Following the release of their sixteenth studio album, Walk This Road, seminal American rockers The Doobie Brothers embarked on a North American amphitheater tour of the same name, bringing together members Tom Johnston, John McFee, Pat Simmons, and Michael McDonald. Cohesion was the chosen audio system for all 25 memorable tour dates.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers span eras with multiple singers taking lead across their vast discography, and longtime fans are keenly aware of the details in each hit song. Audiences expected rich, intelligible vocals from the dynamic set, with plenty of power behind the guitars and keys as well. The amphitheater tour required that the PA have flexibility in rigging a variety of venues, full coverage no matter the geometry, and a minimized truck pack to ease production needs on this North American tour.
Clair Global deployed a PA that featured CO12 main hangs and side hangs, with CP218 subwoofers both flown and vertical on the ground (all in cardioid configuration) to provide ample coverage and output. A half-dozen self-powered CP6+ fill speakers ably covered the front seating sections, which included VIPs and diehards eager to rock the night away. New amplification technology powered this PA, and novel aerial amplifier racks improved tonality and efficiency. Legendary vocalist McDonald had a unique rig that included two CM22 wedges and two CF24 fills on stands, the latter for monitoring keyboard, organ, and mandolin.
Fans flocked to “Walk This Road,” which featured new material from their latest release, the first in forty years to reunite McDonald with the other principal members, as well as classics like “China Grove” and “Listen to the Music” that catapulted the Doobie Brothers to international success. The rich, full sound reached all sections of the audience, and yet this “small, but mighty PA” (per FOH Engineer/SE Andrew Black could fit into a single truck. Its lightweight nature was a boon for techs and stagehands to rig the system efficiently.
“I’ve found a good marriage with Cohesion. It’s incredibly friendly to production, and sonically, it’s my cabinet of choice. The system is smooth in the high-mids and highs, and the low end is tight.”
