There is no substitute for hearing the original hits done right in front of you by the original artist. It doesn't matter how many cover bands, big-name tributes, and recorded versions you hear of the Doobie Brothers massive catalogue of hits, it was enough to make you grin all night to have them pound them out in person.
The band didn't hold back. It's been years since their hits were fresh, and many personnel changes have happened over the years, but the remaining members are still fightin' fit and insisted on the whole Doobies experience even on this revival tour. They stood five guys abreast, all singing at top lung, with sax, keys, bass and guitars filling out that huge, classic rock sound. The only people not singing were pounding the drums, and there were two of them.
The Doobies could arguably be the emblematic example of classic rock as a genre. They, The Eagles, Journey, Crosby Stills and Nash, Credence Clearwater Revival and the like changed the way live concerts were watched and the way radio was presented. The hallmarks were thunderous guitars and a layer cake of vocals holding up a stylistic mix of country, rhythm and blues and modern rockabilly. It was the next evolution of Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis, Sam Cook and Chuck Berry.
Age is a factor in stage energy. The Doobie Brothers defied it on Friday night at CN Centre and uncorked pitch-perfect harmonies, hard-driving guitars, and still had lots left over for showmanship. There were kilts and cowboy hats, there was steel guitar and six-string played simultaneously (while wearing said kilt, which is a remarkable feat in the age of wardrobe malfunctions), and rock smashmanship as good as Pearl Jam. Their live version of Takin' It To the Streets with crystal clear vocalist John Cowan on lead microphone was an epic frenzy that felt like it went on for 20 minutes.
Cowan, a new-age Doobie who made a name for himself first as part of the world's greatest bluegrass band New Grass Revival, would have been welcome by the audience as the resident vocalist on all the hits made famous by singer Michael McDonald (no longer in the band, but still on good terms). It would have been nice to hear What A Fool Believes, after all, but considering the wealth of Doobies material, there's only so much a band can jam into one concert.
Jam is the key word. These were not album replications of the Greatest Hits. The Doobies got famous for being lauded singers and instrumentalists, and that was the flag they were going to wave on stage. Hearing founding vocalist Tom Johnston still command the crowd at full pitch made you root for the next song and the next song, wishing for just one more hit to savour before it was all through, and the same could be said for the contributions of Pat Simmons (founding member) and John McFee (longtime member, formerly with Huey Lewis and The News).
Everyone on the stage had a pedigree a mile deep. Marc Russo on sax won two Grammy Awards with The Yellowjackets and was also a member of the Tower of Power brass group. Keyboardist Guy Allison was once with The Moody Blues and Air Supply. One of the drummers, Ed Toth, was with the rock group Vertical Horizon while the other drummer, Tony Pia, was with the Brian Setzer Orchestra. All-stars all around. How could China Grove get played any better? And we got to see it.
We also got to see, as a total bonus, up-and-coming pop chanteuse Lara Johnston. Forget that she's the daughter of Doobie frontman Tom Johnston. She has Katy Perry vocal power, Colbie Caillat songwriting sensibilities, and her own way of wrapping her voice around words. More than sing, she is a true interpreter of lyrics. You can feel her thoughts as she unfurls the words, but if you want to just drift off and kick your feet to a quality radio-ready pop tune like K.I.S.S. or Keep You In My Pocket, she's the girl. She's one of those discoveries you feel lucky to be part of being there for right at the beginning. One day, her portrait will be up on the CN Centre wall as one of the stars who performed here in Prince George, and without doubt she'll be back. I overheard her pinky-swear a seven-year-old boy that she'd return to perform her one big number she didn't play in the support concert - his favourite tune called Mister Be My Man - next time she's here.
