• In Our Papers • About Us • Links • Advertising •
Google Custom Search  
       
 

McDonald offers soul speak

Review by Joshua Maloni
Photos by John Stuart
 Lewiston Porter Sentinel, July 26, 2008

Artpark’s “Tuesday in the Park” concert series has been steadily building all summer. From Bret Michaels to Trisha Yearwood to Three Dog Night to Kansas, bigger names have resulted in larger crowds. But, like coming attractions before a movie, those entertainers were warming audiences up for the season’s main attraction: Michael McDonald.

The former Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan singer, possessor of an unmistakable voice and a venerated collection of hit songs at his disposal, didn’t disappoint the crowd of 12,000-plus on Tuesday. He performed a nearly two-hour set that was studded with musical gems such as “Sweet Freedom,” “Minute By Minute” and “Ain’t Nothin’ Like the Real Thing.”

McDonald took the stage at 8 p.m., bushy white hair blowing, dressed in a black shirt, and sat at his piano. He said, “We’re very happy to be back here at this beautiful spot,” and cut right into “Enemy Within,” a song from his recently released “Soul Speak” album.

Almost three years to the day of his first Artpark performance – which drew a then-record 16,000 fans – McDonald, 56, sounded as fresh as ever on Doobie Brothers songs “It Keeps You Runnin’ ” and “You Belong To Me,” as well as his own hit, “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near).”

Tens songs into his act, McDonald firmly grabbed the audience’s attention with a half-dozen, hit-song medley, which featured “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “Walk On By,” “Minute By Minute,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing” and “What a Fool Believes.”

Asking the crowd to pray for peace, McDonald closed his set at 9:11 p.m. With the audience cheering heavily for him, the singer was back one minute later to begin a five-song encore.

The bonus round includes Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” Stevie Wonder’s “Living For The City,” Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher” and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.”

  


Michael McDonald

Before singing Gaye’s anti-war song, McDonald said he hopes for a return of American troops, who, “I’m sure would much rather be living at home, in peace with their families in the United States.”

McDonald closed the night with the Doobie Brothers smash “Takin’ It To The Streets.”


Jamie Holka

The Jamie Holka Trio opened the show with a crowd-pleasing hour-long performance. Holka, a 2006 finalist in the WNED North American Rock Guitar Festival, also performs in the Wynne Band.

Hamilton couple follows Doobie Brothers, McDonald around U.S.
by Joshua Maloni

Among the 12,000-plus at Artpark, two of the most enthusiastic concertgoers were Dennis and Julie Hines of Waterdown (just outside Hamilton), Ontario. Having had their first date at a 1979 Doobie Brothers concert, the couple has watched incarnations of the band perform in Michigan, Virginia, Pennsylvania, California and Western New York.

“In the beginning, it was something about the music,” Dennis said. “There was something about their music that was just a connection.”

The two are members of the Doobie Brothers online fan network and regularly meet up with fellow band fans at each concert stop.

On Tuesday, the Hines made their first real trip to Lewiston. Of the village, she called it “wonderful” and “gorgeous,” while he dubbed it “the best-kept secret.” But, it was Michael McDonald they came to see.

“I’d pay to see Michael McDonald anywhere,” Dennis said. He and Julie paid $100 to sit in the Producer’s Suite deck.

“Somebody’s got to step up and support (the free concert series),” he said.

The experience – watching McDonald perform in front of the Niagara River backdrop – was something the Hines won’t soon forget.

“We met more friends tonight because of Michael,” Dennis said.

Julie added, “We’ll come back for other shows.”