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Toto Proves To Be More Than A Retro Act |
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Written by and photos by ANDY ARGYRAKIS
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Thursday, 19 July 2007 |
To the pop/rock mainstream, the band name Toto is often associated with a handful of major hit singles in the late 1970s into the 80s, particularly the softer side of the dial. Sure “Hold the Line” lit up classic rock airwaves in earlier periods, but “Rosanna,” “Africa” and the power ballad “I’ll Be Over You” defined the group during the decade of decadence
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Toto
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 Entertainment
 Art
House of Blues
Chicago, Ill.
July 17, 2007
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These days the gang isn’t trying to compete with modern rockers, nor is it a mere nostalgia machine regurgitating the hits on note for note verbatim. Instead the group is soaring on a refreshed spirit thanks to last year’s AOR market triumph Falling In Between and preparation for the September double disc release Falling In Between Live.
Though the line-up has shifted through the years, this particular tour is truly a super group of sorts, merging key Toto staples such as Bobby Kimball (vocals) and Steve Lukather (guitar, vocals) with longtime drummer Simon Phillips (The Who, Mick Jagger), keyboardist Greg Phillinganes (Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton) and bassist Leland Sklar (Phil Collins, James Taylor), who’s filling in for Mike Porcaro at the moment. Given the highly skilled mix of players and lengthy catalogue to pull from, the guys poured through the heavier side of their personalities, with Lukather joking early on that Toto was “much more than merely pussy music like Air Supply.”
And that was indeed the case, from the electrifying and extended opening of “Gypsy Train” to the rumbling “Caught In the Balance” to the tribal tones throughout “Bottom of Your Soul,” one of the new cuts that showcases an intriguing and infectious direction. Despite playing “Rosanna” for literally millions of times over the years, the tune kicked off with a jazzed down arrangement (similar to how Sting performs The Police’s hits in solo contexts) before exploding with a grinding rock approach, in turn loosing much of its cheesy retro staining.
Another example of the band’s re-touching of older material came through a 30-minute medley covering a variety of deeper album cuts. On one hand, this proved to be a trip down memory lane for truly old school fans (“I’ll Supply the Love,” “Isolation,” “Hydra” and many more), though the occasionally incessant instrumental jamming leaned quite closely to the self-indulgent line. Yet Toto pleased both faithful and casual factions by following up with a super charged version of “Hold the Line” and an encore of “Africa,” complete with a more aggressive percussive backbone and trembling bass rumbles. Though their wasn’t a ballad to be had on the set list, Toto’s step of faith seemed to translate with resplendent audience acceptance, which is likely to translate to the forthcoming concert collection rumored to bear a similar set list. |
Written by Guest on 2007-08-05 14:29:01
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