The Doors, at the Orpheum, Boston, last night.

The Doors fans who packed the Orpheum last night for the group's first local show in over 30 years likely saw a very rare gig because this reunion just doesn't have the scent of a long-term project.

It's not that the concert was a sham, even though it had its creepy, necrophiliac moments. On a purely musical level, it was as good as any diehard Doors fan could have hoped for.

But this version of the Doors - which includes original members Ray Manzarek (keyboards) and Robbie Krieger (guitars) along with former Cult singer Ian Astbury on lead vocals - has become extremely popular with lawyers.

Original drummer John Densmore has taken legal action to stop the band. Former Police drummer Stewart Copeland, who replaced Densmore and then was replaced by Ty Dennis, is suing for breach of contract. Wednesday, the estate of the late Jim Morrison, the group's first singer, filed suit.

If Manzarek and Krieger thought '60s rock was an adventure, they're learning rock in the new millennium is a full contact sport.

Still, the group dished out 20 songs last night in a show that ran over two hours. The mix included most classic Doors cuts, a new tune, a few lesser known Doors ditties, and a '60s-style light show.

Astbury, faced with the tough task of replacing a legend, met the challenge head-on. He took to the stage in sunglasses, jeans, a leather jacket and a Morrison haircut. If Morrison's mother stood at the back of the Orpheum last night, even she would have wondered what was going on.

Though Astbury hardly conveys the same danger and intrigue that were Morrison's constant buddies, he has a similar dusky baritone and strong stage presence.

Manzarek and Krieger remain talented and unique musicians; no one sounds like them. The three, supported by Dennis and bassist Angelo Barbera, roared through Doors songs such as ``Break on Through,'' ``L.A. Woman,'' ``Light My Fire,'' and a romping ``Soul Kitchen'' finale.

The crowd was in a state of rapture from the start, and a good slice were obviously Doors fans after the fact. There were even a few teens in the house.

A half hour and three songs into the night, Manzarek introduced Astbury, and the place went nuts, a litmus test passed.

But Astbury's ``Jim-alike'' look added a heady dose of weird to the night. Still, the surviving Doors must have realized months ago something on display last night: Morrison has been gone so long that most fans never saw him or hardly remember him. It's the sound they want.