Rating: 
Summary: Michael McDonald-25 Years and Counting
Review: As I was strolling down the aisle of my favorite music emporium the other day, a very familiar name jumped out at me from the music DVD category. His name was the same but the face couldn't have looked any more different. Michael McDonald not only found a razor blade he is totally happy with (lose the soul patch though) but he also found his greatest collaboraters in Michael McDonald:A Gathering Of Friends. I have been waiting for a Michael McDonald Concert on DVD for a long time and I believe he did it the right way. It seems like Michael's voice has surfaced in 90% of the soft pop music that came out in the 70's and 80's. By bringing the likes of Christofer Cross, Patti Labelle, Kenny Loggins, James Ingram and more together for a night of music taped at the Shrine Auditorium in LA earlier this year, it goes to show you that a great voice singing second lead or backup can be just as dominant as that same voice singing lead vocals on so many songs. I remember a Saturday Night Live skit many years ago showing Michael going from session to session singing on everybody's songs. Well, these are those songs folks. Ride Like The Wind, Yah Mo Be There, On My Own, Heart To Heart and This Is It. You must have heard these songs a thousand times each and the performances are as solid as are his own hits he sings like Minute By Minute and Takin' It To The Streets with the band that brought him, The Doobie Brothers. I have always said that the whiter Michael's hair turns the blacker his voice sounds. Soulful black. At the age of 49 Michael's pipes seem to grow stronger and stronger. This DVD is a must see for any fan wanting an A+ performance from "Mr. Blue Eyed Soul" himself. If nothing else it will be the first performance Michael has made sans mustache and beard since he became a star in 1976 with his first Doobie Brother's album Takin' It To The Streets. The next thing Michael would be to do a full concert reunion with the "Brothers". Thanks for this one.
Rating:
Summary: Sing Michael!!!
Review: Great concert... the guest were great, back up singers were wonderful... musicians were ultra talented... but, the star of that night was no other that Michael himseld. It was a great show - seeing great names and relatively unknown ones belting out with Michael.... Highlights were the trio with James Ingram and David Pack (Maria), duets with pal Kenny Loggins and the best part? Watchin Michael with bandmates - Doobie Brothers.
Rating:
Summary: Maria
Review: I agree about this song, I thought it was a highlight and I'd like to mention that there were four people out there. George Shelby a great sax player certainly deserves a mention for his part in this great number.
Rating: 
Summary: Show Does Not Equal The Voice
Review: I am a HUGE Michael McDonald fan but found this DVD disapointing. The quality of the audio is average. The duet with Patti LaBelle was irritating - rather than sing, she shouts and screams amd screetches which totally ruined the song. I also thought Michael had little to no rapport with the audience. For many songs he only looks at his singing partner-not the audience. The Doobies were great. I felt let down by this performance. I expected a lot more from someone with Michael's talents. Maybe next time.
Rating:
Summary: falls pretty flat
Review: I am a major Michael McDonald fan. I've got most everything he's contributed to. So when I saw this DVD I was excited to get it. While I see what they were going for here, the ultimate product is pretty weak. It's basically concert footage of a "pay tribute to Michael" night. The show consists entirely of pairings of Michael with other singers. In most of these the other singer is the one featured, not Michael and oddly they pick tunes that Michael didn't write either. Jeff Bridges is the MC and while he's a great actor, this guy should never, never sing in public. He's given the stage for an entire number and that's a sore spot for me because one of my complaints is that this DVD contains too few tracks. The best part of the DVD is the two tunes that Michael does with the Doobie Brothers. Here, he is finally featured as is his songwriting. But the thing that's totally missing from the DVD is anything from his solo efforts, which to me is, along with his Doobie work, his best stuff. "You Belong To Me" a tune written by Michael and recorded by both Carly Simon and the Doobie Brothers is an exception, but he doesn't sing it! He struggles through two tunes with Kenny Loggins, who again is a great artist, but the numbers are under-rehearsed. Adding a final annoyance to the show is Soap-Star-Come-Sax-Player Dave Koz, who steps out in "You Belong To Me" doing his best, in typical Dave Koz fashion, to upstage the other musicians. His body language is as corny as his banal sax playing. Oh, and Dave, the song's over, you can stop playing now. The contrast of Koz's live performance and Dave Sanborn's original on that tune is sad. Moreover, I'd spend your money on Michael's solo CD's. You'll get so much more Michael for your money. PS. I'm remaining annoymous on this one because I know several of the musicians in this production.
Rating: 
Summary: Horrible show
Review: I am a Michael McDonald fan. I am also a fan of the other musical talents he has collaborated with over the last 30 years. I was not a fan of this show. What could have been a great tribute concert, turned out to be a boring, dry, sterile puppet show. In my opinion, a musical artist who is internationally known to have produced hit R&B songs, hit Rock ballads, and up-beat Jazz riffs should never open a concert with a love ballad like "On my Own". Who's idea was that?! What better way to convey to your audience that this is going to be a lame show than to open your first set with that slow song. I gave it a chance... I did, but towards the end of the torture, I knew I really got my money's worth when Michael forgot the words to "Heart to Heart" and then had the nerve to tell his audience and Kenny Loggins that he forgot them by singing "I forgot the words to this song". Comical? Very. Sad? So very. The only part worth watching was James Ingram and Michael singing "ya Mo be there". If you combined all of the talent and soul qualities from the musicians on stage as well as from the audience, it would never match that of James Ingram's. But was that worth $? Noooo.
And the music? Why put "Ride like the wind" (where Michael literally sings all 6 words in the chorus) and not put one of his biggest solo songs like "I keep forgettin'"? What about Sweet Freedom? Even some of Steely Dan's stuff? Why?!
Why Jeff Bridges? Why! Why! Why!
Don't buy it...actually, buy it, watch James Ingram, and then return it.
Rating:
Summary: What were they thinking?
Review: I can't believe they expect people to buy this dvd! As a Michael McDonald fan way back from the Doobie Bros. time, I thought they really botched this performance. Some of the songs were very good but it seemed they ran out of good stuff and tried to use allot of fillers!!! And what the heck was Jeff Bridges doing there??? He can't sing!!! He should stick to movies!!! I rate this concert "POOR" !!! Sorry, but if you Love Michael McDonalds Voice, Stick to the CD's
Rating:
Summary: What a great night out this must have been
Review: I recently purchased this on video and love it. For Christmas I recieved a DVD player, and I just ordered the DVD.One of the evenings that I saw Michael McDonald was at Great Woods as part of the New York "Rock & Soul Revival" with Donald Fagen,Phoebe Snow, Boz Scaggs etc..I don't recall a night on which I have been happier, I smiled for days after that. This concert makes that look like just a great night. This concert on the DVD features Michael with Doobie Brothers,Patty LaBelle, Patty Austin,Kenny Loggins Jefferey Osborne and Christopher Cross on some of the great hits and some newer talent on the Blues Obsession songs. Jeff Bridges acts as MC for the evening the background singers have Kim Carnes and Amy Holland McDonald(who is also credited as Monkey Trainer) and the band has David Pack of Ambrosia as its Assistant Music Director and David Koz on Sax.The music is great, the performances outstanding, watching it you can see the performers are having as great a time as the audience.A new song for me was "Maria" with Jeffery Osbourne and David Pack. The harmonies are amazaing. This was a great concert on tape, brought back great memories of the time and you get to see this awesome concert most of can only wish we could have seen.....maybe another time. When GOD gave us the gift of Music I believe he gave us Michael McDonald. If you watch this concert you will love it, and at the very least get it to see Michael McDonald with only a slight beard and Jeffery Osbourne with no hair at all.
Rating: 
Summary: I was there!!
Review: I was at this concert in the sixth row when it was taped. Oh, my gosh, what a trip. We rocked for over three hours. I only wish more of the concert had made it to the DVD. Good or bad, this disk will forever be a part of my collection and collective memory. I got to speak with Michael in the afternoon before the concert and found him to be a genuine kind of guy. What a thrill!
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Addicting
Review: I've appreciated McDonald's song writing and singing ever since he joined the Doobie Brothers in the late '70s. Although he has fallen off the Top 40 Rock charts in recent years, he has established a loyal following amongst the adult contemporary and lite jazz categories. His voice is so unique it is recognizable on dozens of top 40 hits that never mention his name - but it is his voice that puts songs by Christopher Cross, Toto, Kenny Loggins and others - over the top. Every one of his concerts that I have attended have been great musically, spiritually and often later - romantically. Listening to his songs never gets old, whether on radio or on CD. This concert, although way too brief, clearly shows his talent, humility and humor - and also why he is so highly regarded amongst his peers. If you want a concert DVD that you will be playing over and over - and never tire of, this is the one. It will become the crown jewel of your music collection.
|
