LYNN — Growing up, the Doobie Brothers were always there. On our radio. “Jesus is Just Alright,” “Black Water,” “Long Train Runnin’,” and the band’s other feel-good hits were as welcome as a warm blanket or a comforting hug.
Saturday night at Lynn Auditorium, before an enthusiastic near-capacity crowd, those songs sounded as fresh and exciting as they did when they first exploded through our radios, starting in the early ’70s. The Doobies, an eight-piece these days, remain a tight, hard-working band that expertly plays its country/folk/R&B brand of hard-driving, three-guitars/two-drums rock.
The anemic pop radio of today and its young music fans could sure use a jolt of the Doobies’ hard-driving sound. There must be a band out there to fit the bill, other than the Foo Fighters and Black Keys, though guitar-fueled music doesn’t seem to be on the media conglomerates’ radar.
Original members Patrick Simmons and Tom Johnston, who trade off on vocals and lead guitar, and longtime member John McFee remain the core of this band. Little Feat keyboardist Bill Payne, who started working with the Doobies on 1972’s breakthrough album “Toulouse Street,” is part of this touring outfit.
Ed Toth (drums), former Allman Brothers Band member Marc Quinones (percussion) and John Cowan (bass) form a mighty rhythm section. Saxophonist Marc Russo’s soulful playing sent nearly every song into the stratosphere.
Let’s start with Saturday’s encore, which ended the 90-minute show with exhilarating run-throughs of “China Grove” and “Listen to the Music.” Audience members stood, danced, clapped and added loud harmonies to both tunes. It was nirvana.
The main set ended with the wondrous triple play of the Motown/Doobie classic “Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)”; a spectacular “Black Water,” with McFee’s fiddle, Simmons solid acoustic playing and about 2,000 audience members shouting the “I’d Like to Hear Some Funky Dixieland” chorus; and a high-octane all-guitars-blazing “Long Train Runnin’.”
Early highlights included a blazing “Rockin’ Down the Highway” and a toe-tapping “Mamaloi,” with its glorious four-part harmonies. “Jesus is Just Alright” was heavenly, a rocking sing-along that had everyone singing and smiling. “Eyes of Silver,” which recalled the Stax classic “Soul Man,” was guided by squawking sax, powerful percussion and guitar solos by Simmons, Johnston and McFee.
The band’s Michael McDonald-era was represented by one song, “Takin’ it to the Streets,” with a splendid solo piano intro by Payne. I would have enjoyed hearing “It Keeps You Runnin'” and “What a Fool Believes.”
The middle section of the set featured lesser-known songs from “Toulouse Street” and “The Captain and Me,” which the band will perform from start-to-finish Friday night in New York City and was no doubt taking on a test run in Lynn. Some were terrific (“White Sun,” “Evil Woman”), others merely so-so.
A mere quibble. The crowd was very happy while the Doobies let the music play.
