Doobie Brothers, with Michael McDonald, play golden show at BMO Harris Pavilion
Tuesday’s passing of Rolling Stones legend Charlie Watts was a sobering reminder that classic rock idols won’t be around forever.
But Tuesday night at the BMO Harris Pavilion, there was a thrilling reminder that we should cherish the chance to see them while we can.
It was the second show of the Doobie Brothers’ 47-date tour. Established in 1970 — this was designed as a 50th anniversary tour before COVID-19 pushed it back a year — the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November, 20 years after first becoming eligible.
The delay wasn’t surprising. The Doobies toured so frequently pre-pandemic, they’ve long been taken for granted.
But Tuesday in Milwaukee, Doobie Brothers co-founders Tom Johnston and Pat Simmons, and longtime member John McFee, showed they’re still giving their concerts everything they’ve got. The band performed a solo-stuffed, 27-song, two-hour-and-21minute set with no time to spare for longwinded banter about the good ol’ days.
McDonald back with Doobies
And for any fans who have frequented Doobie Brothers shows in recent years, there’s one bonus for this tour: Michael McDonald is back.
McDonald, a member from 1975 to 1982 who helped bring new prominence with a more soulful sound on hit albums like “Takin’ It to the Streets” and “Minute by Minute,” went on to his own successful solo career. He hasn’t toured with the Doobies in 25 years.
Fronting vocals for perhaps about a quarter of Tuesday’s songs, and relegated largely to the corner behind his keyboards, McDonald nevertheless made a mighty impression with his husky baritone, belting both the signature hits like “Streets” and “What a Fool Believes,” and live-show rarities like “Here to Love You” and “You Belong to Me,” with knee-jumping, headshaking gusto. On multiple occasions, he played mandolin and accordion. By night’s end, his shirt was doused in sweat.
But McDonald was a team player. He worked well for his second show back with a band (including several touring members) who have frequently played together for decades.
Plenty of glory to go around
Nearly everyone in the band had at least a half-dozen moments of glory Tuesday night.
McFee helped acoustic deep cut “Spirit” soar with country-fried fiddle, shined on pedal steel for “South City Midnight Lady,” and busted out a blustery blues harmonica for a seven-minute powerhouse rendition of “Long Train Runnin’.”
Then there were his spotlight-seizing blues guitar work, matched all night long by both Simmons and Johnston. Hearing all three of them solo on guitar during “Dependin’ on You,” or lock into a single, muscular melody for “Without You,” illustrated what an abundance of riches the Brothers were bringing Tuesday.
The five touring players — while not literally under the glare of spotlights as frequently as the four official Brothers — were equally impressive. Time and again, Marc Russo, touring saxophonist since 1998, would casually stroll toward center stage to put gas on the flames, peaking late in the night with a squealing, head-spinning solo during “Train” that transformed his cheeks into deeper shade of red than an heirloom tomato. Against all odds, Ed Toth and Marc Quiñones managed to rev “Train” up even further with a dynamic, tag team percussion attack.
Collaboration, again, is key
The showboating was impressive, but it was the collaboration that mattered most. Inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame 14 years before the Rock Hall, the Doobies’ heavenly harmonies from their first single and Tuesday’s first song “Nobody” set the tone for the musical camaraderie to follow.
For “Ukiah,” they gracefully built off each other as they traded solos: Longtime session player turned keyboardist Bill Payne teed up Russo who relinquished control to McDonald who cued up McFee on guitar for a big finish. The musicianship was so sharp that even lesser songs from the catalog, like the New Orleans boogie stomp of 2011 tune “World Gone Crazy,” sent fans dancing in the aisles.
It wasn’t enough to prevent a mass exodus for the bathrooms and beer during two new songs, “Better Days” and “Don’t Ya Mess With Me,” from an album due out in October, “Liberté.”
But it wasn’t for lack of effort. “Better Days” especially made a strong impression for anyone paying attention, melodically recalling Dire Straits as Simmons sang about enjoying the now.
And the near-capacity crowd did just that, with the band, after two superb hours, raising the heat for a breathless run through several staples — “Sweet Maxine,” “Jesus Is Just Alright,” “Rockin’ Down the Highway,” “What a Fool Believes,” “Long Train Runnin’ ” and “China Grove.” Then came the thrilling three-song encore, with “Black Water,” “Takin’ It to the Streets” and “Listen to the Music.”
And what a joy it was, listening to this music, seeing the Doobies playing to the best of their abilities, with a treasured former contributor back in the fold.
It’s too soon to say whether McDonald will stick around after the band’s 50th anniversary victory lap. But how blessed fans were that this remarkable reunion — at this stage of their lives, and in the wake of a cataclysmic pandemic — was even possible.
Contact Piet at (414) 223-5162 or plevy@journalsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter at @pietlevy or Facebook at facebook.com/PietLevyMJS.
Piet also talks concerts, local music and more on “TAP’d In” with Evan Rytlewski. Hear it at 8 a.m. Thursdays on WYMS-FM (88.9), or wherever you get your podcasts.