Toto, one of the greatest bands to emerge in the late 70’s in Los Angeles, CA, played the Hollywood Bowl for the first time with another icon Christopher Cross. Cross had played the Bowl along with Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald in 2018. Cross now 73 sounds as great as ever. When Cross released his debut album in 1979 it was a mystery who he was as the album cover was artwork of a flamingo and no photos of him. That album cover was the backdrop for the show. That album won five Grammys and “Sailing” went to number one. Cross had another number one with “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” from the film Arthur released in 1981. Cross played a 45-minute set including both his number ones “All Right,” and “Ride Like the Wind.”
Toto formed in 1977 with some of L.A.’s finest studio musicians guitarist Steve Lukather, bassist David Hungate, keyboardists David Paich and Steve Porcaro, drummer Jeff Porcaro, and frontman Bobby Kimball. Vocal duties were split between Lukather, Paich, and Kimball with each singing on different hits. Members of Toto recorded with Michael Jackson, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs, and countless others. This lineup released four albums together and the last was the 4x Platinum and 6x Grammy Winning Toto IV with the hits “I Won’t Hold You Back,” “Rosanna” and “Africa.” Mike Porcaro became the bassist and in 1986 legendary composer John Williams’ son Joseph became the lead vocalist. This lineup would release two albums together, however Steve Porcaro had become a session musician with the group after “Fahrenheit.” Williams departed the group in 1988 and wouldn’t return until 2010 after the group reformed after a hiatus to raise money for Mike Porcaro who had been battling ALS since retiring from the group in 2007 until his passing in 2015.
Since Williams rejoined, the group released another two albums with one being Toto XIV of all new music and Old is New including unreleased songs and the final recordings to have both Jeff and Mike Porcaro. Over the past decade Toto toured with McDonald, Yes, Pat Benatar and most recently Journey. The group disbanded a second time in 2019 and reformed with a new lineup during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Paich had retired from touring a second time in 2019, but still remains a member and makes occasional appearances. Prince keyboardist Dominique ‘Xavier’ Taplin had joined the group filling in for Paich and becoming his replacement. Snarky Puppy drummer Robert ‘Sput’ Searight, Huey Lewis and the News bassist since 1995 John Pierce, and keyboardist Steve Maggiora had joined the reformed Toto taking over from Steve Porcaro with Lukather and Williams in 2020. Saxophonist/percussionist/vocalist Warren Ham was a touring member back when Williams first joined the group and rejoined in 2017. Ham and Lukather are both members of Ringo Starr’s All Starr B and as well.
Earlier this year Searight and Taplin left to focus on their group Ghost Note and Maggiora would depart prior to this tour. One of Nashville’s top drummers Shannon Forrest was Toto’s drummer 2014-2019 and legendary keyboardist Greg Phillinganes who was Paich’s replacement in 2007 and also had filled in for Taplin in 2022 rejoined the group this year. Through a referral from former Guns N’ Roses guitarist, 26 year old Dennis Atlas joined the group on keys as well.
Toto’s explosive set opened with “Girl Goodbye” which was the first song of side two of their debut album followed by one of their biggest hits “Hold the Line” from the same album. Next up was “99” from their second album Hydra and usually Lukather makes a joke about this song and this time he stated Paich wrote it and they’ve since forgotten the meaning. This was the first song of the night Lukather sang lead on as he originally did as well. The meaning was actually a tribute to George Lucas’s first film. “Pamela” written by Williams and Paich came next from the album The Seventh One and was one Williams had originally sang lead on. Williams introduced the song as “a girl I used to date in the 80’s took my heart and … and to get over it we sing this song every day.” Lukather would take lead vocals for a second time with “I’ll Be Over You” from Fahrenheit. “Jake to the Bone” the only instrumental song in the set came next which was on Kingdom of Desire the last album Jeff Porcaro played on before his passing in 1992 and was also the first of Toto as a four piece lineup. Toto performed another song off their first album “Georgy Porgy” which originally had the chorus sung by the great Cheryl Lynn as well as “I’ll Supply the Love” from their debut album.
Before the next song which is one Toto has played over the years, Lukather could be seen with a white Fender Stratocaster and he explained it’s not a guitar you normally see him use and it was his friend Jeff Beck’s guitar which Beck’s widow loaned for him to play as well as other guitarists like Billy Gibbons and John Mayer. Unless acoustic, Lukather plays his signature Ernie Ball Luke model guitars. Beck performed at the Hollywood Bowl in 2016 for a once in a lifetime concert celebrating his 50th anniversary in music and again in 2019 for a very special reunion with the original Jeff Beck Group singer Rod Stewart. The song performed was Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing.” Hendrix played the bowl along with The Mamas & Papas in 1967.
Next up came the band introductions by Lukather and for Phillinganes who Lukather has done countless sessions with they played the beginning of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” as they were both on that song and others from Thriller and Michael McDonald’s “I Keep Forgettin’.” Atlas was introduced as the band needing a keyboardist quickly and through Bumblefoot he got the job and having just one rehearsal with the band before touring and a little bit of “Superman’s Theme” by John Williams was performed. Williams conducts the orchestra for his compositions at the Bowl annually for three shows but had to miss this year due to doctor’s orders for recovering from an illness.
Lukather introduced Ham as the “Swiss Army knife of the band” as he plays woodwinds, harmonica, and percussion. Lukather introduced Pierce as they literally grew up together living on the same block and their moms being pregnant at the same time and playing since they were kids followed by a bit of Huey Lewis and the News’ “Power of Love” from Back to the Future. Forrest was introduced as “one of the most recorded drummers in the world and played on all those Taylor Swift hits.” Next up was Williams whose 64th birthday was that day. Lukather said “This is one of the most talented human beings, one of my besties of all time of writer, producer, engineer, songwriter, my right arm, my left arm, my shoulder to cry on, one of the greats and singing his a** for you, but there’s something you don’t know about him. He was a young session singer too when we were all kids and about 30 some odd years ago he was the voice of the soundtrack and the movie and you can Google this… of this song.”
Williams began singing “Hakuna Matata” from the Lion King as he was the singing voice of adult Simba followed by a little bit of the Beatles “When I’m 64.” 30th anniversary of the Lion King and the Hollywood Bowl held a special event over two nights for a Disney+ special. Williams introduced Steve Lukather as having (science has confirmed he has 87% alien DNA as you can clearly see.., but in all seriousness he is my brother from another mother, my bestest friend, playing his a** for you singing his a** for you, give up for Mr. Steve Lukather.”
Which led into the chorus of Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing.” There was one more introduction left for someone not seen on stage. Lukather introduced this legend as “We have a special surprise tonight. The guy who started all this madness. The guy I learned everything in the world with. The guy who started this band with Jeff Porcaro back in 1977. We don’t get to drag him out that much, but I’m sure glad he’s coming out tonight.” The man who started it all, my soul brother, your soul brother Mr. David Paich! Followed by the “20th Century Fox Fanfare” composed by John William” as Paich walked out. Paich had performed with the group at the Agua Caliente Casino the night before as well.
There were just three songs left of the show now and Paich joined in for all of them. The first was another song off The Seventh One, “Home of the Brave.” which Ham and Williams traded off Vocals for. To close the show the first and last songs off Toto IV were performed “Rosanna and Africa.” Lukather sang “Rosanna” as he always does and Paich sang lead on “Africa” as he did originally and for all his years touring. As Paich wrote that song, Lukather would joke saying “driving around on a gold golf cart throwing out 100 dollar bills” Lukather brought out Beck’s strat one more time for “Africa.” Their set lasted nearly 90 minutes and a few of the songs were extended like “Rosanna” and “Africa.”
Words and photos by Alex Kluft
