Of the bands that strummed to stardom in the 1970s, The Doobie Brothers possess the most curious arc.

Beginning as a hippie, sanitised version of Little Feat (or even the Allman Brothers Band), they evolved into a blue-eyed soul outfit led by the omnipresent Michael McDonald.

There’s no amalgamation of the two. Mixing both versions of the band is like spreading vegemite across ice cream. You have to feel for the poor sod tasked with balancing out their greatest hits compilations.

Thankfully, no such balance is required for the reissue of the group’s 2004 performance at Wolf Trap, with the majority of the set taken from the early Tom Johnston-led era.

The show – one of their last before the tragic passing of drummer Keith Knudsen – finds the band in outstanding from. Their harmonies are remarkable, even to the point where you feel there may have been a touch-up or two to the mix afterward.

Frontman Johnston is particularly energised, reeling off anthemic sing-alongs ‘Listen To The Music’, ‘China Grove’ and ‘Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me)’ with the appropriate vigour.

Of course, you can’t help but notice the irony – who would’ve thought a band named after a joint could age so well?

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Those gripping the remote in hope of a Michael McDonald cameo will be disappointed. His only (unseen) presence is felt in a rendition of ‘Takin’ It To The Streets’ with lead Patrick Simmons bravely stepping in to fill McDonald’s almost unobtainable range.

The show gets bogged down when the band substitute their latter ’70s material for a series of covers, bluegrass and blues workouts.

Though delivered with tremendous virtuosity – the fingerpicking of Simmons is excellent – it’s no match for the likes of ‘You Belong To Me’, ‘Echoes Of Love’ and, of course, the most remarkable ode dedicated to self-ignorance, ‘What A Fool Believes’.

Missing material aside, it’s still an excellent nostalgia trip from a band that too often gets thrown into the easy-listening wash of the ‘70s.

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