The years and countless miles on the road may have turned The Doobie Brothers grey, however, the mileage of a lifetime in the music industry has not affected their three part harmonies and their incredible ability to deliver their unique brand of 70’s rock and roll.
As the band promptly took to the stage at 9pm in front of almost 3000 fans at the Bell Centre in Montreal, it was clear from the opening guitar riffs of “Jesus is Just Alright”, that the crowd was going to get exactly what they came for. While there have been few songs rotating in and out of their setlist during this tour, those in attendance had little to worry about because they were going to get almost all the hits they came to see.
Fronted by two of the co-founding members of the original lineup, lead singer Tom Johnston and guitarist Patrick Simmons, the band worked their way through a catalogue of classic hits that has sold over 40 million records worldwide. And while the mostly middle aged crowd may have spent the first half of the concert swaying to the music in their seats, by the time keyboardist Bill Payne broke into his solo performance halfway through the show, the audience had been amply warmed up and was ready to dance.
Undoubtedly feeding off the enthusiasm of the crowd, the band shifted into high gear and started to have more fun on stage. While the talking was kept to a minimum throughout the setlist, songs like the bands first top 10 hit “Long Train Runnin’,” and “Black Water”, which saw bandmate John McFee break out his fiddle, got the people on their feet singing along and clamouring for more.
Noticeably absent from the show were hits from the Michael McDonald era. With the exception of “Takin’ It To The Streets”, any fan hoping to hear some of McDonalds classic songs were surely disappointed. I know I was personally hoping we could have been treated to a re-worked version of “What A Fool Believes” that could have suited Johnston’s vocal style. Sadly it was not meant to be.
As the band came came out for their encore there really was only one song left to play. We all knew what it was, and as the infectious chunka-chunka bluesy strumming of their biggest hit washed over the crowd, it instantly felt like for a brief moment we were transported back in time. “Listen To The Music” is the dictionary definition of a song that has stood the test of time, and perhaps its message has never been more relevant than it is today. In a world so divided, it’s a song with a utopian vision that if we could all just come together (and listen to the music) we would see that we are not so different from each other after all. And in a musical landscape saturated with songs containing throwaway lyrics about shaking your butt, I truly believe the positive and impactful message of Johnston’s timeless words were felt by all.
The band have so many great songs in their catalogue, and despite a few classics that were left off the table, everyone in attendance Saturday night got treated to a well-rounded Doobie Brothers concert experience. The next time they pass through Montreal don’t miss a chance to either relive, or even experience for the first time, their brand of 70s rock.
Review & photos – capturacamera.com
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