Samantha Fish, Kingfish, Dylan Triplett – Des Plaines Theater, Des Plaines, May 17, 2026

By Linda Cain

Photos: Jim Summaria

photo: Jim Summaria

Gone Fishin' Tour with Samantha Fish, Kingfish & Dylan Triplett

at Des Plaines Theater in Des Plaines, IL,

May 17, 2026

By Linda Cain

Photos: By Jim Summaria

What happens when two young contemporary blues-rock stars, from very different backgrounds, join forces for a rare concert experience? The answer: Nothing less than nonstop musical fireworks that left no one alive! From start to finish Samantha and Kingfish enthralled the audience with their fiery, passionate, emotion-packed music as their guitars and voices rocked the house. Both award-winning artists are at the forefront of today’s musical innovation – creating music that is based in blues traditions and fusing it with modern sounds and themes.

The result of this clever “big catch” pairing was a sold out show in Des Plaines on an early Sunday evening that was packed with an audience of varying ages. No doubt that each performer drew their own following; Samantha has performed at both Ron Onesti venues (The Arcada and Des Plaines Theaters) multiple times. And it was the first time at an Onesti show for Kingfish, who headlined Chicago Blues Festival in June of 2025. Anyone who wasn’t familiar with either artist at the start of the concert surely became a fan by the end of the night.

DYLAN TRIPLETT

The concert began about 5:15 with St. Louis native Dylan Triplett, who served as the perfect warm up performer for what was to come. His powerful, soulful vocals and charismatic performance instantly connected with the blues fans in the house, who cheered and applauded with gusto after each of his six songs.

Of the three performers, Triplett’s repertoire was the most bluesy.

Backed by an ace band on guitar, keys, bass and drums, the young, captivating  vocalist kicked off with a funky cover of Bill Withers “Who is He? (And What is He to You?)” That featured tasty solos on bass, keys and guitar.

The band switched gears into some string bending, lowdown blues for “Little Bluebird,” which the blues-loving audience heartily approved. Triplett’s put his own spin on this Little Milton hit with his soaring vocal range and Stevie Wonder-ish soul screams.

The band dropped out for the next number which Triplett bravely sang a cappella. The audience recognized the classic civil rights hymn from the first notes. “I was born by the river…” he sang while the fans cheered his gospel-influenced version of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come.” This timeless message wasn’t lost on the audience who hung on every word of Triplett’s goosebump- inducing version that found him singing “off mic” as his powerful, emotive voice rang out with this song of freedom.

 The fans roared approval as the band segued into the next number, an upbeat, B.B. King style shuffle featuring the guitarist’s solid blues solos and rhythms. Sporting braids that flew, Triplett kicked up his legs and danced to encourage his guitar player’s note-bending riffs.

The band kept the energy level high as they launched into John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom” -- Triplett’s version rocked out, much like Big Head Todd & The Monster’s rendition.  The singer stopped the band to move into Howlin’ Wolf territory for a fun medley of “Smokestack Lightning,” “Howlin’ For My Darlin’,” and “Little Red Rooster.” The guitarist stayed true to Hubert Sumlin’s innovative and influential style. And of course Triplett knew how to howl along.

The singer said goodbye at 5:37 p.m. after a brief, but satisfying, 25-minute set. The charming performer delighted the audience and served up a tasty lagniappe before the main course.

Catch Dylan Triplett at the FREE Chicago Blues Fest in Millennium Park on Saturday, June 6th on the Pritzker Stage from 4-5 p.m.

KINGFISH

The next question on our collective minds, during the lengthy break, was: “Who would go on next?” Both Kingfish and Samantha Fish are headliners in their own right. The answer came at about 6:15 when the house lights dimmed, the stage lit up with lasers and colorful backdrops as contemporary pop/hip hop beats blasted out the” welcome to the stage” for Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and his kick ass three-piece backing band.

They instantly drew the crowd in with “Midnight Heat” a sizzling song about a late night romantic encounter that had the crowd hanging on every note of Kingfish’s soaring guitar solos.

 Heralded as “one of the best, and undoubtedly the most exciting, blues guitarists in the world” by Guitar World Magazine, the Clarksdale, Mississippi native grew up in the birthplace of blues music and artists like B.B. King, Freddie King and Albert King are clearly an influence. Not to mention Buddy Guy, who discovered the incredibly talented young artist at a blues festival. Buddy and helped set up Ingram to record his self-titled album debut Kingfish in Nashville. Buddy paid for the sessions and hooked Ingram up with his very own record producer and songwriting partner, the famed Grammy-winning Tom Hambridge at the helm. Alligator Records released Kingfish’s self-titled debut, which went on to earn a Grammy nomination in 2020. In 2022, he won a Grammy for his sophomore release on Alligator, titled 662, his hometown’s area code.

For his second number, Kingfish launched into “Fresh Out” from that same debut album. Although Buddy Guy wasn’t there to duet with his prodigy as they did on the record, the 27-year-old guitar hero played his string-bending, sustained blue notes, along with some jazzier jammin’ riffs. The crowd clearly loved it and made some big noise to let him know.

The humble young bandleader took the time to introduce his excellent, longtime bandmates: on keys from Denver, DeShawn “D-Vibes” Alexander, North Carolina bass man Paul Rogers, and Clarksdale’s Christopher Black on drums. Together, this ace ensemble fired on all cylinders to keep the Kingfish engine in high gear for some quality jams throughout!

They dove into “Voodoo Charm,” a contemporary blues rocker from Hard Road, Kingfish’s latest release on his own Red Zero Records label. He smoothly played runs up and down his black Les Paul’s neck and the band jammed behind him, building the excitement, and the audience cheered them on with gusto. If there’s one thing Kingfish learned from Buddy Guy, it’s how to work an audience!

The musical mood quickly changed as the keyboardist played some dreamy chords that swelled like violins, setting the mood for Kingfish to slow down and play some very emotional guitar solos. He wore his heart on his sleeve and you could hear the pain pouring out of his guitar that sounded like weeping, when Kingfish played “Empty Promises,” about a broken romance and a very broken heart that was penned by the late great blues man Michael Burks. He took us on a musical journey through a range of emotions and guitar styles. The fans rewarded him with a very boisterous standing ovation! And this was only the fourth song of the set.

Kingfish traded his black Gibson guitar for a blue & white Fender Delta Day Telecaster, then shifted the soundscape to the driving, hip hoppy, bouncy beat of “Bad Like Me” in which the singer claimed bragging rights for himself as he sang with the vocal effects button turned on. Appropriately, he delivered a soulful scream and played a biting, stinging solo to end this choice cut from his Hard Road record.

Familiar, catchy guitar riffs, a heavy backbeat and a scream kicked off “Outside of this Town,” about looking for a better life in a better locale. Keyboardist Deshawn Alexander, a.k.a. Brother Levi, played a soaring solo, to distract the audience while Kingfish left the stage to roam into the audience while playing his guitar. And he stopped in the aisle right by our seats to play a lengthy scorching solo! Watching from close range -- as the young blues master wailed away while bobbing his head and feeling every note -- was an ear and eye-popping experience. Kingfish made sure his bandmates on stage could see him as he signaled for them to stop; he then shifted into a B.B. King style blues intro that had the fans screaming approval.

And then it was back on stage for the title track of his sophomore album on Alligator Records, 662, which won him a Grammy. The Chuck Berry influenced song, named after the area code of his hometown, showcased his rock ‘n’ roll chops that had us clapping along.

That was the final number for a seven song set that seemed much longer thanks to the improvisational skills of the four excellent musicians on stage that made each song soar. As the houselights went up, the fans were clearly buzzed and blown away.

SAMANTHA FISH

This Kansas City, MO native has come a long way baby. Samantha hails from a musical family and she took up guitar at age 15 after hearing records by Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tom Petty and the Rolling Stones. She frequented the noted Knuckleheads Saloon which booked touring blues artists. By age 18 she began sitting in with them. She was discovered in 2009 by a talent agent who connected her with Thomas Ruf, founder of  Germany’s Ruf Records. In 2011, the label put together a Girls with Guitars record and tour with Samantha, Dani Wilde and Cassie Taylor.

After that, the feisty singer/songwriter/guitarist never looked back as she entered a world dominated by male guitarists. Over the years, Sam has strived to perfect her craft, her showmanship, and merge her influences, always breaking down barriers -- a musical chameleon, if you will. You never know which version of Samantha you might see. She mostly plays originals, but she might throw in a blazing cover of a song by Black Sabbath, the MC5 or Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. On this night, however, Sam stuck to her self-penned songs. Now at age 37, she can confidently go toe to toe with any of her male counterparts.

She’s had some help along with way from mentor Mike Zito and Sam has worked on stage or in the studio with an array of artists from Devon Allman, Luther Dickinson, Lightnin’ Malcom, The Detroit Cobras, and Jesse Dayton. She has released nine solo albums since her debut, Live Bait, in 2009. She currently resides in New Orleans, a move she made to soak in the Cresent City’s rich musical heritage and outstanding players.

Her current album, Paper Doll, earned her a Grammy nomination.

Samantha opened her set with the title track. Dressed in shiny black, form-fitting attire and platform boots, she and her three-piece backing band blasted onto the stage; Sam’s piercing guitar notes matched her high pitched soprano vocals, which at times approached whistle tones. She then quieted the thumping band to emphasize the message of her song:

You lift me up just to put me down/ I’m not your paper doll!

The band kicked back in and rose to a thunderous crescendo and then boom! They ended the song with a sudden stop. The audience went nuts.

Like Kingfish, Ms. Fish knows how to employ dynamics and build tension in her music to captivate the audience.

Sam’s headlining set touched on the different eras of her career, and included two more songs from her Paper Doll collection – “Sweet Southern Sounds” and “I’m Done Runnin’.”

She also played the upbeat ballad, “No Apology” from 2023’s Death Wish Blues, her collaboration with Jesse Dayton that received a Grammy nomination.

She also changed guitars for nearly every song! And she played 13 songs. Sam’s not shy about stepping on her wah wah pedal or utilizing her many effects pedals and boxes to produce all manner of sounds and moods from her steady supply of guitars.

Some of the show’s highlights included:

For “Bullet Proof” she switched to her down- home style gas can guitar for some rockin’ Delta trance blues, that was both contemporary and traditional, along the lines GA-20 and North Mississippi All-Stars. When the band dropped out, the fans clapped to keep time as Sam soloed and played slide. And she didn’t even have to ask us. Sam’s bluesiest song so far was clearly a fan favorite.

While still wailing on that gas can guitar, she signaled to the drummer to change up the beat and  she charged into a brief version of “Miles to Go” as she tossed her head to the pulsing rhythm, blonde curls waving in the air.

Sam switched back to her sparkly silver solid body Gibson for “Somebody’s Always Tryin’” from her 2017 album Chills & Fever.

The band played a retro, surf-rock style groove that got us boppin’, as Sam sang:

“Somebody’s always trying to take my baby away.”

The music then shifted to a rockin’ psychedelic instrumental interlude that featured a sparkling keyboards solo, after which Sam got on her knees to adjust her effects boxes to get her guitar to scream and moan for a crescendo, as the crowd cheered her on. The laser lights came on as she played a killer solo to thunderous applause; she wailed on vocals, hitting those whistle tones for the supposed big finish. But wait, there’s more.

Then back on her knees as the song wound down. She stood to wail some final notes for the interlude, then back into the surf rock retro groove as she sang “somebody’s always trying to take my baby away!” The audience cheered and gave them a fitting standing ovation!

The next song, “Dream Girl,” considerably changed the mood and tempo to a quiet percussion accompaniment and Sam’s heartfelt, angelic voice simmered, full of emotion and range; her slide guitar was sublime and dreamy. It’s a bittersweet song, along the lines of a Patsy Cline country blues ballad, from Sam’s 2019 album Kill Or Be Kind.

Say I'm your dream girl, you call on my love

Give the parts of your heart you think I'm worthy of

I wish you'd take the rest of me, these tears they kill your fantasy

I know, oh I know

If I could give up, a happy ever after

I'd be gone

If you could live up to the dreams that I've been having

I'd hold on

The song picked up tempo and volume and Sam’s voice soared. She tore into her guitar solo like a woman possessed, faster now and building up steam (which reminded us a bit of the Allman Brothers) as the audience cheered; she then suddenly slowed down to a quiet resolution, knelt down to adjust her effects box to create an eerie sustain and then end the song with a sudden stop. The fans roared approval.

Sam thanked the audience and introduced the last number by imploring us to “Shake it!”

“Black Wind Howlin’” was a rockin’ blues with a rollin’ and tumblin’  beat.

Sam introduced her band members who each played a brief solo to cheers: Mickey Finn on keys, Ron Johnson on bass, Jamie Douglass on drums.

She switched to a subdued few bars, than back to the trance-like droning and Zepplin-ish deep  blues riffs. The band built up to the big finish, lasers flashing, drums crashing. Sam took off her guitar and exited the stage, with the band not far behind.

Some of the house lights came up as the fans screamed for more and throngs of folks quickly exited the theater.

Sam’s guitar tech came out, guitar raised in one hand, asking if we wanted more.

He only made us holler twice before the stars Samantha Fish and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram came back on stage to screams. Pity the folks who left, because they missed one helluva of an encore.

The duo took us to North Mississippi Hill Country with the RL Burnside standard “Goin’ Down South.”  Sam and Kingfish took turns on lead, with only Sam on vocals, who sang out and hit the whistle tones for the chorus:

 I’d rather be dead and ‘bout six feet in the ground.

For some other man always hangin’  ‘round.

 It was quite a jam, which culminated in the two guitar heroes standing face- to-face to deliver some thrilling solos back and forth. The crowd was in slack-jawed awe, and buzzed about it as they exited into the night.

This tour is titled Gone Fishin’, but it should have been named Take No Prisoners!

Hats off to impresario Ron Onesti for reeling in these whoppers for his beautifully restored Des Plaines Theater which just turned 100 years old.

 Linda Cain is the Managing Editor/Founder of the award-winning Chicago Blues Guide.

 Jim Summaria began professionally photographing rock concerts in 1973 at the age of 19 when he became the staff photographer for the Chicago rock concert promoter Flip Side Productions. Jim's photos have been published in numerous books, magazines and CDs. His rock ‘n’ roll photos have been viewed at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum and Hall of Fame on Rt.66 and the Grammy Awards. Jim and writer Mark Plotnick co-authored the books Classic Rock: Photographs From Yesterday & Today and the October 2024 release ‘70s Chicagoland Rock Concerts.  Jim and Mark also co-host the radio podcast That Rock Show on the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum platform.

###