LIVE: TOTO – October 5, 2019

Venue: Soaring Eagle Casino

City: Mt Pleasant, MI

Date: October 5, 2019

Review and Photographs by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur (www.toddstarphotography.com)

There are few bands that have been out playing hits for their legions of fans as long as Toto has been doing this.  With more than 40 years under their belts and a pair of albums supporting that – the greatest hits package 40 Trips Around The Sun and the live collection 40 Tours Around The Sun – the  band has been making their way across the globe celebrating their history and discography with their fans, including a capacity crowd at Soaring Eagle Casino on a Saturday night.  With enough music, lights, and storytelling to fill an evening, the band brought a full set, running more than 2 hours, to the venue.  Kicking the night off with new track, “Devil’s Tower,” the bar was set high for energy fun.  Ripping through the rocker and then into the band’s first single 1978’s “Hold the Line,” we got a killer one-two punch to start the night.  Several other band and fan favorites decorated the evenings musical landscape, including “Alone” and “I Will Remember” and a personal favorite that I found myself singing to when “English Eyes” made its way into the set.  The instrumental “Jake to the Bone” kept things rolling when the band launched into the Top 2 hit “Rosanna.”  Throughout the evening, the various touring members of the band were allowed to shine and carry the show for moments at a time, including a solid musical foundation being played by drummer Shannon Forest and bassist Shem von Schroeck.  Slowing the pace, Steve Lukather grabbed an acoustic and the band took seats upstage and ran through a storyteller style set that kicked off with a truncated version of “Georgy Porgy” and then morphed into the bands take on the Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature” which band member / keyboardist Steve Porcaro wrote and the entire band played on for the Thriller sessions.  Mid-80’s singles “I’ll Be Over You” and “Stop Loving You” helped close out the stripped down portion of the show, which wound down with a piano solo initiated by newest member Dominique Taplin, who we were told stepped in and learned the bands set in just days.  While Lukather controlled the flow of the show both behind his six-string and the mic, singer Joseph Williams helped keep the crowd singing and energized.  The second half of the show kicked in with “Girl Goodbye” being followed up by “Lion.”  Another instrumental hit the setlist when the guys played the only track they ever composed for a film, “Dune (Desert Theme).”  Lukather took minute to dedicate the next tune, the bands slightly personal take on the classic “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” to his dear friend George Harrison before making their way through “Make Believe.”  Woven through the set, instrumentalist Warren Ham showed off his harmonica and saxophone skills.  After mentioning the track once or twice and working toward the end of the show, Steve asked the crowd if they were ready for ‘that song’ as they kicked the end of the show into high gear with “Africa.”  After an extended version that featured some killer percussion from Lenny Castro, the band disappeared from the stage for moments before coming back out and closing the night out with “Home of the Brave.”  This was a bucket list show for me as a photographer and reviewer, but especially as a fan – I can only hope Toto finds themselves in Michigan again before they decide to hang it up for good.  Be sure to catch them when they come near you.

Toto Setlist: Devil’s Tower – Hold the Line – Lovers in the Night – Alone – I Will Remember – English Eyes – Jake to the Bone – Rosanna – Georgy Porgy – Human Nature – I’ll Be Over You – No Love – Stop Loving You – Girl Goodbye – Lion – Dune (Desert Theme) – While My Guitar Gently Weeps – Make Believe – Africa – Home of the Brave

Band Lineup: Steve Lukather (guitars and lead vocals) – Steve Porcaro (keyboards and lead vocals) – Joseph Williams (lead vocals)

Touring Members: Lenny Castro (percussion, congas) – Warren Ham (saxophone, harmonica) – Shannon Forrest (drums) – Shem von Schroeck (bass) – Dominique “Xavier” Taplin (keyboards)

[Show as slideshow]

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Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries