Concert Review ~ This Christmas – An Evening of Holiday and Hits: Michael McDonald at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis
A few years ago I asked Michael Card who he enjoyed listening to and appreciated. He mentioned Ashley Cleveland (who I have seen in concert several times) and Michael McDonald. We finally got to see McDonald last week in St. Louis. The 63 year-old McDonald and his band kicked off their tour on Saturday, November 28 at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis.
We made a day of it in St. Louis, starting with lunch at Pappy’s Smokehouse, the best BBQ on earth, enjoying a concrete at Ted Drewe’s Frozen Custard, and staying at a new favorite hotel, the Hotel Ignacio, a short walk from the Fox. As we enjoyed a pre-concert dinner at the City Diner, just steps from the Fox, we watched the crowd heading to the Fox, most in their 60’s, or older. We had great seats for the show. Some in our section were quite dressed up, much different than most concerts we attend.
Being the first show on the tour, the transition between songs early was a little clunky for the band, prompting McDonald to welcome the crowd to their dress rehearsal. Other than the occasional green or red lighting, there was nothing on the stage (no Christmas trees, etc.) that would tell you it was a Christmas show.
McDonald has an excellent band, with Bernie Chiaravalle on guitar, Pat Coil on keyboards, Mark Douthit on sax/keyboards, Dan Needham on drums, Drea Rhenee on vocals (she directed the Praise Ensemble of the First Baptist Church of Chesterfield which joined the band on a few songs). About her he said that she “takes the edge off the middle-aged ugliness onstage”. The newest member of the band was a bassist (didn’t get his name) who has replaced Tommy Sims in the band. McDonald himself played several instruments (keyboards, mandolin, etc.)
McDonald’s rich voice is still an incredible instrument. He is passionate about his music, and although he spoke at times to the hometown crowd (he was born in nearby Ferguson, Missouri) for the most part he let his music do the talking for him.
He split the concert between Christmas music (standards with new arrangements and originals) and his Doobie Brothers and solo hits. As a result, the concert didn’t necessarily build excitement enough to get the crowd on their feet until the set closing “What a Fool Believes”. In addition, the set list had a more serious tone, perhaps reflecting the events that took place in Ferguson in 2014 and more recent events such as the Paris and Planned Parenthood in Colorado attacks. Before playing his classic “Peace”, he mentioned that it was written for In the Spirit: A Christmas Album, but added it to his regular set list after the events of 9-11. It is one of my favorite of his songs:
I have come from so far away
Down the road of my own mistakes
In the hope you could hear me pray
Oh lord, keep me in your reach
How I’ve longed through these wasted years
To outrun all the pain and fear
Turned to stone from my uncried tears
And now it’s your grace I seek
Love won’t compromise
It’s a gift, it’s a sacrifice
My soul renewed, and my heart released
In you I’ll find my peace
Wondrous child of whom the angels sing
Know my joy, feel my suffering
Shining star make this love you bring
So bright that I may believe
That my way will not be lost
From now on, ’til that river’s crossed
My soul renewed, and my spirit free
In you I’ll find my peace
He also included some other unexpected songs – Tommy Sims’ “Change the World” and the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song “What the World Needs Now” and “Love is the Answer”.
The four song encore began with “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, with McDonald saying that the song reminded him of Christmases growing up and also all of the people he loved who are no longer with him. The one hour and forty-five minute concert ended with a rousing “Takin’ it to the Streets”, which sent the happy crowd out onto Grand Avenue.
Christmas songs performed:
- To Make a Miracle
- Children Go Where I Send You
- Everytime Christmas Comes Around
- Peace
- White Christmas/Winter Wonderland
- Wexford Carol
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- O Holy Night (Drea Rhenee on vocals)
- Christmas in the Bayou
Other songs performed:
- Here to Love You
- I Keep Forgettin’
- What a Fool Believes
- Takin’ it to the Streets
- Sweet Freedom
- Minute by Minute
- Love is the Answer
- Change the World
- What the World Needs Now
Music News:
- No Love. New music from Andy Mineo, as he guests on this song by Fern of Social Club.
- Adore. Watch this video of “Adore”, the title songs from Chris Tomlin’s new Christmas album.
- Someday at Christmas. See Stevie Wonder and Andra Day sing Wonder’s classic Christmas song in this Apple ad.
- Hymns of Grace. The Master’s Seminary, in conjunction with Grace Community Church, recently announced the publication of a new hymnal: Hymns of Grace. The new hymnal combines the most beloved hymns of church history with profound songs that are being written in the church today.
- Keith Getty Isn’t Sick of Singing the Same Christmas Songs. Ivan Mesa talks to Keith Getty about how churches should prepare for Christmas, why suffering should be a theme this season, losing the “Christmas spirit,” and more.”
- Mockingbird Duet. Stephen Colbert, who dueted with Carly Simon’s ex-husband James Taylor recently, duets with Simon on the song “Mockingbird” that Simon and Tayler had a hit with.
- The Boss Back on the Road. Bruce Springsteen hits the road for a nine-week The River Tour, which will kick off in Pittsburgh on January 16 after a December 19 performance on Saturday Night Live. Each night’s set will be recorded and released as digital downloads and CDs, available for download and purchase several days after each show. The River Tour supports Springsteen’s new archival release, The Ties That Bind: The River Collection (Read Rolling Stone’s review here), which revisits his classic 1980 album The River. The River is my favorite Springsteen album and we saw two shows on the original The River Tour, classic shows that approached four hours in length.
- Rolling Stones’ 50 Best Albums of 2015. The list includes a lot of albums I’m not familiar with, but it also includes some of my favorites this year by Bob Dylan, Don Henley and James Taylor.
- Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues. See this new video for Bob Dylan’s song “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” from The Best Of The Cutting Edge 1965 – 1966: The Bootleg Series Vol. 12.
This week we continue our countdown to our annual “My Favorites” listing with our #3 song of the year, “Feel It” by Toby Mac. Watch the fun video here.
Funktify
C’mon
’bout to do it like this
’bout to do it like this
1-2-3-4
When I sit back and imagine
Life without you, I can’t fathom
How I ever thought I’d make it on my own
And there’s at least a million reasons
I’m still standing here believin’
You’re my comfort, you’re my healin’
This I know (this I know)
Well, you can’t see the wind, but it moves the leaves
From the bottom to the top of the tallest trees
You are everything I will ever need
And they can’t take that from me
Oh, I feel it in my heart
I feel it in my soul
That’s how I know
You take our brokenness and make us beautiful
Yeah, that’s how I know (can’t take that from me)
Love came crashin’ in
Never gonna be the same again
Yeah, You came crashing in
You wrecked me, You wrecked me
Everybody talkin’ like they need some proof
But what more do I need than to feel you
Everybody talkin’ like they need some proof
But what more do I need than to feel you
When I sit back and imagine
Life without you, I can’t fathom
How I ever thought I’d make it on my own
And there’s at least a million reasons
I’m still standing here believin’
You’re my comfort, you’re my healin’
This I know (this I know)
Well, you can’t see the wind, but it moves the leaves
From the bottom to the top of the tallest trees
You are everything I will ever need
And they can’t take that from me
Oh, I feel it in my heart
I feel it in my soul
That’s how I know
You take our brokenness and make us beautiful
Yeah, that’s how I know (can’t take that from me)
Love came crashin’ in
Never gonna be the same again
Yeah, you came crashing in
You wrecked me, you wrecked me
That’s how I know
That’s how I know
That’s how I know
That’s how I know
Oh, I feel it in my heart
I feel it in my soul
That’s how I know
You take our brokenness and make us beautiful
Yeah, that’s how I know (can’t take that from me)
Everybody talkin’ like they need some proof
But what more do I need than to feel you
Everybody talkin’ like they need some proof
But what more do I need than to feel you
