Search - Doobie Brothers :: B.O. Doobie Bros Live

Good Content - Overall Package Could Have Been Better

L.A. Scene | Indian Trail, NC USA | 09/14/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The "Best of the Doobie Brothers Live" the Doobies first live collection since 1983. It brings together the three lead singers of the Doobies for the first time since the "Takin It To The Streets" album - Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons, and Michael McDonald as well as drummer Keith Knudsen. This was a main attraction because it had been 20 years since the three vocalists had collaborated together on any work. As many know, Michael McDonald would replace Tom Johnston when he was unable to tour. Johnston would then leave the group and McDonald became a regular. 1982 marked a "farewell" tour. The band would resurface in 1989 with a successful comeback album called "Cycles", but this reincarnation did not feature McDonald or Knudson.



In 1996 the reunited core Doobies of Johnston, Simmons, McDonald, and Knudsen would put on a short series of benefit concerts for The Wildlife Conservation Society. The Doobie would then release a 2 CD set called "Rockin Down the Highway - The Wildlife Concert" that would cover the three shows. I have not listened to this particular set yet, but "The Best of the Doobie Brothers Live" appears to be a subset of all of the material that was released. All songs you will get here you will also get on "Rockin Down the Highway". As for the content, there isn't a lot of Michael McDonald vocals content. There are only two McDonald lead vocal songs - "What a Fool Believes" and "Minute By Minute". From what I understand, McDonald only joined the rest of the group on stage for about 3 songs at only one of the benefit concerts. It still is disappointing that they don't include songs such as "Takin It To the Streets" (included on the "Rockin Down the Highway" set) and "Real Love" (not performed at all).



This live set makes mistakes that I see many live collections make. First up, the songs appear to have been changed in order from how they were played. I find this to immediately take away from the flow and continuity of the concert. Second up, the collection is a conglomeration of greatest hits from the three Wildlife concerts. Once again, I do find this disruptive and in the case of "The Best of the Doobie Brothers Live", this is no exception. Usually the magic in seeing a live performance is the sum of all parts and if you capture the one night - whether on audio or video, the impact is usually greater (a prime example of this is the Rush's "Rush in Rio" set - it was done in order and on one night). Finally, there really isn't a lot of dialogue between the Doobies and the audience. I would then a reunion of the core members would trigger a lot of emotions (Fleetwood Mac's "The Dance" does an incredible job at capturing the emotions when the members got back together). On this particular collection, you would never know it that this was the first time in 20 years that these members all played together on the same stage.



Despite a lot of the shortcomings of how the collection is assembled and edited, the actual music that is performed by the Doobie Brothers is very good. As most people know, the Doobies started out out as a Southern Style Rock band. They showed the ability to integrate country, folk, blues, jazz, and even gospel style into their music (especially with the addition of McDonald which saw a trend more toward R&B and Jazz). The nice thing about this collection is you will see all of the styles of the Doobie Brothers. The opening song "Jesus Is Just Alright" shows the Gospel Side of the band. Southern Styled Rock comes out very nicely on the version of the 1989 reunion song - "The Doctor". A harder edge rock is shown on "Long Train Running". Country style blues are shown on the classic "Black Water". Some of the more jazzy roots are shown on "Minute By Minute".



If I had to pick what is the best number performed, it is "China Grove". What I liked about this particular version of "China Grove" is how they integrate some of the jazzy stuff with some of the hard rock stuff. The song starts out with a very R&B like beginning with a great saxaphone intro. About 40 seconds into the song, the song breaks into the trademark guitars of Patrick Simmons and Tom Johnston. One of the few songs on this collection that does give a connection between the Doobies and the audience is the performance of "Black Water". The Doobies do a slight word change to say "New York Woman won't you keep on shining on me" (a reference to the crowd in New York City). I was pleased to see "The Doctor" on here. When the Doobies recorded this song, they had gone back to their guitar roots and on the intro to this song (which I think is one of the all time great intros), Johnston and Simmons don't lose a step. "Long Train Runnin" was never one of my all time favorite Doobie Brothers song, but the version included is terrific. In particular there is great instrumental ending that blends in some of the Southern Rock styles. The opening song "Jesus is Just Alright" is sensational. The Doobies really pull together their own gospel music style in the song and blend in some of their rock and roll roots into it. As for the two McDonald songs are good, but don't really capture the emotion of McDonald joining the Doobies on stage.



No lyrics are included with the set. Songwriting and musician credits are listed. The collection doesn't tell you from which nights the tracks are from. This does seem to be a nice collection, but I almost get the feeling I would have been better off getting the 2 CD "Rockin Down the Highway" set instead."

Takin' it to the Amphitheatre

Gavin Wilson | 03/22/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"To my knowledge, this is the Doobie's earliest live album, surprising for such a concert-oriented band. The trouble is that they should have recorded it 10 to 15 years earlier, when the band was at its peak. There is just too much grey hair, tired rhythms and worn-out vocal cords.But while time has clearly taken its toll of Mike McDonald's voice, Tom Johnston's has held up remarkably well. Another high spot on the album is Pat Simmon's 'Slat Key Soquel Rag', now bizarrely called 'Slack Key Soquel Rag'. The tone of Simmons' guitar is gorgeous. But isn't that an uncredited flute in the background? And surely that's a violin playing on 'Black Water'? Although a number of extra musicians are credited on the CD sleeve, the violin and flute don't get a mention.It's good to hear McDonald and Johnston playing on the same podium, but a slight shame that the band couldn't persuade drummer John Hartman away from the veterinary surgery and guitarist Skunk Baxter away from the production desk for a night.Sounds like it was a good concert."

Waiting in vain for the ultimate live Doobies

Long fan running | Sinking Spring, Pa United States | 01/22/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"When Tom Johnston dropped out of the band for health reasons in the mid-70's and Michael McDonald signed on, Simmons and McDonald divided the vocals for the Johnston tunes between them. McDonald's Eyes Of Silver wowed me. His Long Train Running sent chills down my spine. Even though Tom Johnston has written most of my favorite Doobie songs and while his voice is the signature sound of the Doobies to me, sad to say, I hear his weaknesses rather than his strengths when he sings Long Train Running now.Until I hear McDonald's version of Long Train Running and Eyes Of Silver on a cd (I know at least two such concerts were recorded) - and I figure that's somewhere in the neighborhood of NO CHANCE - live Doobie recordings will continue to disappoint me.My biggest complaint with current offerings including this one is - for the most part - the renditions could be alternate studio takes. About the only difference is some of the early classics never had the benefit of a virtuoso guitarist on the original recordings. This cd has some high points but it also has some weak choices with the inclusion of obviously tired Johnston and McDonald vocals in places. Were there no better versions?"