Customer Reviews

Farewell Tour

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's good that this album is finally available on CD in the US. From what I've seen this album has been slammed by critics and treated as almost a non-entity in the Doobie catalog.

That's just unfair, because this is a GREAT live album. Every Doobie fan (except maybe those who are Johnston-era only fans) needs to have this. This is everything a live album should be. Many live albums have versions of songs that are just carbon copies of the originals, adding nothing to them and sometimes even subtracting from them. But you won't hear that kind of thing here. Many tracks on this album add new twists to the originals, and some (Steamer Lane Breakdown, You Belong To Me) are actually more definitive versions of the songs.

Of course this is a historically important collection as well, in more ways than one. There are two Doobies originals that were first heard here (including "Olana," which later appeared in studio form on the box set, but the definitive version is on this album). There is the lead vocal debut of (the late) Keith Knudsen, on "Don't Start Me Talkin'" (sounding a lot like Pat Simmons and a lot UNlike Keith's vocals on SIBLING RIVALRY).

The second Doobies live album, WILDLIFE CONCERT, repeats most of the songs that were on this album. With only a couple exceptions, it is the FAREWELL TOUR versions, not the WILDLIFE CONCERT ones, that I listen to.

If you're a McDonald-era or "all-eras" Doobies fan, GET THIS!

I've been waiting for years for this to be released on CD. Sound quality could be better (not much bottom), but the performances are spot on. In particular, the version here of Long Train Runnin' is extraordinary (although the 5 minutes of applause at the end could have been trimmed).

I Bought the Vinyl and Cassette in 1983, Sometime later paid high dollars for the Japenese CD edition. Now all of these years later it finally makes a US CD debut, but no Bonus tracks. What a disgrace. Alot of critics or fellow DB's fans have put this album in the back of there closets. Some would say overly produced or what ever there reasons are.

My opinion is the cuts that were chosen from the live shows for this album where not the best ones. The actual shows were 2 + HR's, now I understand you could only put so many songs on vinyl. But if you saw any of the video brodcast HBO and A&E 60 min and 74 mins you would've seen better live versions that should've ended up on this set. Also songs like "Here To Love You, Take Me In Your Arms, It Keeps You Runnin, Real Love, Keep This Train Rollin. The long jam version of Listen To The music from the Berkley show with all members on stage and many others that could've made this a 2 CD set. Or at the very least add 2 or three extra songs.

It seems as though the DB's have not gotten the respect that many other bands from the 1970's have gotten, interms of RE:issues of there origonal albums IE remastering or bonus tracks,demos and Unissued songs from that session. Minus the box set Disc 4, there is really not alot available on the DB's. And to think Blondie is in the Rock-N-Roll Hall Of Fame and no DB's as of yet HMMM. Anyway, I think this is a good live album, great arangements of the songs live, yes lacking vol levels or a better remastering and extra songs. A good live album by quality artist, atleast Rhino put out and maybe they will put a full 2 HR+ dvd out sometime down the road, from this Tour, the DB's deserve it...You know the WB vaults are full of rare live/studio stuff -Mike Sippie

The Doobies' Farewell Tour CD (from 1983) is an terrific live album that contains many fan favorites from their catalog of hits - it's just not long enough! As mentioned in an earlier review, there's enough material for a double CD, but Warner Bros. decided to limit the concert to a single disk. Too bad! Consequently, some of the cuts are a little shorter than I would like ("China Grove" and "Don't Start Me Talkin'", in particular), but this deficit is made up for by extended cuts of "Long Train Runnin'", "Jesus is Just Alright", and a great lengthened version of "Steamer Lane Breakdown".

On the positive, though, the band is in fine form with Michael McDonald and Pat Simmons doing most of the vocals, the talented John McFee on his array of stringed instruments, Keith Knudsen on drums, Bobby LaKind on the congas, and Cornelius Bumpus on the sax, synth., & organ, plus a cameo by Tommy Johnson on "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove". The renditions of their songs have all been updated without losing the appeal of the original versions. (Much like later their later live CD's "Rockin' Down the Highway - The Wildlife Concert" and "Live at Wolf Trap" - both outstanding, by the way!)

I found the going tough when I tried to find this CD and would suggest getting it quick if you want a copy. For years, it was just in available in Japan, but is now making it's way to the states. The price is becoming somewhat inflated over the past few months, though, so "buyer beware"!

For Doobie "complete-ists", like myself, you'll want to search until you can find "Farewell Tour", for fans those who want something similar to this CD, but easier to find, you'll be just as happy with either (or both) of the two aforementioned live albums.

Keep on rockin'!

I remember this double-LP Doobies 'Farewell' (have they ever really gone of the music industry to put this title?) was issued as a double-CD in Europe back in the 90s. However the price was so high I couldn't pay for it...

.. Then I had to wait until last year to get it.

As usual, the Doobies giving the best in a very good live performance on most of their greatest hits, including a 'Michael-McDonald-ized' version of one of their best, 'Listen To The Music'.

However, it seems that WEA people just got the original double LP art on a copier, hit 'REDUCE'... And got the cover for this CD issue. You have certainly eagle or falcon eyes if you can read the fine print on it...

The Farewell Tour of the Doobies has decent sound quality and the mix of music is also good with the biggest songs of the group well represented. It would have been nice if players like Tiran Porter, Jeff Baxter, or John Hartman could have participated. Thank God they regrouped a few years later and came back strong with the Cycles album...

When I saw that they re-released this album I was on point to nab this thinking it was the A&E version cause I watch the video at any given moment. So I can have it to play in my car or load on my ipod but I was
wrong...They should have taken it from the video concert, Where's Rockin down the highway, Something's got ahold on me, Take me in your arms, even the Corneilus Bumpers singing of Long Train Commin is way better than Tom Johnston. then they added songs I didn't care for except for echoes but the playlist should have come from the video. Warner and the Doobies drop the "DOOBIE" on this one..Very Disappointed.

This album, from the summer of 1983, has never been on CD in the USA until now. The packaging reproduces all the original photos and the audio mastering seems to be the same that was issued on the Japanese CD several years ago. It sounds just fine. The original album was pretty heavily sweetened and overdubbed in the studio, but features great new arrangements of Takin It To The Streets and Listen To The Music (with a great vocal by Michael McDonald) and others, the live hit single version of You Belong To Me (which appears on CD in the US for the first time), and the new songs Olana and Can't Let It Get Away. A must for Doobies fans. Limited Edition / only available for 6 months, according to Rhino.

This was a solid LP of an under rated version of the Doodies. excellent performances by"new' guys John McFee and Cornelious Bumpus. Great songs and Patrick Simmons holding it all together. A must have for the true Doobie fan.

I'm buying this cd for 2 songs really, You Belong To Me and Slack Key Soquel Rag. I really enjoyed those versions when I saw them in Atlanta on the farewell tour. One of my all-time favorite bands! I like them better touring post-Michael McDonald. I enjoyed his stay with the Doobies but it didn't translate as well on the stage.