McDonald Fete a Nostalgic Trip Back to ‘80s

Tribute concerts are often as much about a period of time as they are about any single artist. And Friday’s salute to Michael McDonald at the Shrine Auditorium honored a certain faded era as it toasted the singer-songwriter himself.

Observe some of the night’s big names: Kenny Loggins, Christopher Cross, members of Toto--all the corporate ‘80s “rock” that once dominated the airwaves, but now, appropriately, dominates your elevator and the dentist’s office.

Back in the ‘70s, McDonald brought new life to the Doobie Brothers with the soft if spirited likes of “Takin’ It to the Streets.” But Friday night’s concert was more about the stormy balladeer he became in later years, when he focused on R&B-flavored; pop.

Like Loggins, McDonald in his prime was a powerful and distinctive vocalist who was largely wasted on utterly forgettable material. At the Shrine, he led a program heavy on jazzy sentiment, hitting its nadir with a showy, syrupy pop reading of “West Side Story’s” “Maria.”

Boz Scaggs rose above that level for his silky turn at the Impressions’ “Gypsy Woman,” while the mere presence of Ray Charles added emotional weight to the show.

The Doobie Brothers reunion brought some much-needed rock energy to the night, which was a benefit for a variety of music education programs. Even that energy did little to diminish the concert’s tired whiff of nostalgia for a musical period easily left forgotten.