Tom Johnston - vocals, guitar; Patrick Simmons - vocals, guitar; John Hartman - drums; Dave Shogren - bass, vocals
This show was recorded less than two years after The Doobie Brothers had formed from a failed Bay Area band called Pud (of which both Simmons and Hartman had been members). At this point, the group had released one album on Warner Brothers, from which many of these songs were taken. The group was in the middle of recording its breakthrough Toulouse Street album, however none of those tracks - save for their cover of The Byrds classic "Jesus Is Just Alright" - are included on these recordings.
The band was still working out much of their material at this point, having just hired second drummer Michael Hossack. Regardless, high points abound throughout the recording. One particular gem from this show is a very early version of "Long Train Runnin'," a song that would remain unreleased until 1973's The Captain and Me two years later. Even in its early configuration, the song shows signs of the monster hit it would become. Two unknown songs are also included, as was material that never appeared on any albums.
This recording captures an older sounding version of The Doobie Brothers, nearly a decade before Steely Dan's Michael McDonald would join and give the band a more jazz pop/soul groove feel (along with an armful of Grammys). The band would go through a number of personnel changes, and even break up for four years while Patrick Simmons attempted a solo career. Only Simmons remained in every version of the Doobies, and although McDonald did rejoin for a few tours in the 1990s, the lineup of the band touring today is closer to the version heard here.