Doobie Brothers to tour with Michael McDonald for 50th anniversary
Oh, they’re takin’ it to the streets — again.
The Doobie Brothers are set to hit the road (aka the ‘Streets’) in support of the band’s 50th anniversary. (Yeah, that’s a five and a zero.)
And they’re doing it with former frontman Michael McDonald. Sure, McDonald has dabbled in reunions with his former bandmates over the years, but he hasn’t toured with them in almost 25 years.
Singer-guitarists Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons and multi-instrumentalist John McFee will hit the road with McDonald beginning on June 9 in West Palm Beach, Fla. The tour will end up in Houston on Oct. 10.
According to a post on the band’s official website, the 30-date tour was announced Monday night during the band’s performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The closest the band will come to Pittsburgh will be the July 22 date at the Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
After a performance of “Black Water,” the band’s No. 1 hit from 1974, Simmons announced a special guest. “You might remember him from, well, he has his own band these days,” he said. “But you might remember him from his band, the Doobie Brothers — Mr. Michael McDonald.”
With that, McDonald came onto the stage and took his place at the keyboards and the band rolled into “Takin’ it to the Streets.” After the song, Simmons dropped the news about the upcoming reunion tour.
“We’re truly excited about our 50th Anniversary Tour, as it’s a celebration of the band’s entire history,” Johnston said in a statement. “We’ll be performing songs from our full catalog, as well as new music.”
McDonald was with the band from 1975 through 1982, recording several hits with the band over four studio albums.
Tickets for tour go on sale Dec. 6 at 10 a.m. through Live Nation.
The Doobie Brothers 50th Anniversary Tour 2020 dates
June 9: Coral Sky Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach, Fla.
June 10: MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa, Fla.
June 14: Ameris Bank Amphitheatre (Formerly Verizon Amphitheatre), Alpharetta, Ga.
June 17: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville
June 19: PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, N.C.
June 20: Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, Raleigh, N.C.
June 23: Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach, Va.
June 24: Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, Va.
June 26: PPL Center, Allentown, Pa.
June 27: BB&T Pavilion, Camden, N.J.
June 29: PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, N.J.
June 30: Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, N.Y.
July 2: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Conn.
July 3: Xfinity Center, Mansfield, Mass.
July 19: Budweiser Stage, Toronto
July 22: Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
July 26: Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
July 30: Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center, Noblesville, Ind.
Aug. 2: DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston, Mich.
Aug. 4: Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
Aug. 8: Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Chicago, Tinley Park, Ill.
Aug. 14: Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, Mo.
Aug. 30: Pepsi Center, Denver
Sept. 2: USANA Amphitheatre, Salt Lake City, Utah
Sept. 5: White River Amphitheatre. Seattle, Wash.
Sept. 12: Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, Calif.
Sept. 18: The Forum, Los Angeles, Calif.
Oct. 3: Ak-Chin Pavilion, Phoenix, Ariz.
Oct. 9: Toyota Music Factory, Irving, Texas
Oct. 10: The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston
Chris Pastrick is a Tribune-Review digital producer. You can contact Chris at 412-320-7898, [email protected] or via Twitter .