The Doobie Brothers (when I was little, I thought they were related and was upset they weren’t—see also: The Ramones) play “Without You” just after the halfway point of their set here.
As they do, an odd thing happens: a rock ‘n’ roll gig breaks out.
The crowd had been sat for 50 minutes or so, enjoying rather than participating in the show—and how could you not, given the skill and quality on display—but as soon as “…You” starts, it’s like someone flicked a switch.
Rewind to 8pm, and the 2025 version of The Doobie Brothers arrive with “Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)”, and it’s utterly flawless.
They are rather like The Eagles in that respect, but each of the songs they play has a highlight stitched in. Here, it’s the solo from John McFee; on “Here to Love You” it’s the vocal harmonies—or Marc Russo’s sax—and so it goes on.
Their 50th anniversary might have been a few years ago now, but they’re still celebrating it. What they’re not doing, though, is simply playing the Greatest Hits.
Credit to them for including a quartet of tunes from this year’s “Walk This Road” record. The blues of the title track and “Angels and Mercy” are particularly strong.
Considering how many members they’ve had, this is a sound built on chemistry. Their only constant member, Pat Simmons, is the focal point, and they’re superb on “Rockin’ Down the Highway”.
After the aforementioned “Without You”, though, this becomes a different show entirely, filled with warmth and energy. Not least on the gospel revival of “Jesus Is Just Alright”. From there, it’s a straight sprint to the finish.
And it’s a reminder of how you get to be a band for 50-odd years, too.
Michael McDonald brings his wonderful voice to “What a Fool Believes”, and the one-two punch of “Long Train Runnin’” and an even better “China Grove” would finish any main set by any band of this type in the world.
They’re back for a lengthy encore, and “Black Water”, with its darker tone and acoustic feel, is a highlight.
Russo enjoys his moment in the spotlight for “Amazing Grace”, while “Takin’ It to the Streets” is just steeped in class.
For an arena rock show, this has been almost entirely bombast-free. No video wall. No huge gimmicks. Just songs.
Fitting, then, that it ends with “Listen to the Music”—and something that Tom Johnston, the other founding member on stage tonight, said before it rings true: “Let’s keep the joy in this room.”
And that’s essentially the point. Yes, the BP Pulse Arena will see bigger crowds than this, but this most American of US bands certainly formed a bond—thousands of miles from home—with the power of music alone.
