The Doobie Brothers bring new music and classic hits to Syracuse

Just past the halfway point of The Doobie Brothers concert in Syracuse Friday night, frontman and lead vocalist Tom Johnston pointed out that the band recently had its 55th birthday. 

Considering that, their next song may have been unexpected, and founding member Patrick Simmons told the crowd that it was “a little different” than most of their recent shows: the band played never-before-heard music from a new and unreleased album. The song, titled “Walk This Road,” may also be the name of their album. 

Concert attendees at the Upstate Medical Arena at The Oncenter ranged from young adults to those who’ve been listening to The Doobie Brothers for most of the band’s 55 years. Robyn Dudley, who won the two tickets to the show on The Dinosaur radio station, said that she has been listening since the ‘70s and called in because she “loves Mike McDonald.”

That seemed to be a common opinion among all concert-goers. During the individual introductions of all the band members, McDonald, sitting beside his keyboard, received the largest and longest ovation by far. Joining a bit after the band’s formation, in 1975, McDonald changed the sound of the band with hits like “You Belong to Me,” “Minute by Minute,” and “Takin’ It to the Streets,” which were all a part of their setlist. 

Dudley said she entered the ticket contest on a whim after being successful with past radio sweepstakes. “I was driving home from work and saw they announced The Doobie Brothers… I [previously] won tickets for Styx and Blue Man Group.” 

“She’s lucky,” Tina Porter, a co-worker and friend who she went to the concert with, said.

Marc Russo, the saxophonist for the band, joined McDonald’s keyboard in a rendition of “Amazing Grace” before finishing out with their largest hits. Anytime Russo would rip a long saxophone solo, the crowd would whistle and cheer. The excitement in the venue was at its peak during the encore, with songs like “China Grove,” “Black Water,” and their finale, “Listen to the Music.”

At the end of the concert, the crowd sang the chorus of “Listen to the Music” back to Johnston and the band, and more and more of the crowd rose from their seats to dance. The moment felt like it capped off 55 years’ worth of songwriting and performing. 

But that couldn’t be further from reality. Despite The Doobie Brothers’ long tenure as rock legends, the group’s new music shows that they have no intention of slowing down.