The Doobie Brothers at the Beacon Theatre

Vocalist/guitarist Tom Johnston was born in Visalia, California, and attended college in San Jose, California. There he founded a power trio called Pud in 1970. Vocalist/guitarist Patrick Simmons, who had performed locally as a solo artist and in an acoustic trio called Scratch, joined Pud later that year. Simmons' fingerstyle guitar approach complemented Johnston's rhythmic rhythm and blues strumming. After several personnel changes, the band became the Doobie Brothers. Johnston left the group in 1975 due to precarious health conditions, and was replaced by Michael McDonald, whose interest in soul music changed the band's sound until it broke up in 1982. The Doobie Brothers reformed in 1987 with Johnston returning to the band, with occasional contributions from McDonald. The Doobie Brothers sold more than 40 million albums worldwide, with its greatest success in the 1970s. The band is led presently by Johnston, Simmons and guitar/pedal steel/banjo/fiddle player John McFee, who first joined the band in 1979. The Doobie Brothers' 14th and most recent studio album is 2014's Southbound.

The Doobie Brothers headlined two nights at the Beacon Theatre, accompanied by keyboardist Bill Payne, bassist John Cowan, drummer Ed Toth, percussionist Marc Quiñones, and a trio of horn players. The ensemble performed the Doobie Brothers' second and third albums, 1972's Toulouse Street and 1073's The Captain and Me albums in their entirety for the first time, plus a couple of select hits for the encore. For the band, this meant performing songs that reportedly were never before performed live, and that the entire set would predate the Michael McDonald era that began in 1975. For the audience, this meant not seeing the band purely as a hit machine, but experiencing a broader perspective that exposed the band's early history through deep cuts. Foregoing the band's later blue-eyed soul and adult contemporary material, the sets alternated mainstream arena rock and roll with songs that leaned on folk, country, blues and boogie. Johnston sang most of the songs well, the many musicians showcased their exceptional talents, and the old songs came alive with jams steeped in American musical roots. Not every song turned out to be memorable, but as a whole, the concert showed the Doobie Brothers to be an exceptionally dynamic rock and roll band.

Visit the Doobie Brothers at www.thedoobiebrothers.com.

Setlist

Set 1: Toulouse Street

1. Listen to the Music
2. Rockin' Down the Highway
3. Mamaloi
4. Toulouse Street
5. Cotton Mouth (Seals & Crofts cover)
6. Don't Start Me Talkin' (Sonny Boy Williamson cover)
7. Jesus Is Just Alright (The Art Reynolds Singers cover)
8. White Sun
9. Disciple
10. Snake Man

Set 2: The Captain and Me

1. Natural Thing
2. Long Train Runnin'
3. China Grove
4. Dark Eyed Cajun Woman
5. Clear as the Driven Snow
6. Without You
7. South City Midnight Lady
8. Evil Woman
9. Busted Down Around O'Connelly Corners
10. Ukiah
11. The Captain and Me

Encore:

1. Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While) (Kim Weston cover)
2. Black Water
3. Listen to the Music (reprise, with full horn section)