Warner Vineyards in Paw Paw, MI (a bit west of Kalamazoo) had another rocking summer with excellent tribute shows and national touring acts alike. In addition to tributes to The Beach Boys, Van Halen, Tom Petty, and others, an excellent salute to The Doors, the legendary psychedelic pop band from the late '60s and early '70s, graced the stage in late July.
Unlike many tribute acts, who present the material of a certain artist with band members in their own clothes, displaying their own personalities, The Ultimate Doors, a four-piece touring tribute band, performed in character, with each member playing the part of one of the legendary members of the original group. This included costumes and hairstyling that would have been seen at a Doors concert 55 years ago or so, and stage banter quoted directly from official live and bootleg recordings of various Doors' performances. Even the instruments, amplifiers, and additional props on stage (such as vintage Coke cans and paper cups of the era) added a theatrical authenticity that made the show far more interesting than seeing a group of musicians simply playing the songs. Considering The Doors' own theatrical style, and especially the performances of front man Jim Morrison, this all added a layer of engagement that heightened the experience.
Rather than restaging one particular Doors show from their all-too-short history, The Ultimate Doors created a composite show that included bits from each of the group's six classic albums, with most visual references and quoted ad libs coming from 1968-1970 performances that were thankfully filmed or at least professionally recorded and later released by the band.
After an entertaining opening set from The Rupple Brothers, The Ultimate Doors took the stage to a slightly sparse crowd that filled in as the show got up and running. It was wise to include a blend of hits, fan favorites, and a few deep cuts to keep the attention of everyone in the audience, regardless of their level of fandom. The leather pants clad singer performing the role of Jim Morrison clearly studied his mannerisms and moved about the stage and even into the front of the crowd at one point in a way the evoked the motions of the late rock legend. He even stopped to pose for photos with some camera-ready concertgoers holding his body and making funny faces that matched famous photos of Morrison. The organist in the position of Ray Manzarek likewise had his posture at the keyboards down pat, and his swinging blond hair and glasses made him completely disappear into the role. While the band's drummer and guitarist didn't necessarily look as much like John Densmore and Robbie Kreiger respectively, their execution on each instrument directly replicated the sound and style of the original players nearly perfectly, down to fills and accents that would have been ad-libs during original Doors' performances but which have now become almost as recognized as the songs themselves in some case.
The show itself was excellent! Things started with the medley of Alabama Song, Back Door Man, and Five to One that was made famous in large part due to its inclusion in The Doors' famous Hollywood Bowl concert in July of 1968 and was featured regularly for over a year afterward. The group followed with four popular songs from the band's earlier days, including "Love Me Two Times," "Strange Days," and the hit "Hello, I Love You." While the performances were accurate and precise, they also didn't drone or drag on beyond the lengths of their recorded versions, unlike many of The Doors' actual concerts, for better or worse. This choice made the show more approachable to the average patron but arguably is an authentic element that was really the only thing missing from the tribute.
The second half of the concert continued to feature songs from the first three Doors albums (including a showstopping "When the Music's Over") but worked in later-era tracks like "Touch Me," in its raw form, without horns, "Peace Frog," "Roadhouse Blues," and "Riders on the Storm," the only songs from the second half of Morrison's tenure to be featured (and nothing from The Doors' final two albums fronted by Manzerik were referenced). The decision to include these tracks along with those from the band's first three albums added another layer of creativity to the set list since The Doors rotated older songs out of the set as the progressed forward, so a concert that put a spotlight on each of their six albums (with Morrison) never actually happened, especially regarding tracks from 1971's L.A. Woman, from which only one song was featured in the tribute show.
A crowd-pleasing rendition of the group's most famous song, "Light My Fire" was followed by a brief tease of the beginning of the avant garde song/poem, "The Celebration of the Lizard" before quickly switching to a full-length rendition of the band's most haunting track, "The End," which concluded the main set. An enthusiastic response from the audience brought the band back to the stage for a one-song encore of "Soul Kitchen," also commonly featured as an encore by the actual band, before taking their final bow of the night.
Given the quality of the performance, one question is whether the band ever rotates other songs into the set, as they would probably sound as good and as authentic as the ones that were featured in Paw Paw. Overall, The Ultimate Doors is a must-see for any die-hard Doors fan, and even casual fans who may only know the greatest hits would be likely to have a great time. Don't miss a chance to catch them if they pass through your area!
The Ultimate Doors (7/23/26) set list:
The Movie (intro tape)
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Alabama Song
Back Door Man
Five to One
Love Me Two Times
The WASP
Hello, I Love You
People Are Strange
Touch Me
Crystal Ship
Peace Frog
When the Music's Over
Roadhouse Blues
Riders on the Storm
Light My Fire/Graveyard Poem
Celebration of the Lizard (intro tease)
The End
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Soul Kitchen
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