Tonight is going to be a whole lot of nostalgic fun! This very, very big crowd at the ICC in Sydney is ready to go sailing to Africa and that was absolutely terrible but just go with it. This is going to be an awesome night.
Christopher Cross is here for the first time since 2017 and he sounds good!! With his full band this is taking me to a place and I’m happy actually I’m ‘All Right’ if you get my drift. Oh man this is going to be great. Not only can this man sing, he can play the hell out of that strat, damn. With a “Good evening” we head straight into ‘Never Be the Same’ with so much sax that I’m transported to a better time. Rearranging ‘I Really Don’t Know Anymore’ a little they take it to new heights before ‘Dreamers’ which was awesome. Band introductions before a beautiful piano intro leading into ‘Sailing’ and the crowds reaction gave me, and I’m sure him chills. Oh damn. That was something. What a moment. ‘Think of Laura’ slows things down even more but then to a new one with ‘You’ and he’s still got it. Then back to the hits and we all know this one ‘Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)’ and that was great. Some amazing Sax work once again too! ‘The Light Is On’ keeps things smooth and then we go full 80’s with ‘No Time for Talk’ was awesome but here we go with a big one and to close it’s time to ‘Ride Like The Wind’ and wow. What a way to end that set. At 74 Christopher Cross has still got it, and more.
Toto. Here we gogo.
They hit the opening note of ‘Child’s Anthem’ and it is on. This is going to be a musical masterclass tonight. Straight into ‘Carmen’ and wow, big keys, big vocals, this is great. Steve shows, no, reminds us nice and early just how good he is. They are not mucking around toning, ‘Rosanna’ is next, song three? Wow. Everyone is up on their feet and vibing to this classic and the extended outro shows off some more musical prowess. What a song. Up next is ’99’ and this smooth jam has the keys doing their thing. Playing ‘Mindfields’ on this tour we get to hear it for the first time and hearing them all trade lead vocals is great. The drums ring in ‘I Will Remember’ with that driving almost tribal beat they once again smash it out of the park. ‘Pamela’ is a 38 year old song about heartbreak and with harmonies this good it just shows how no matter how many years it’s been, these guys have still got it.
Time for a keyboard solo from Greg that leads into ‘I Won’t Hold You Back’ and they all love this one as the cheer rings out. You know I love a big ballad and I’m sold. Going way back with ‘Angel Don’t Cry’ and things get rocked up again and this actually rules. Dennis steps away from the keys and to front of stage and his voice is massive. They just keep getting better. ‘Georgy Porgy’ takes things way way back and they have not dropped a note tonight. Our second keyboard solo of the evening, this time courtesy of Dennis Atlas and thus futuristic piece sets up ‘White Sister’ and these songs rock! That rockin’ outro once again just so ridiculously good. ‘I’ll Be Over You’ slows things down and I love this song so this will be awesome. The phones come out to light the place up and Luke slays!! Staying in the same era we get the catchy as all get up ‘Stop Loving You’ and that was as awesome as I wanted. 80’s Toto is untouchable and Joe sounds as good now as he did back then. Wow. Tight as all get up.
Drum solo time before ‘Don’t Chain My Heart’ which gives Luke free rein again to show us how good he is once again. Band introductions were amazing then as everyone is up on their feet ‘I’ll Supply the Love’ begins and we’re getting to the very pointy end of the set. That was sensational but then that drum beat hits and it’s time for ‘Hold the Line’ and the place is happy. What a song and it was played to perfection. There’s only one way this set could end and the place goes crazy when ‘Africa’ starts. Hearing every single person sing along to this song is the absolute best, this song has become Toto’s trademark if you like and you know it’s the one that people wanted to hear the most tonight.
Call it AOR, call it Yacht Rock, call it whatever you want, I’m just gonna call it absolutely awesome. Tonight was musicianship personified and a band like Toto just do it so effortlessly. Hey other bands, that’s how it’s done.
Essential Information
Venue: ICC– Sydney
Date: April 19, 2025
Presented by: TEG MJR
Set lists:
Toto
Child’s Anthem
Carmen
Rosanna
99
Mindfields
I Will Remember
Pamela
Keyboard Solo (Greg Phillinganes)
I Won’t Hold You Back
Angel Don’t Cry
Georgy Porgy
Keyboard Solo (Dennis Atlas)
White Sister
I’ll Be Over You
Stop Loving You
Drum Solo
Don’t Chain My Heart
I’ll Supply the Love
Hold the Line
Africa
Christoper Cross
All Right
Never Be the Same
I Really Don’t Know Anymore
Dreamers
Sailing
Think of Laura
You
Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)
The Light Is On
No Time for Talk
Ride Like the Wind
