Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors

Just What the “Doctors” Ordered In 2001, Tim McGraw broke from Nashville tradition and recorded an album with his longtime touring band, the Dancehall Doctors. The result, 2002’s Tim McGraw & the Dancehall Doctors, was the loosest and most refreshing record of his career. Freed from playing with a roster of studio musicians, McGraw and the band gave the album the kind of crackling energy that can only be produced by seasoned pros with more than a decade together under their belts. That same energy was transferred to the stage of the Continental Airlines Arena at the Meadowlands this past Wednesday. Forgoing an opening act, McGraw and the Doctors blazed through a two-and-a-half hour set riddled with their hits, as well as a few unexpected turns in the road. The show began at approximately 8:20, by which point the crowd had reached a boiling point. As the stage lights flickered, revealing the band members one by one, the cheers began to grow in intensity, until McGraw himself took the mic to the opening snare drum cadence of “Comfort Me”, the leadoff track from the new record. By this point, the fans were primed and ready to hear some full-tilt country music, and McGraw did not disappoint. As the song’s chorus kicked in, punctuated by Dean Brown’s Celtic-tinged fiddling, it became clear why McGraw opted to record with this band after ten years. They’re the best backing band any superstar could ask for. Having logged nearly 15 years on the road with McGraw, the Dancehall Doctors played with the precision and interaction that only comes with experience. Additionally, they kept the feeling loose and free, cracking jokes with the audience and each other, and opening up the songs for improvisation here and there. Those expecting just to see Tim McGraw and his backup band were in for a surprise. This was Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors, and the set was all the better for it. Throughout the night, McGraw pulled out many old favorites, including “Where the Green Grass Grows”, “For A Little While”, and “Down on the Farm.” Much of the material was devoted to the last two records, Dancehall Doctors and 2001’s Set This Circus Down, but the band also made room for a few unexpected numbers, reaching back eight years for “All I Want is a Life” and tossing in covers of Dr. Hook’s “Sharing the Night Together” and The Commodores’ laid-back classic “Easy”. These last two numbers were part of an acoustic set which began with McGraw’s solo rendition of Bruce Robison’s “Angry All the Time” from Set This Circus Down. Keyboardist Jeff McMahon and guitarist Bob Minner then joined him for a stripped-down interpretation of “Don’t Take the Girl”, a McGraw chestnut from 1994. As well-received as the mellower set was, the band’s true might was shown in such roof-raising crowd pleasers as “Things Change” and “Indian Outlaw”, McGraw’s first single, expanded here to give the band a little room to jam. Although the show was held in a massive venue, McGraw and the band kept the vibe loose and intimate, aided by a catwalk that stretched out into the floor section. Time and again, McGraw made a point of shaking outstretched hands, accepting flowers and pausing to sign autographs. He also spent ample time sitting on the edge of the stage, chatting with the crowd as if he and the band were performing in a 100-seat honky-tonk instead of a 20,000-seat arena. The Doctors, too, gave the crowd due attention, strolling from one end of the stage to the other to play to various sections. At one point, McGraw walked over to one area that had a somewhat limited view of the stage. Taking the time to banter with the audience there and shake a few hands, he said, “I bet you thought you were going to have bad seats, didn’t you?” After closing the set with a thundering version of “The Cowboy in Me”, the band returned for a four-song encore kicked off by Steve Miller’s “The Joker”. In the hands of the Dancehall Doctors, the song was given a down-and-dirty country groove that made it feel like an original, as opposed to a 30-year-old cover. They followed it up in rapid succession with “Unbroken”, “I Like It, I Love It”, and another Dancehall Doctors track, “Sing Me Home”. As the song ended, the lights rose and people began filing out of the arena. However, McGraw and the band weren’t done. After a video montage of McGraw at home with his family, including wife Faith Hill, the opening piano chords of Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” cascaded over the crowd. As McGraw’s voice belted out the first verse, all eyes turned to the stage, only to find that he was now sitting atop a riser in the center of the audience. Strolling to the stage in a sea of outstretched hands, he and the band brought the song to a rousing finish that was nearly drowned in the roar of applause. After McGraw left the stage, the band hung around to graciously sign autographs and chat with audience members, further reinforcing the personal tone of the evening. Tim McGraw has long been one of country’s top names. By joining forces with his old friends in the recording studio, he successfully reinvented himself and his sound. Those who know his music best assert this is the best he’s sounded in ages. As true as that may be, and judging by Wednesday’s show, if McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors continue to record and tour together, the best will only continue to get better.