Tour. U.S. venue dates are currently scheduled to run through Sunday, December 21st, when the tour concludes at The Wilbur in Boston, Massachusetts.
Band
Samantha Fish – Lead vocals, guitar
Jamie Douglass – Drums
Rob Johnson – Bass
Mickey Finn – Keyboards
Setlist:
1.) Kick Out the Jams (MC5 cover)
2.) Paper Doll
3.) I’m Done Runnin’
4.) I Put a Spell on You (Screamin’ Jay Hawkins cover)
5.) Can Ya Handle the Heat?
6.) No Angels
7.) Lose You
8.) Sweet Southern Sounds
9.) Bulletproof
10.) Miles to Go
11.) Fortune Teller
12.) Rusty Razor
13.) Don’t Say It
14.) Black Wind Howlin’
Encore
15.) Bitch on the Run
Follow Texas Headhunters Online
Follow Samantha Fish Online
Elliott is a music photographer covering shows in Atlanta, Georgia, and the surrounding area. The highlight of his photography career was back in the early ’90s, when he sold Neil Diamond the rights to his negatives from a show and then purchased a set of tires for his 1979 280ZX during college with the money.