The Doobie Brothers will unite with former frontman Michael McDonald for a 2020 North American tour celebrating the band’s 50th anniversary.
Singer-guitarists Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons, singer-keyboardist McDonald, and multi-instrumentalist John McFee will tour together for the first time in nearly 25 years during the trek, which kicks off June 9th in West Palm Beach, Florida, and concludes October 10th in Houston, Texas.
The Doobie Brothers announced the 30-date jaunt while closing out their November 18th concert in Nashville, which featured full-LP performances of 1972’s Toulouse Street and 1973’s The Captain and Me. McDonald came out during the encore for a surprise version of their single “Takin’ It to the Streets,” the title track of their 1976 album, the first with McDonald in the lineup.
Following a performance of their sing-along jam “Black Water,” Simmons teed up McDonald’s cameo. “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.”
Dressed in black pants, an untucked black shirt, and glasses, the white-haired McDonald took his place at a keyboard at the front of the stage and began the intro to “Takin’ It to the Streets.” The reaction from the crowd, a mix of boomers and nostalgia-loving Gen-X’ers, was rapturous and they called for more even as the lights came up signaling the official end of the night.
Tickets for the 50th anniversary tour go on sale to the general public starting Friday, December 6th, at 10 a.m. local time via Live Nation.
“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 joined the band in 1975 and initially remained in the lineup until 1982, appearing on four albums and hit singles like “Takin’ It to the Streets” and 1978’s “What a Fool Believes.” (He later performed with the band on multiple occasions.)
The band’s current tour continues November 19th in Greenville, South Carolina; after a break later that month, the jaunt picks up February 7th in Las Vegas.
The Doobie Brothers Tour Dates
June 9 – West Palm Beach, FL @ Coral Sky Amphitheatre
June 10 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
June 14 – Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre (Formerly Verizon Amphitheatre)
June 17 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
June 19 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion
June 20 – Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
June 23 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
June 24 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
June 26 – Allentown, PA @ PPL Center
June 27 – Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion
June 29 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
June 30 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
July 2 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
July 3 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center
July 19 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage
July 22 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center
July 26 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
July 30 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
August 2 – Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
August 4 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
August 8 – Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Chicago
August 14 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis
August 30 – Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
September 2 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre
September 5 – Seattle, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
September 12 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
September 18 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
October 3 – Phoenix, AZ @ Ak-Chin Pavilion
October 9 – Irving, TX @ Toyota Music Factory
October 10 – Houston, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
(Additional reporting by Joseph Hudak)