Santana and The Doobie Brothers
July 8, 2026
Charlotte, NC
Truliant Amphitheater
Review by Joseph Hett

Santana and The Doobie Brothers Deliver a Night of Timeless Music in Charlotte

It was a sweltering Wednesday evening at Charlotte’s Truliant Amphitheater as the Oneness Tour brought together two iconic bands, Santana and The Doobie Brothers. Despite the intense heat, the chance to see these legendary artists perform live made the evening well worth it.

The Doobie Brothers took the stage facing the setting sun. Shielded by sunglasses, they presented a no-frills, precision rock show. They began with “Rockin’ Down the Highway,” “Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)” and “Dependin’ on You.”

The touring lineup features the core four-piece of Tom Johnston (vocals/guitar), Patrick Simmons (vocals/guitar), Michael McDonald (vocals/keyboard) and John McFee (guitar). They were supported by touring musicians John Cowan (bass), Marc Russo (saxophone), Ed Toth (drums) and Marc Quiñones (percussion).

Fan-favorite McDonald got to perform his solo hit, “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near).” It’s refreshing to have McDonald back in the band, allowing the group to faithfully perform songs from his era with The Doobie Brothers. McDonald’s silky-smooth blue-eyed soul vocals captivated the fans during “It Keeps You Runnin’,” “Minute by Minute” and “What a Fool Believes.”

Johnston said it was time to get back to rock and roll before launching into “Without You” and then immediately into “Jesus Is Just Alright.” They continued with an extended version of “Long Train Runnin’,” which included a saxophone and percussion jam.

The acoustic guitar handed to Simmons signified that it was time for the swampy “Black Water.” Simmons changed the “Mississippi moon” lyric to “Carolina moon” to the crowd’s delight.

Santana’s vocalists Ray Greene and Andy Vargas came out to provide guest vocals on “Takin’ It to the Streets.” Russo once again had an extended saxophone solo. The beloved “Listen to the Music,” which included a crowd singalong, closed out the set.

With the sun fully out of sight, it was time for Carlos Santana and his stellar band to light up the stage with their immense talent. The Afro-Latin-blues-rock pioneer quickly had the entire audience on its feet and dancing.

Joining Santana was Ray Greene (vocals), Andy Vargas (vocals), Cindy Blackman Santana (drums), Benny Rietveld (bass), Tommy Anthony (guitar/vocals), David K. Mathews (keyboards), Karl Perazzo (percussion) and Paoli Mejías (percussion).

The iconic video from the Woodstock concert film played as Santana gingerly walked out to begin “Soul Sacrifice.” Santana soon took a seat and would mostly stay there throughout the night. It was almost as if Santana’s ever-present piece of gum gave him supernatural guitar-playing abilities—pun intended.

They went on a run of timeless tunes with “Jingo,” “Evil Ways” and “Oye Cómo Va,” which included an “I Feel the Earth Move” snippet. After “Everybody’s Everything,” Rietveld performed a killer bass solo that included a little bit of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man.”

Santana welcomed everybody and thanked The Doobie Brothers and explained the meaning behind the name of the Oneness Tour. He then launched into the jazzy instrumental “Europa (Earth’s Cry, Heaven’s Smile).”

The band also took a moment to celebrate Brian, who handles the onstage sound mixing, by performing “Happy Birthday to You” in his honor. Brian was then presented with a bouquet of flowers as the crowd joined in the celebration.

The Doobie Brothers joined Santana for “Roadhouse Blues,” “She’s Not There” and a guitar-slinging instrumental blues jam.

Anthony got to sing lead on “Put Your Lights On.” The amphitheater soon lit up with cell phone lights. They closed out the set with “Corazón Espinado,” “Maria Maria” and “Foo Foo.”

Back for the encore, Santana gave a speech about validation, grace and cherishing yourself. They then segued into “Toussaint L’Ouverture,” which contained an excerpt of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Cindy Blackman Santana, Carlos Santana’s wife, performed a rousing drum solo. They ended the night with the chart-topping “Smooth.”

Santana and The Doobie Brothers delivered a night of enduring music that has served as the soundtrack to countless lives. From Santana’s soulful guitar work to The Doobie Brothers’ timeless hits, the Oneness Tour celebrated songs that have transcended generations and will undoubtedly continue to do so for years to come.