The Doobie Brothers @ AMT

The brothers rolled through town on their way to China Grove. As their Harleys were rumbling on down the road, they were rocking’ down the highway and listening to the music. At one point they even had to cross the black water. Along the way they met up with some old friends in Lancaster, PA. The brothers were having fun on this trip. Now these brothers are no ordinary brothers. In fact they are not blood brothers at all. They are the Doobie Brothers.
For bands that have been playing together for 30+ years and should be looking at the road of retirement something keeps them going. These bands are long passing the height of their heyday and their popularity. Gone are the days of sex, drugs and rock and roll. Only one part of that remains, the rock and roll. It is all about the music for them now.
The Doobie Brothers are like the energizer bunny; they keep going and going and going… But they never stayed with one style or genre of musical taste. As band members left and new people joined the group, so the styles changed and grew and evolved. It showed in their performance. The song selection ranged from the very beginning of the band to the current line up’s style.
In the early advent of the band they were rockers and a bar band, popular among many including members of the Hell’s Angels. When new members, such as, Michael McDonald, came into the fold their sound evolved into a more R&B style. When the brothers added a second drum kit, their sound was unified and complete. To this day they still play with two full drum kits and drummers. For many years it was Keith Knudsen and Mike Hossick. Knudsen passed away in 2005, from cancer. After his passing they brought in Ed Toth, who is still with them and keeping pace with Hossick.
The brothers brought all of those sounds and genres with them as they rolled into American Music Theater. With the crashing sounds of the syncopated drum kits spearheaded by Toth and Hossick, as the backbone of their sound, the brothers ripped into, “Take Me in Your Arms,” as a lion tears into his fresh kill. They followed up with “Jesus is Just Alright with Me.” There was no stopping them. They came for one thing and one thing only, to play music and put a smile on every person’s face that was there.
From their first musical riff to their last riff, the Doobies were having fun on stage and it showed, especially on the face of lead guitarist, Patrick Simmons. The smile never left his face. The twinkle of a 20 something year old appeared to glisten in his eye. If you were sitting close enough you could see the enjoyment penetrating through Simmons’ eyes.

Throughout the performance that particular gleam stayed in his eyes. These brothers have been through a lot over the years but that sparkle is still there. That sparkle resonated with the fans as they cheered for their favorites and even when the brothers introduced a new song, “Back to the Château” on their soon to be released new album.
As founding member, Tom Johnson put it, the new album “should be here anytime now” as he stood looking at his watch. While the fans wait for that arrival, they ears received a taste of nostalgia and a trip to memory lane. That lane might a bit dusty for some but with songs like, “Black Water”, “China Grove”, and “Listen to the Music” the road became a bit less dusty. Bass player, Skylark, a member of the band since the 1990’s, handles the vocals of former Doobie brother, Michael McDonald as if they were his own creation. As he sang lead on, “One Step Closer”, if you had never heard the song before you’d think it was his original work. AS the night closed out, the brothers truly had their fans “Rockin’ down the highway” all the way to their front doors.