LYNN — Michael McDonald’s soulful voice remains one of the great wonders of the world. Ultra smooth, with a skosh of sexiness and packed with power, the 65-year-old St. Louis native’s silky baritone is as strong today as it was back in the ’70s when he helped Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers climb the rock and roll hierarchy ladder.
Thursday night before a capacity crowd at Lynn Auditorium, McDonald and his band of seasoned pros delivered nearly two hours of polished blue-eyed soul. Marc Cohn, a headliner in his own right, opened the evening with a sterling set of his piano-based songs.
This was one of the most-anticipated shows on this year’s Auditorium calendar, and for the most part it lived up to expectations. McDonald’s set was dragged down a bit by a mid-show over-reliance on tunes from his just-released album, “Wide Open.” Although much of the new stuff was enjoyable and immaculately played by the all-star band, this fan yearned to hear an older top-40 hit or Motown classic sprinkled within.
No such complaints with the early-going. Doobies classic “Here to Love You,” with stellar tenor sax work by Mark Douhit, and solo hit “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near),” with McDonald excelling on vocals and piano, wowed.
“I Can Let Go Now,” with McDonald performing solo at the piano, was terrific, as was the new bluesy “Just Strong Enough,” with nifty guitar by longtime bandmate Bernie Chiaravalle. At the first notes of the very Steely Dan-ish “Sweet Freedom,” fans moved to the sides and back of the hall and danced like crazy.
“On My Own,” the chart-topping duet that paired McDonald with Patti LaBelle, was a highlight, with powerhouse singer Drea Rhenee handling the LaBelle role. “Hail Mary,” from the new record, found McDonald dueting with his wife of 34 years, Amy Holland.
McDonald saved the best for last. A long piano intro began fan favorites “Minute By Minute” and “What a Fool Believes,” two hits during McDonald’s Doobies tenure. The audience stood and sang along loudly.
The encore was pure bliss. Cohn and his band joined McDonald and Chiaravalle for covers of the Box Tops’ “The Letter” and Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic,” with the two headliners swapping verses. Both full bands crowded the stage for a vibrant version of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” introduced thusly by McDonald: “This was written in the ’60s, and, like a lot of great songs, is more relevant today, with the year (we’re experiencing). Let’s sing it loudly, so everyone in the world can hear us.” The audience obliged.
An uptempo, funky “Takin’ it to the Streets” closed the night in splendid fashion.
Cohn, assisted by percussionist Joe Bonadio, who has worked with Sting, and keyboardist Glenn Patscha whipped the crowd into a frenzy before McDonald and crew took the stage. The songs from Cohn’s beloved debut album, released 26 years ago, sounded great. Cohn’s gritty, growling vocals fueled extended versions of “Dig Down Deep,” a cover of Willie Dixon’s bluesy “29 Ways” dedicated to the late Fats Domino, and anthemic run-throughs of hits “Silver Thunderbird” and “Walking in Memphis.” The heart-tugging love song “True Companion” brought a tear to the eyes of many of the boomers in attendance.
