The Doobie Brothers - 1979-02-22 - Budokn Hall, Tokyo, Japan

The Doobie Brothers

February 22nd, 1979
Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Soundboard recording, very good quality
Available in both Lossless (FLAC) and Mp3 (320 kbps) versions
 
Here's one more from The Doobie Brothers, this time from the peak of the Michael McDonald years. As mentioned in the last post, Michael McDonald was brought in as a last-minute replacement for the ailing and hospitalized Tom Johnston in order to finish their 1975 tour. But Johnston was still sidelined and needing rest in 1976 when the band was preparing for their next album. And since Johnston was also one of their primary songwriters, they were in need of substantial additional material to record. So, McDonald, who had a bunch of demos of songs he was working on for himself, brought his songs to the band, became a full-time member and the band moved on from there. However, McDonald's songs, style, and groove, with his more laid-back, blue-eyed soul, jazzy style and soft- spoken vocals were very much different from the previous signature sound (Johnston's hard-rockin' guitar songs) of the band, but they made it work. The album, Takin' It To The Streets (1976), debuted this new form of the band, and was quite successful, with two of McDonald's songs, 'Takin It To the Streets' and 'It Keeps You Runnin' becoming radio hits. BTW, Tom Johnston did write, play, and sing lead on one song, as well as share vocals with Simmons on one other song, but that was the extent of his involvement on the album. Whereas McDonald's songs and style dominated, bringing a different sound to the band, in general, their success continued undaunted. By the next album, Johnston was back, and participated in the recording sessions early on, but the band dynamics had changed and Johnston left during the sessions and the band carried on without him. Although Johnston wrote and recorded 5 songs with the band, none of them were put on the new album, Livin on the Fault Line (1977), which further cemented McDonald's lead role in the band. The next album, Minute By Minute (1978) became their most successful album, reaching No.1 in the Us and Canada, and hit singles 'What a Fool Believes' and 'Minute By Minute' (both McDonald songs). However, the huge success of the album was marred by internal turmoil within the band, as guitarist Jeff Baxter, drummer John Hartman, and percussionist Bobby LaKind left the band in early 1979. The band would make only one more album, One Step Closer (1980), before disbanding following further departures of Porter and Simmons. There would be various reunions in the late '80's, 90's, and beyond, but the glory days were over by the '80's. The show posted here is a great soundboard recording from early 1979, among the last shows to include Baxter and Hartman, and featuring a greatest hits of McDonald's songs, as well as songs from earlier in the band's career. A fine example of the band at the peak of the McDonald years.  

Tracklist:
1. Jesus Is Just Alright
2. Long Train Runnin'
3. Sweet Maxine
4. It Keeps You Runnin'
5. Take Me In Your Arms
6. Open Your Eyes
7. What A Fool Believes
8. Neal's Fandango
9. Echoes Of Love
10. You Made That Way
11. Black Water
12. Steamer Lane Breakdown
13. Road Angel
14. China Grove
15. Takin' It To The Streets
16. Listen To The Music

Runtime - 1 Hour 17 Minutes 6 Seconds

Patrick Simmons - Guitar, Vocals
Michael McDonald - Keyboards, Synthesizers, Vocals
Jeffrey Baxter - Guitar
Tiran Porter - Bass, Vocals
John Hartman - Drums
Keith Knudsen - Drums, Vocals

FLAC part1 - Doobie Brothers_1979-02-22_Tokyo_FLAC1.rar
FLAC part2 - Doobie Brothers_1979-02-22_Tokyo_FLAC2.rar

  mp3 - Doobie Brothers_1979-02-22_Tokyo_mp3.rar

The Doobie Brothers - 1975-10-26 - Von Braun Center, Huntsville, AL (plus bonus tracks)

The Doobie Brothers

1975-10-26
Von Braun Center, Huntsville, AL
FM Broadcast recording, very good quality
Available in both Lossless (FLAC) and Mp3 (320 kbps) versions

Here's another classic show from The Doobie Brothers, a couple years after the last one posted, which was still when they were a guitar-driven rockin' band, but also at a time when major changes were coming. The band followed up the success of Captain and Me (1973)  with another blockbuster album, What Were Once Vices are Now Habits (1974). Shortly after finishing recording their next album, Stampede (1975), in late 1974, it was obvious that Tom Johnston's health  was in bad shape. He needed to take time off, but the band started a promotional tour in early 1975, which Johnston started, but couldn't finish, as he required emergency hospitalization for severe bleeding ulcers and an extended recovery time. In order to finish the tour, the band brought in vocalist-keyboard player Michael McDonald (who Jeff Baxter knew from his Steely Dan days), divided up the vocal responsibilities, and split-up the dual guitar parts between Baxter and Simmons, and continued the tour quite successfully.  After the tour, the band was at a crossroads: Johnston, who was their primary songwriter and singer, would be unavailable for the foreseeable future, but the band were contractually required to release a new album in 1976. Fortunately, new addition McDonald was a seasoned songwriter as well, and bassist Tiran Porter also contributed some new songs, which along with Simmons' solid songwriting was just what they needed. So, McDonald's addition became permanent. However, McDonald's more laid-back, jazzy keyboard style and soft- spoken vocals took the band in a very different direction and style than the hard-rockin' Johnston, and thus their next album started a whole new phase of the Doobie Brothers music. But that's a story for next time. Right now, we are still focused on the more rockin' version of the band. Here is a combination of a couple of radio shows from 1975, an almost complete recording from Huntsville AL in October, as well as some tracks from an earlier show (with Tom still performing) in March, and topped off finally with a complete performance of 'Without You' (which has been cut in both of the previous recordings featured here. The shows feature new songs from Vices and Stampede, in addition to favorites from the earlier albums.
 

Tracklist:
01 Jesus Is Just Alright
02 Rockin' Down the Highway - Road Angel
03 South City Midnight Lady
04 Eyes of Silver
05 Black Water
06 Long Train Runnin'
07 China Grove
08 Without You (cut)

Bonus Tracks:
1975-03-23 - San Francisco CA
09. Neil's Fandango
10. Take Me In Your Arms
11. Workin' On You
1975-10-08 - Memphis, TN
12. Without You

Patrick Simmons - guitar & vocals
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter - guitar
Michael McDonald - keyboards, vocals (except 03-23 tracks)
Tiran Porter - bass, vocals
John Hartman - drums
Keith Knudsen - drums, vocals
Tom Johnston - guitar & vocals (1975-03-23 tracks only)

FLAC - Doobie Bros_1975-10-26_Huntsville+_FLAC.rar

mp3 - Doobie Bros_1975-10-26_Huntsville+_Mp3.rar

 

Last Waltz 40 Tour - Warren Haynes, Michael McDonald, Don Was, and Friends - 2017-01-24 - Atlanta, GA

The Last Waltz 40 Tour
(Warren Haynes, Michael McDonald, Don Was, and Friends)
January 24, 2017
Symphony Hall at Woodruff Arts Center, Atlanta, GA

Audience recording, good quality
Available in both Lossless (FLAC) and Mp3 (320 kbps) versions

Here's something I've been meaning to post for awhile now, just haven't gotten to it (sorry for the lack of posts recent weeks). It's Warren Haynes and Friends tribute to the Last Waltz, and their Last Waltz 40 Tour. This began as a one-time tribute show last year, and was so successful they announced a tour scheduled for select cities in January and February, 2017. Well those were also a success, so more recently they announced a second leg of the tour, which is currently playing now in selected US cities throughout April and May. And as part of this current leg of the the tour, original Band member Garth Hudson will be joining in for some of the shows. But this is from the first leg, in January (if any shows from the current leg with Garth become available, I'll try to post that as well). Of course, I've previously presented much from the Band (including the full Last Waltz show here), and another 40-year tribute show from last year (Midnight Ramble Band available here), so here now is Warren's assemblage of friends and musicians honoring the legacy of the Band and that iconic show from 1976 with a whole new interpretation with current talented musicians, but still featuring the classic style and sound of the original Band. Check it out, and if the tour stops near where you live, may be worth checking out live.

Set I
01 Up On Cripple Creek
02 Shape I’m In
03 Stage Fright
04 Georgia On My Mind
05 Life Is A Carnival
06 It Makes No Difference
07 South In New Orleans
08 Wheels On Fire
09 Who Do You Love*
10 King Harvest
11 The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

Set II
01 Chest Fever
02 Ophelia >
03 Caravan
04 Helpless
05 Mystery Train
06 Rag Mama Rag*
07 Mannish Boy
08 Caledonia Mission**
09 Forever Young**
10 The Weight
11 I Shall Be Released
-encore-
12 Such A Night
13 Don’t Do It

Warren Haynes - guitar, vocals
Michael McDonald - keys, vocals
Jamey Johnson - guitar, vocals
John Medeski - organ, keys
Don Was - bass
Terrence Higgins - drums
Mark Mullins and The Levee Horns
with
Dave Malone - guitar, vocals * (s1t08-09, s2t06)
Bob Margolin - guitar, vocals ** (s2t08-09)

FLAC - Last Waltz 40 Tour_2017-01-24_Atlanta_FLAC.part1.rar
            Last Waltz 40 Tour_2017-01-24_Atlanta_FLAC.part2.rar

mp3 - Last Waltz 40 Tour_2017-01-24_Atlanta_mp3.part1.rar
          Last Waltz 40 Tour_2017-01-24_Atlanta_mp3.part2.rar
Links updated 08/31/21