The
Doobie Brothers - Rockin' Down The Highway
(The Wildlife
Concert)
Performance
Production
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The
Doobie Brothers - Rockin' Down The Highway
Performance
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I was all ready to add The Doobie Brothers to my "missing in action" list, of those bands who have never released a concert DVD, and then they go and release this outstanding DVD of their 1996 concert to benefit The Wildlife Conservation Society. They performed two songs together with Michael McDonald on his A Gathering Of Friends DVD, in 2000, and this only served to heighten my anticipation for a full length video documentation of this legendary band. Rockin' Down The Highway is a historic event that unites all three of The Doobie Brothers' lead vocalists for a twenty song performance of their greatest hits as well as some brand new music, and it more than delivers. This concert was originally recorded for broadcast television at the Sony Music Studios. The three songs featuring McDonald on lead vocals were taken from a live concert performance in Nashville, TN. The Doobie Brothers are the quintessential American rock and roll band. Their string of hits during the 1970's virtually defined American rock radio. Their music covers several styles and genres, which has given them widespread appeal. The Tom Johnson-led era of the seventies was dominated by guitar driven riff-rock, with a hint of folk and blues, which gave them their distinct sound. The Michael McDonald era of the late 70s and 80's saw the evolution of a more soul/jazz-inspired rock sound that produced the Grammy award winning album Minute By Minute. Both eras featured the wonderful lead vocal contributions of Pat Simmons, soaring harmony vocals, and their unique two-drummer attack. Tom Johnston rejoined the band in time to release the reunion album Cycles, in 1989, and they are still creating excellent new music as this DVD confirms. The first outstanding feature of this DVD is the "Play Concert Only" option. I have adamantly stated in many other reviews about how this should be a mandatory feature on all concert DVDs that include commentary mixed in with the performance. Being that this was a benefit concert recorded for television, there is some commentary between several of the song performances. I would recommend watching the full program with the commentary the first time around because it contains some excellent band member interviews and a segment explaining what The Wildlife Conservation Society is all about. The segments are short and are appropriately placed between songs, not in the middle of songs, like on other DVDs. I will definitely use the "concert only" option during my subsequent viewings to skip right to the good stuff - the songs. The concert opened with a fantastic performance of "Dangerous", which featured John McFee playing a nice acoustic slide intro and middle section. I was unfamiliar with this song, from their 1991 Brotherhood album, but I liked it so much that I might consider buying the album. "Excited" is also from that album, and at first I though it was a Robert Cray song. It was very reminiscent of his light, blues/rock style. I was surprised to see that Pat Simmons had finally cut off most of his trademark, ass-length, straight hair after so many years. Most of the band, probably all in their fifties now, look as if they have barely aged since the 70's, especially Simmons, Johnston, and McFee. It must have been a real nostalgia trip for those lucky enough to be in attendance. The second song from the concert was the classic "Jesus Is Just All Right", which features some outstanding duel drumming, percussion, and vocals. Cornelius Bumpus sang the "Jeesuuuuussss, he's my friend" section. He sounded excellent filling in for the absent Tiran Porter, who sang on the original. Midway through the DVD they switched over to the Nashville, Tennessee concert footage of the Michael McDonald-led Doobies performing "Takin' It To The Streets", "Minute By Minute", and "What A Fool Believes". I know many original die-hard Doobie Brothers' fans did not like the new direction their sound took after Johnston quite and McDonald took over. I personally love both periods of the band. Minute By Minute was a drastic change in style for the band, and it is still one of my favorite albums of all time. I remember being about thirteen years old and my older brother showing me his Minute By Minute album sleeve, which happens to be a huge "roach" that covers almost the entire sleeve. For those of you who don't know what a "roach" is, ask you parents. The word "doobie" in the band's name should clue you in. McDonald especially seemed to enjoy performing these classic songs with his old band mates. He sang with a lot of energy and passion, and his unique vocals still sound magnificent. This concert also featured two brand new songs that were unavailable on any other album. "Wild Ride" and "Slow Burn" are both pleasant little blues/rock jams that feature some nice harmonica playing by Danny Hull. "Slow Burn", in particular, reminded me a lot of Blues Traveler. Now that I think of it, that is who Blues Traveler often reminds me of - The Doobie Brothers. They did come first, after all. The show ended even stronger than it began. "Long Train Running" was highlighted by a killer bass and drum jam towards the end that showcased how well the two drummers work together and feed off of each other. "China Grove", perhaps the greatest top-forty rock song ever, featured a short, improvised intro that led in to the famous crunchy, echo-drenched guitar chords that normally start the song. The final song was, appropriately, "Listen To The Music", which had the entire crowd singing the second half chorus, as they all danced in the isles. Actually they were all dancing in the isles and singing every song throughout the entire concert. I was doing the same in my living room - at least the singing along part. Being that this concert was recorded for television at the Sony Studios Soundstage, the production quality is superior. The picture is sharp and crystal clear, with the look of a TV awards show. The camera work was nearly perfect - lots of slow angle changes and plenty of medium, full stage shots which put you right in the front row of the audience. The audio mix sounded great, and all of the numerous instruments could be heard well. I thought they could have taken better advantage of the surround mix by projecting some of the percussion and horn playing to the rear-speakers, in the same manner that you hear on Fleetwood Mac's The Dance, or The Eagles' Hell Freezes Over. They had several additional musicians helping them, with a lot of instruments playing simultaneously, and this would have added an extra dimension to the sound. What did come out of the front three speakers sounded exceptional, with the exception of the bass being a little too low in the mix. The Doobie Brothers are still playing and looking like they are in their prime. A great accompaniment to this DVD would be a live concert DVD from their next tour, away from the confines of a studio soundstage, and in front of thousands of their fans at the concert venue of their choice. Hell, why not my hometown? Reviewed by Paul M. Roy - June 2004 |
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| Running Time: 110 Minutes |
DVD Release Date - March 2004 |