TOTO - Official Website - Concert Reviews

Mohegan Sun Casino Uncasville Connecticut. September 4th 2005 is a night I soon will not forget. Not only was it my birthday, (someone else was sharing my birthday as well as Luke made a point of acknowledging "Uncle Dave or Charlie") but it was a night my favorite band came back to Connecticut to rock the house. The band hit the stage a little after 7:00pm and tore through Only the Children. You could feel the energy from the band and how they truly love performing. Luke prefaced the 2nd song of the night by saying "well here's a song about what else a girl" and soon after the familiar chords of Pamela started up. Some of the other songs played were Girl Goodbye, Good for you, Africa, Rosanna, I Won't Hold You Back, I'll Be Over You (Luke stated a girl came up to the band at a restaurant at the casino and begged them to play this, they did and it was a real treat), Medley: Angel Don't Cry, Carmen, Jake to the Bone, and Mushanga, Gypsy Train (the boys rocked this one) and the solo's of Mike Porcaro, Simon Phillips, and Steve Lukather, and our new TOTO member Greg Phillinganes. The Encore was "Hold the Line"; this had the whole house on their feet. I truly missed the presence of the "Maestro" David Paich; Luke informed all that David is still very much a member of Toto but that he is curtailing his Touring schedule. I will say this though that Greg Phillinganes was truly astounding on the keys. His solo incorporated the beautiful medley of "99" and then "Childs Anthem", Greg you truly are a tremendous talent and we all welcome you. As for the rest of the band what can you say but truly awesome. Luke is a guitar god, Mike Porcaro is an unbelievable bassist, and Simon keeps it all together and last but not least the voice, Mr. Bobby Kimball, true beauty. Guys you have to be one of the most under rated bands in the U.S.A. but I want to tell you that you have thousands upon thousands of fans here and that we love your music greatly. Please keep touring here in the States (Especially here in Connecticut :o)) I want to close by saying that this was truly a magical night and as always our departed brother "Jeff Porcaro" was once again smiling down on his brothers who rocked his native Connecticut.

Hello to all! I had the pleasure of seeing Toto in Virginia Beach, Virginia, just 45 minutes from my Newport News front door. Truly weird realizing their tour bus drove by my house both to and from the show (I-64 runs just a 1/2 mile from my home). Only wish my dear friends Len Ventura, Peter and Sally Yablonsky, and Steve McVey could have attended.
While the show was amazing as always, I want to focus on something else that sometimes does not get the attention it deserves. Like some of you, I have seen Toto in festival or casino-type settings many times. Often this involves spectators whom either have status as casino high rollers or simply people looking to sit down and take a break from fair festivities. In other words, they don't know Toto from Engelbert Humperdink!
Well, this show had some true music fans and some who were there for a good time but did not know much about Toto. As the show went on and even afterwards, my ears were graced with comments such as, "I know this song!", "They did that one!" "Awesome!", "I need to get some of their records!", "This is the best show I have been to!" People were high fiving each other catching their breaths after being treated to the best band ever and their wonderful gift of music. And I proudly educated a number of people on Toto's history and their second-to-none website.
In summary, Toto and their versatile music can and does make fans out of anyone, and the enthusiastic reaction from all who attended (people from different races and different, preferred music genres) solidifies my statement. I love you guys and God bless! I'm so thankful you all blessed my beloved state.

What a privledge it was to finally see TOTO in the Tidewater area. I think most of the people that saw the show really enjoyed it. It was my first time and I have been a huge fan since the age of 13 (Im now 43) I think Hydra was probably my favorite album. My wife saw you at the age of 17 at the Norfolk Arena and she claims you rocked the #@#%^$ out of the place. I gotta give Bobby credit for the stuff he sang from the Seventh One. Those were tough highs to hit. Luke ....your playing was nothing short of mind boggling. I have always respected the fact that you didn't fall prey to the guitar god thing in the 80's/90's . When I heard "Daves gone skiing" I got wood. Personally, I would have found it more fitting to see you guys take the 5th street stage vice the 17 th street stage. Please come back!!!!! There is a whole group of TOTO fans here that have missed your talent for a loooooonnnnnngggggg time!!!!!!! Luke, if I could possess half the guitar talent you do, I would quit my day job and become a starving musician!

Back to the states and to the coast of Virginia Beach, TOTO rocked the sands on the oceanfront. A mello crowd of every age, but watching the 40+ fan bang their heads to the sounds they grew up with was the greatest. Speaking of growing up with TOTO, Luke said he was happy to be a part of everyone's first time and how he was alone too!!!!....... As they played on the 17th street stage in between the Atlantic Ocean and Atlantic Ave. on the Boardwalk in the resort city, it was great to see the band get off the stage during the show and mingle with the crowd. Simon and Bobby gladly laid down their John Hancock's for me behind the stage DURING the show - a touch of class from a first class group. For those not looking on the internet for fresh info on the band, there was a roar from the crowd when Luke mentioned the new album. Looking forward to hearing it.

Thank you so much for the outstanding show in Virginia Beach. I was 10 feet away from the stage & Steve just blew my mind away on the Jimi Hendrix tune. I think that Steve is better guitar player than Eddie Van Halen or any of the other guitar heroes out there. I am still sad that Jeff is no longer behind the chair. By the way, My dad is 75 years old & his favorite song is Africa. ToTo in my language (Chamorro) means Everyone.
Keep on rockin' & hope to see you soon. A fan since the 70's.
Peace,

Hello guys!
Last night (Sept. 3, 2005) you guys played in Virginia Beach and I have to say that you were awesome!! Rosanna has to be my favorite song of all time by you guys and to hear you sing it, was just frickin....I can't describe it...it was amazing. I remember hearing that song for the first time when I was in the 2nd grade (I'm 26 now) and my ma still tells stories about how I used to run around the house singing it...Anyway, I just wanted to thank you guys for being so great at what you do and for all the great songs over the past 30 yrs...I hope to see you in concert in the states again soon....we like you here too!!!!
Thanks again!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, when one of your favorite bands won't come to your town you travel to see them. So I grabbed the college roommate from some 20-odd years ago and we travel to see one of the greatest American bands ever. All I can say it was MAGICAL! What other band could bring people from Cleveland and Pittsburgh together. Hell even Bill Clinton and Hilary showed up. Now that was impressive!!! The sound check was very entertaining with selected cuts from Donald Fagens - Nightfly I especially enjoyed "Ruby Baby." If your reading this and wondering if this band still has it? They never lost it!! Pure genuine musicianship. I look forward to next years release and the tour to follow. Only this time I hope to see them in the Steel City.

Thanks

Going to the New York State Fair in Syracuse was just a small treat, compared to what awaited us at 4 and 8 pm. Toto rocked the house with their quick wit, sense of humor and musical skills. Of course, Steve's genuine talent helped a little, along with Bobby's strong vocals. Simon jammed on the drums and his solo performance was outrageous. Mike's unique bass playing was wonderful and new member Greg's quick fingers did the magic. Tony was also just great. Thanks again guys for being who you are and that's just the most wonderful band that was ever created. Also, as for the other review from Syracuse about the blondes in the front row? I was one of them......Even though I was not blonde. I was a red head who also cried while getting an autograph and picture. Thanks for making my dream come true......Hugs and Kisses from Schroon Lake,

On September 2nd I not only saw both shows at the NYS Fair from the front row but I also had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with the band. The quality of their show goes without saying. This is a musicians band. Musicians and Non musicians love the bands music. It's progressive rock and some jazz rolled into one. In addition though musicians like myself also find we learn and become better musicians by listening to TOTO. The music was great that night and I walked away a better player than when I came. I went to the fair to watch Simon Phillips. To drummers he's an icon. One of the best to watch, listen to and learn from. When I hear and watch Simon I'm inspired and motivated to play and become even better. I teach drums and have passed along a lot of what I've learned from him to my students.

Much to my surpise I also found out what great guys they were. Simon and the band came over to us before the 4pm show and signed autographs and let us take pictures. Between shows I had the chance to go back stage and have my TOTO DVD autographed by the entire band. Talk about nice guys. They were very humble and accomodating. I asked Simon a couple drumming questions and he was great about talking to me. Luke with his sense of humor was fun. Everyone who came in contact with the band was laughing when they left.

I'll remember this show for a very long time mostly because of how nice these guys were to me and their other fans.

11 hours in the car was a small price to pay to see the most talented ROCK GROUP in the world!!!! Myself,my Brothers Tom and Don,and nephew Joe enjoyed both shows. The pavilion stage was surrounded by a packed State Fair crowd. The band told the crowd they could only play for 75 minutes. But they treated us to over 11/2 hours of unbelieveable music each show! The band started the show's with "ONLY THE CHILDREN" and ended with "HOLD THE LINE" The band was great both shows, but incredibly TIGHT the 8:00 show. Luke told the fans during sound check they hav'nt played together in a while,you would have never know. They were GREAT!!!! I hope they make a stop in Cleveland supporting the new Album next year. Sorry we did'nt see John Marshall and Len Ventura,we missed you guy's!

WOW !! New York LOVES Toto!! Toto rocked the New York State fair this weekend with over 5000 people at the 4pm and 8 pm performances. The die hard fans in the first few rows spread their contagious enthusiasm to the entire audience. It was great seeing young teens and older retirees rocking to their incredible sound. Even the State Troopers by the stage were moving to the groove of Mike and the guys. No one could sit still unless a newborn or dead !!
Sound checks for the 4pm show started the frenzy of wanting more. They opened with " Only The Children," followed by "Pamela," and other classics. During the 8pm show, Luke and Bobby mesmerized some pretty YOUNG blondes by the stage who weren't even born when the guys started playing,"Rosanna " had fans crowding the front of the stage and Luke, Greg and Bobby had the entire crowd on their feet for most of the show...which was not nearly long enough, even though they played at least an hour and a half. The crowd begged for more and they obliged. So much talent in one band and just plain nice guys..Mike..so much class! Tony, awesome as usual, Greg, perfect fit, Bobby, born to rock, Simon, ultimate drummer and Luke, have you any idea how talented you really are? We threw in the water effects for free for Bobby and the bat was an early Halloween treat. We were all happy Toto addicts . NEW YORK LOVES TOTO !! Please, please come back and fulfill our addiction to the best music in the world !! There will never be enough Toto !! Come back soon !! We love you guys!!

This was the first time I had the chance to see my favourite band, TOTO, live, and what a night!!!!!!
I am a big fan, and thinks that "The Seventh One" is probably one of the best pop/rock-records ever made!!! Therefore, it was perfrect hearing the band playing so many of these songs!!!

Anyway, here comes the setlist from Fredrikstad:
1. "Only the children"
2. "Pamela"
3. "I won't hold you back"
4. "Girl goodbye"
5. "I'll be over you"
6. "Good for you"
7. "Africa"
8. Greg solo/"Tale of a man"/"99"
9. "Better world"
10. Luke solo/"Little wing"(Hendrix)
11. Medley: "Angel don't cry"/"Carmen"/"Dave's gone skiing"/"These chains"/"Mushanga"
12. Simon solo(trommesolo)
13. "Rosanna"
14. "Gypsy train"
Extra:
15. "Hold the line"
Luke was amazing, Greg is great, Simon is unbelievable and Mike grooving better than anyone else!!!! And when Bobby, who never perform bad, impressed us with singing the songs of Joe Williams and Fergie, as well as his owns, the concert was just perfect!!!!!!!!!!

In Fredrikstad on the 23rd I attended my 7th Toto-concert along with two friends who had never seen them live before and this was absolutely the best so far! It was quite an amusing coincidence that I, on my 7th concert, had the pleasure of listening to so many great songs from "The seventh one", wich was the toto-album I first listened to at five years of age. Especially "Only the children". I had never expected to hear that song live, but now that I did it became more clear to me that it's one of my absolute favourite Toto-songs. The final of the concert wasn't too bad either. "Rosanna", "Gypsy train" (another favourite i never expected to hear live) and "Hold the line" is all it takes to make a perfect summer night complete. It was also great to both see and hear Greg playing. He did a fantastic job filling out for Dave. looking forward to se them together! Simon - being a drummer I'm always lost for words and Luke - "Little wing". What a song, what a solo!!! And Mike - Toto wouldn't be half as groovy without him. Bobby - Handled the "Seventh one"-songs far over my expectations and to hear him sing "Girl goodbye", "Rosanna" and "Hold the line" is always more than a pleasure. Tony - I'm definately going to follow Luke's advice and buy his solo albums. That voice of his is amazing!
This was the first time I had to go abroad to see Toto, but I would pretty much go anywhere to see them. It's always my highlight of the year! Hope to see you again soon. I don't think I'll have any troubles getting my two friends to join me one more time...

Hi Toto, it was nice to have you guys back in Norway on your short European trip. I wondered when I looked at the toto99.com on the internet that you where coming to Fredrikstad well I attended the consert in Fredrikstad after driving for 11 hours, but you got me awake again. As of earlier concerts I have seen with you (6 now) this one also goes into the catagory A+ standard, of course as an old fan maybe the setlist could be a little bit different.
Gregg is doing great to fill Davids shoes and hopefully we will se them both on stage together in the future? We are waiting for the new album and the new tour that of course has to include Norway, see ya next year.
Kind regards

Hey!
We were at the concert in Fredrikstad yesterday and OH MY GOD!!! We're six music freaks from Sweden and we drove for seven hours to see you guys. It was so worth it!! "Great stage, great stage"... Believe us when we say we love you, we even played some of your songs at our concerts at music higschool (Cruel is by far our favorite to play). The show was awesome, great set, it's so nice to hear some of the songs you haven't played in a while and so much fun to see that you really enjoy playing. We also appreciate you guys for putting up a great show for the audience, you really give your all to the fans. We're already planning our next concert trip but we're hoping to see you in Sweden as well soon.
We bow to you!!
PS: We were the fun gang at the front with the tshirts, you probably don't have them now but we know you saw them!!
Lots of love from your true fans from Linkoping in Sweden

Hi Friends!
Silkeborg was my 16th TOTO concert, 11 in Denmark, and 5 in Germany. This one was one of the best outdoor concerts I have experienced. There was a realy relasing feeling and there was a lot of talking and laughter between the guyes on stage it seemed like they injoied it very much. The audience was very involved from the beginning, THANKS!
I had 3 female colleagues with to their first TOTO concert ever, and they are all over 30 years old (Bobby Kimball). I was curious if the live version could live op to the songs they hear on the radio. Off course it did, they were very enthusiastily, allready after the 2 first numbers. They have told me they are ready to go again the next time.
I still remenber the day I got my first TOTO single: "Hold The Line" back in 1978 I have been a TOTO fan since.
TOTO you can count on me, your are my 4 year old nephew's and my all time favorite band. Looking forward to the new album next year and another world tour.

Regards,

Hi Toto
Saw you guys last night july 22th in Silkeborg, Denmark. And Oh Lord, was I impressed! Went to se you for the first time in my life, though I've heard your records since the eighties.
I was there with a friend. It was his 8th TOTO concert! And he was as much impressed. I guess we were "only" a crowd of around 2.000. BUT I've (almost) never in my life seen a band being so "on" and committed to their fans, even for such a small gig. We really got the impression that you enjoyed the evening as much as we did!
You were simply fantastic!
So on behalf of your Danish fans: Lets do this again sometime....and the best wishes for David and his sister. Can't wait to hear your new album coming up.
God bless you to!

A fantastic place at the Ampfi-theater by the lake. When you went on stage the sun came back, and with your magic on stage - the party started immediately.
Steve in fantastic mood, joking.laughing and of cause playing his guitars as he was from another planet! Nice hearing Pamela, angel don´t cry, little wing
And all the other sing along stuff. It was my show number 12, and like good red wine you get better year by year. Looking forward to the new album and
The upcoming worldtour. Welcome Greg, king of keyboards. TOTO forever

Hello Toto
Thank You for a great concert friday night in Silkeborg (Denmark). I´ve seen your show lot of times but this one was something special, a small arena and a cozy vibe ;-) It´s nice to see that you still perform to a A+. Hope to see you soon back in denmark.....
BGRDS

Hello Totofriends.....
Last night I went to Silkeborg to attend my third Totoconcert. As expected a fantastic show and great musical experience for me. Being a big fan for nearly 20 years, I went there a couple of hours early, wandering around backstage (outside the fence, of course) hoping to see my heroes. About an hour before the show 2 cars came in with the band, and there they were, the musicians who has been at big part of my musical life for so long now. I saw Steve Lukather, called him " hey Steve, do you have a minute ?" , and of course he had, he came over to me, I shaked his hand, he signed my "Luke" album and we had a very short chat. I asked him about Dave and he told me that David Paich doesn`t tour anymore, but IS working on the album. I said that I was very much looking forward to the show, and Luke said that so were he certainly. I tell you friends, my biggest musical hero being so friendly an taking his time to sign and chat with a simple danish fan......... Thank you Steve, if you ever read this ! I saw Bobby Kimball and he came over. He was so kind and smiling. I got his autograph and asked him about the new album. He said that they vere busy working on it and that it would be released at the end of the year or maybe january, he wasn`t sure..... he was so kind and smiling, taking interest in the fans, I respect you so much for that Bobby.....
Finally I met Tony Spinner, it was like talking to a friend, he signed for me, and was a really pleasure to meet.
Time to find the entrance, and enjoy the show. Starting with "only the children" the place was rockin` from the first second, they did a nice selection of old and newer stuff, and trust me; there is a lot of hurting throuts in Jutland, Denmark today...... I really got confirmed what I already knew, these guys are the best musicians in the wold and Toto is the number one band on the planet.... Simon really is a ThunderGod.... Luke plays the guitar in a way that can`t really be told in simpel words, and so on...... Looking so much forward to the new album, and certainly hoping to see you guys in Denmark again. I will be en the crowd, that`s for sure !

Hej all together, I would like to thank you all for a great koncert yesterday i Silkeborg DK.
I am coming from AAbenraa, near the German border. I hope you will com to AAbenraa somtime in the feauture and give a concert in the Sønderjyllandshal. perhaps on your next tour to scandinavia KEEP ON ROCKING.
My Best wisches to all of you.

Almost a week ago now, but i must write something about the concert at the Eurohal in Zuidbroek.
I've been seeing Toto for over 13 years now in Holland and I loved every gig I have seen. But somehow this was a very great show!
Mainly because of the setlist! This was a great setlist man! I've heared songs that I have never heard live before! Fantastic guys!
Great sound also! Best song for me that evening, Gypsy Train! That one blew me away!! Great!
Greg was really superb! He does his part very good indeed! Also a great musician.You can see he has very much fun playing his stuff!
It will be awesome to see him with David together on stage! As also a drummer myself, I can't believe my eyes and ears when Simon plays. His works are SUPERNATURAL!
Unbelievable!! Left handed, right handed..switching with no trouble at all.. I am also stunned when I hear his solo's.. I've mist his clinic here in Holland last year. I hope that he comes here again!
My kingdom to play just one jam with you guys!! Hahahahahaha!
Thanks TOTO!!

I know I should be swearing, but you guys are the f.... greatest...!!
Only 12 hours ago I was in the concert In Groningen in the north of Holland and I had the best time ever. I was especially surprised to hear you guys perform Pamela, one the greatest songs ever! The sound was just perfect, lighting was great and the perefct mix between slow oldies, suble jazz licks and just ass kicking rock makes me wanna visit Toto everytime!...
One other thing I wanted to say ..: Simon, I hope you feel better man, and I don't wanna know what you would have done if you weren't feeling bad.. goddamn dude, you kick some serious British booty!
Can't wait for the new album and count on our presence in the following tour!

Hi there,
Here the results of the Dutch jury!
It was perfectly great last week in Zuidbroek - Holland, the 21st of july. It was my 19th concert (without my Night Of The Proms visits with Toto) since 1988 (with Josepf that time), and they are still great. Perfect powerfull sound, nice setlist, as last year. Nice to hear the other old songs again: Only The Children, Pamela, Angel Don't Cry, Gibsy Train, Girl Goodbye and the pieces of other stuff. I missed White Sister... haha. And of course the -for everyone- famous Toto-evergreens. Great great great. Let's wait what Toto will bring us in 2006: a new album and hopefully a great new show, with many concerts in our area. What about a combi of Bobby and Joseph in the new tour? Would be great...
Also the best wishes to David: we missed him, Greg is very great, but Dave makes it complete. Hopefully he wil join the next tour...
Best wishes, Hold The Line!

I was with the concert in Zuidbroek. I needed to drive for almost 4 ours to see you guys. I was tired this day and a physicaly broken man when I arrived in Zuidbroek.......O my god!!! It was worth it every second. This new set was great. All the old songs like "only the children, mushanga" but also from the album Mindfields "better world" stole my hard. I was touched and amazed by the sound. It sounded compact and the harmonies with singing were fantastic. It was very nice to here Jimmy Hendriks "little wing" in old style. Luke really blew me away (and I am a big Simon die hard fan). Luke's sound was great and was rocking like crazy. Simon: thanks again for a great evening. I hope you feel better soon. Toto: thanks for everything. You're in my hard. I love you guys. Please come to 013 Tilburg soon!!!
Regards,

Hi guys, I must say that it was really worth the trip all the way to Zuidbroek (three and a half hour drive!). It was nice to hear a few songs which I have never heard you done live before, like Pamela, Only the Children and some other stuff. The medley was very cool as well! Luke told the crowd that Simon wasn't feeling to well, his drumsolo surely didn't give that away, hahaha...Also my compliments to Greg on the keys, he is surely the right replacement for Dave on the tour, a very good entertainer as well!
I just wanna thank you guys for making it worth to follow you around whenever you are in the neighbourhood. Keep up the good work, looking forward to the new album.

What a great show!!! For me and my wife it was ten years ago since we saw a live concert of TOTO. But it's was worth waiting for!! Starting with "Only the children" the crowd get really excited, and two houres later ending with "Hold the line" the crowd was still even more excited.
Many thanks to Bobby, Steve, Mike, Tony, Greg and Simon, you were fantastic!!! We hardly can't wait for the release of your new album and hope to see you soon somewhere in Holland.
And Mike, your "Dutch cookies" are calling "stroopwafels", we hope you liked them.

Toto grooved again on this day. I haven't seen them so fresh in years! Especially Luke was on fire!!
His solotour clearly did him well. It was clear that it was going to be his night from the beginning of Pamela. He sounded great! Simon wasn't feeling well as Luke said but had some fantastic fills (and solo!) anyway!
I brought two friends (Toto virgins) and they loved it! So did I.
See you next time for sure.

Hello dear Fans,
I was at the concert in Zuidbroek, Netherlands.
As a huge fan i have been to almost every concert of TOTO in the past say 10 years in Holland.
And everytime they amaze me with new songs that they play!!
I also was in the Melkweg in Amsterdam 2 weeks earlier where Steve played with his "Gruppo".
Did you check out his Chinese guitar solo?!
Really,really liked the concert, it is always good to have the guys over here, they still play what i call music: what you see is what you get, that's the BEST!!
THanx,guys for this extra concert, see you next year for sure.

We all would like to thank the band for coming to Holland for a perfect concert. You gave us a beautifull evening we will not forget.
Normaly there is a big difference between a live show and a CD but you give us all that special feeling that only can be done by one of the best bands we have heard. Thank you members of TOTO for the best live music I have ever heard.
We are waiting for your new album and a new concert here in the north of Holland

5 minutes of our house Toto was going to perform, every Toto fan will agree that you could call this a backyard venue. Show was awesome, the whole gang was in a happy and rockin mood.
All the songs we love passed the stage, including Angel don't cry, my ultimate favorite.
As a newbie in Toto Greg did a hell of a good job, welcome to the club Greg.
For my 12 year old son it was his second time he saw them live on stage and was thrilled that he after the show received an autograph from Luke.
He is saving some money already for the next show.
Guys,.... I'm speechless, your the best.
Thanks for comming on this short notice to Holland.
God bless you all.

Hi there,
Yesterday evening Toto played in Zuibroek (NL) and they gave us an amazing show.
The sound was pretty good and they played an great mix of old tunes and recent ones.
It was nr 12 for me and they are still rocking on the ''Gypsy Train'' the best song of the evening.
Thank you Toto for giving us THE play of the DAY!!

Hey Toto people !
Excuse me for not being the best writer in the world, so if this review lacks some well uh..... reviewing skills, it's more the readers problem then mine ;)
Anyway, Yesterday I went to the amazing Toto Gig at the EUROHAL ( Not EURHAL as stated on the T-shirt dudes :P ) and considering it was my first time I have ever seen you guys live I had the evening of my life.
You guys might just as well be my ultimate musical inspiration in life and after about 17 years ( 18 today actually ! ) of solid listening to you guys I finally witnessed your skills and I must say that this show will be staying with me forever. I have seen a lot of live shows but the type of sound quality I heard last night....WOW ! I know how hard it must be to give a band like yours a good live sound but this was just friggin' amazing, you guys played on your best and it seemed you had a great time which "Toto"lly ( Sorry had to do that, Hehe.) added to your stage preformance and next to that you must have some amazing soundguys working for you, totally loved every minute of it !
I Did feel a bit sorry for Dave after hearing the story about him, the chick and Bobby though ;) ( Did laugh my ass of, so thanks Luke !!! )
and my special last note goes out to Greg, I am a Keyboardist ( to a certain extent.) and vocalist myself to and I really liked the energy you brought in the band by just playing the way you did and your stage persona really seems to fit the show, so keep on doing the good work man !!! ( and I don't care what other people think but I think you damn well "Nailed" Africa last night ! )
I just want to thank you for making the show one hell of a great time for me, and considering I became 18 one hour later, my 17th year went out with a bang :D
Next time your in Holland I'll be there again !

Oh Guys, what should I say? It was our 5th Concert of you and not the last!
My Husband an me stood at the 5th Row and it was so wonderful to see that the Sun comes out when you came on stage!
It was another great time, yeahhh, and you were better and better all the time. Little Wing was amazing, Steve, you must have 10 Hands to Play with so many energy and so Incredible!!!
Greg is the Funny Guy in the Band, he was laughing all the time and jumped at the left and right Site! Cool Man!
Please, best wishes to david, we miss him, but its okay that he stays by his sister.
TOTO - you did a great Job, more than that! Many many thanx.
Hold the Line - we see you next year on the new Tour and we can´t wait to hold the new CD in our Hands.
God bless you all and we wish you all the best!

Hi!
I want to thank you guys very very much for this wonderful and amazing evening in leverkusen. I`m TOTO fan since a long time, but it was my first concert (and I swear it was not my last ;-) I`ve had a great time and I can`t wait for the world tour next year. I hope you give a few more concerts in germany. Once more thank you soooooooooo much!!!!!

See ya on tour and god bless you!

Hello my friend(s),
another real amazing experience beeing at your concert in Leverkusen - first it was very cloudy and wet - but as toto come to the stage - there was sunshine back again!
I sew you guys now for a couple of times, (i stop counting at 10) playing together as toto also playing your solo-tours - especially Simon because i´m a drummer for myself. I´ve seen you in Daun doing your drum clinic, it was very, very amazing - i learnd nothing because its so hard to follow your play! Simon: if your are playing just a little faster you´re going back in time cause youre faster as light :-))
As i say, i sew you on different places and stages in the last 15 years, small- also as big ones and i always kept thinking: how does that fit so good? In Leverkusen it seems to be an hard beginning but after the second song you guys playing like you used to - doing a perfect play-together with a perfect timing, talking with no words, giving us a special evening and getting it back, arent you?
I´m looking forward for your next concert - beeing sure it would be another perfect evening - thank you for doing that continiusly in the past - and future !

Ten times TOTO an I hope another ten times to go; again a great show in Leverkusen.
After a rainy 2 hours drive from Holland the sky went blue, luke was on our side. The show was also very relaxed with a nice story about David and Bobby, I would have liked to see David's face about that one also he was not there he almost got the flowers.
Steve you have a beautiful wife with a great bottom ;ALL I EVER NEEDED.
Tony greating from your Pal Tanno we hope to see you in HOLLAND with another Great show.

this is a love declaration for TOTO (after 20 years for me it`s time)
These are livethoughts from this morning while I`m sitting in the train and travel home from Leverkusen. I`m looking outside the window and thought: to see TOTO live on stage it fullfills my heard much more than a 3 week vacation in the caribic. No rain and storm can stop us yesterday evening. The guys came on stage and the sun shines again. That was a sign.
TOTO is like an good tasty red wein, the riper the better.
See you next year on tour ( I hope with David Paich)

Hi Toto,
thank you very much for this simply amazing evening yesterday, 20.July, in Leverkusen. And thank you TOTO for the good and unforgetable time. I have visited many TOTO live performances, but Leverkusen was one of the BEST concert`s I`ve ever seen in my life.
The great voice of Bobby Kimball, Steve was on top form ( Oh my god - I can`t forget "Little Wing"), the wonderful Basssound of Mike Porcaro - the groovemeister himself, the power of the best drummer in the world - Simon Philipps, Greg`s brilliant work on the keyboard and Tony`s really good playing on his guitar, the love of my little daughter (5 years).
I`m looking forward for your new release in January 2006 and the upcoming woldtour - I can`t wait.
Never give up - YOU ARE THE BEST - and hope to see you soon again in GERMANY. God bless you.

Hello from Germany!
Yesterday my wife, some good friends and I were at the Leverkusen TOTO Concert. It was my third show and the guys really rocked and seamed to have much fun on stage (so did we in front of). Allways a great pleasure to see and hear these real top musicians performing their fantastic music and never boring, cause ervery show, there is something differnt and funny stories were told. But Simon , whats up with your sticks, you looked like you could not believe that these were your signature sticks ;o) .
Please - stay healthy, keep on rockin and touring, cause we`re all really looking forward your new album and want to see you on stage again.

Well, what can I say? Going to TOTO concerts is always an awesome experience. But this time it was the only gig in Germany in 2005, the venue was great - lots of sunshine "Till the end" and the Rhine just behind the stage - and Steve's beautiful wife had joined the backstage area respectively the stage! So, what's left to do? Please come back with new songs asap, and don't forget the German crowd!!! I think we were going nuts enough, weren't we?!?!

Until next time... I'm looking forward to hearing the best band in the world once again!

Hi guys,
thanks for a great concert last night in MY town! Gosh, I couldn't believe it when I read the news that you were coming to Leverkusen, the place where I live. I was probably one of the first to buy a ticket and -as always- do not regret it one single moment. You guys were great!!! So thank you for the brilliant music last night, I had a great time (and my throat is quite sore today...!)
God bless you all.

Suffering from TOTO deprivation made the Transatlantic trip to see what Ive always considered the best (joint) band in the world. (The other being,Cream..RAH a few weeks earlier). It has always amazed how underrated they are, particularly in the UK. They never fail to achieve brilliance, May 22nd was no exception. If you TOTO guys read this please get over soon!

I was at the 8:00PM show at BBKINGS, in New York City on sunday, May 22, 2005. What can I say about this band- the older they get the better they become. They are like a fine wine. I don't have to name all the guy's because everyone knows them. They are extroadinary musicians and all are such a pleasure to watch, listen, and learn from.
I was at the show 2 years ago at the same venue for two sets- their 25th anniversary show, and was blown away. I just hope that they can come back to the new york/new jersey area again soon and play a full length show. How about the Beacon Theater, NYC, or The PNC Bank Arts Center, in Homedell, NJ. I know they can pack these houses. I've been a big fan since the begining. I miss my groove meister- the late jeff porcaro who was a big imspiration in my drumming- even to this day. We all miss him. I had the pleasure of seeing him play live once back in 1990 The Seventh One Tour, at the Great Adventure theme park, in jackson , nj. This was when joe williams was the lead singer. Awsome show!!!!!
Lastly, Simon Phillips- what can I say about this guy. He can just do it all. Simply Amazing. You go Simon. Hey Simon do you think you can come to new jersey and do a drum clinic. I would really dig this and would like to talk to you some day. Sam Ash, in new jersey is a great place to do a clinic like in Edison, or Springfield. It would be cool if you would consider it. I think you would draw alot of aspiring drummers.

Sincerely,

I was at the 8:00pm show at B.B. Kings on 5/22/05, and let me say..the concert, once again, was PHENOMENAL! I have been waiting patiently for 2 years for them to come back to NYC (I saw them in April 2003 for their 25th Anniversary Tour and LOVED THEM) and I made sure I arrived there early this time and ended up with great seats!! We sat right in front of Bobby and Steve in the second row!! The songs coming out of Bobby's voice was so powerful! Steve - again - watching him perform his solos just gave me chills as always because he is a Guitar God! I also love his singing voice!! I never saw anyone play bass the way Mike Porcaro plays!! You can tell he gets soooo into the music, he's a pleasure to watch! Simon's solos - what can I say, they get BETTER each time I see him!! We missed Dave Paich though, but Greg Phillinganes filled in perfectly for him and were amazed how great he played and sang Africa!! The whole set list was GREAT! They added new songs that I haven't heard in a while, including Angel Don't Cry, Pamela, and Mushagna. The only thing that I was bummed about was that the first show was shorter than the second show due to restrictions with the club. They need to keep both shows to two hours so all of the fans can enjoy them equally at both shows. They only played for 1 ½ hours for the 8pm show, and I heard they played longer for the 2nd show. Please, please, please Toto come back to New York City/NJ area soon!!! I will buy tickets for both shows next time!

Awesome, awesome! No other word to describe the concert on May 22nd. All you guys were great. You are the best, and you know it!!! Bobby sang his ass out, Luke was on fire, Simon, well, you showed you are the best drummer in rock, Mike kept the groove going, and Greg played fabulous keyboards. Tony was great on background vocals and backup guitar. I wish David Paich was there. I hope he gets better soon.
Sincerely,

May 22, 2005 - BB Kings 8:00PM Show

Unbelievable! I'm a long time fan of TOTO's music (since the first album) but have never been able to see them live until Sunday night at BB Kings in New York! It was incredible! Great venue too! The musicianship of this band LIVE did not disappoint. With exception to all of their loyal fans from around the world, one could argue that TOTO is the most under-appreciated band in the USA. What a class act! Special thanks to the great people I met at the show (Sally, Peter, John, and "The Super Fan") for helping make my first TOTO concert one I will never forget. To the guys in TOTO - thanks for creating great music and for sharing your talents with us. Come back to the East Coast soon so I can share this experience with my family!

What a pleasure it was to be at BB Kings for the first set Sunday night. Mike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are the all time keeper of that magical groove!!!!!! Kudo's to the most unheralded bass player in the world. Sal`ute my paison!!!!!!! The band was at their best as usual , always spectaculuar and musically amazing. Greg is a fabulous addition . Welcome aboard. The friends that were with me who hadn't seen Toto before were just amazed. They couldn't believe how great Bobby can sing . Luke and Si, another great performance too.
The room is pretty good for sound. Maybe the only thing that was disapointing was that it was only 1 1/2 hour set due to the second show but we knew that before hand. Good For You was a great surprise, plus the excellent choice for the expected medley for all of us die hards. Thanks again to Mike and the boys for another excellent musical masterpiece, hope to see you all in A.C. soon!!!!!!!.................Sincerely, Craig........Atlantic City,

One of the most energetic shows.
I want to thank this band for being on the road for years and still make us feel the spectacular energy and the positive chemistry at their performances. After years of flying and driving between Italy and the states for many of their shows the feeling still the same.
Steve Lukather...he`s on the olympus of guitar players,the king...but overall our loved bad ass!! That Little wing by Hendrix is absolutely his song.
It was so nice to see Jenny and John on the stage, I hope we will see them again on the road.
Well, about the back bones of the band, Mike and Si? The word back bone says it all.
Great man that Greg, an absolutely nice guy plus he`s got it all, great on Africa.... even thoug i`ve missed that "heavy D" Paich a lot.
Bobby Kimball? man, you sing that cajun ass off every time do you, the gratest voice in the history of Rock`,n roll.
Tony Spinner, yeah this guy is a member of the band.
The set was absolutely a surprise with "only the children",some of my favorite "these chains", "pamela" "Angel don`t cry"and i want to thank the band for playing one of their last masterpieces "Better world".
Well,it was great to see you again,Keep the good work boys,God bless you and thank you very very much for another spectacular night.
Ciao.

B.B. Kings New York, May 22, 10:30 PM Show

Well, the fella's did it again. Blew the roof off of another venue. This sold out crowd, including many pros from the industry ­ including Late Night¹s Paul Shaffer and Will Lee, was up dancing, clapping, and singing to just about every song. Greg Phillinganes sure rose to the challenge of mastering all of David's parts, including the renown Rosanna solo. Steve was off the chart musically and comedically, especially with his "Depends" joke. Highlights included Hold The Line, where Steve invited three of their former backup singers to the stage, Gypsy Train - which was great to hear live, and of course Simon's chromosome-rearranging solo. I think the guys are finally coming to agree that New York ain't such a bad place to play after all. Hey Toto - New York loves great music...we love coming to see you...so come back soon!

Just got home from BB King's in NY. Concert was unreal. Great, great playing, great show, loved every second of it. Simon, Luke and the rest, first time seeing them live and WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a show! I went to the Saturday show in Orillia, ON. Great energy, great music, and talent that can only be seen at a Toto show.
My wife is not a Toto fan and in fact gets mad at me when I play the "Kingdom of Desire" cd. She went with me mainly because she just wanted to have an evening out with me. She ended up clapping and standing up with the rest of the house and when I asked her if she would go again to a Toto concert, she said YES! From my perspective, there can be no bigger compliment! I play drums for fun and she has watched me play and was utterly amazed after Simon's solo (as we all were!).
Being allowed to "rush the stage" was a pleasant surprise. I was right up there from Girl Goodbye to the end. Bobby sang "his ass off" as Luke would say and made a great effort to slap everybody's hand that was up front, showing the he truly appreciated the crowd!
I saw the anninversay tour in Detroit and that was a fabulous show, but its hard to beat seeing the boys right up close. I hope Canada did enough to encourage Toto to come see us more often.
Cheers to a simply fabulous night! TOTO ROCKS!!

Sincerely,

That sound you here is the drums, guitars and keyboards of amateur musicians like myself as they are thrown into the harbor. After seeing Toto in Orillia Ontario that is the only solution. We can o longer play after seeing what playing is supposed to be like.

I flew to Atlanta for the August concert lat year. They were even better this year. The crowd was more than twice what they had in ATL. Sold out! It was great to see. Toto is welcome in Canada anytime. They leave no question as to why they are my favorite band.

From the opening Only The Children to the encore Hold The Line, it was 2 hours of passionate music from the most talented guys in the world. If Simon and Luke aren't the best at what they do, I'm an idiot.

They played the usual and threw in a few hidden gems like Angel Don't Cry, Better World, These Chains, Dave's Gone Skiing and Carmen. It was a fantastic show with Girl Goodbye and Rosanna being the highlights for me.

I left the concert hall with a need to see them again...soon.

May 21, Ontario Canada.

WOW!! It's been 18 years since Toto visited Canada, but since it was my first show, it was definitely worth the wait. The setlist appears to be the same, which i was very happy to see. I think is the best collection of songs they have been playing for some time. So good to hear some of the album tracks from Isolation and The Seventh One. The enitre band was stellar. Vocally, it was a brilliant. And as we know already, musically...incomparable! I would like to comment that although it's great to see the guys solo, in many ways it would be even better in maintaining the energy of the show if they were to shorten that aspect and maybe add a few more songs. the medley's are nice, but such a tease.

However, it doesn't diminish the power of a Toto show. Please come back again REAL SOON!

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was to see that Toto was coming to Canada! I'm from Highland, Michigan, USA and only had the honor of seeing Toto live once, back in July 2002 at the DTE Energy Music Theater in Clarkston, Michigan (aka Pine Knob to the rest of us). When I saw that they were coming to Canada, I jumped on purchasing 2 tickets, one for me and one for my fiancee, Bill. It was a 6 hour drive to get there, but oh, so worth it. Bill didn't really know what to expect other than he knows how much I love Toto. You guys blew him away. I was so thrilled to see you live again. I only wish you'd spend more time in the states. I thought I was hearing the studio recordings live! You guys hit all the notes and thrilled an audience more than you could know. I was honestly shocked at how old the crowd was. We are in our late 30's and early 40's and I bet we saw only 2 people at the show younger than us. It was great to see people our age and older enjoy a show so much. My kids are 7 and 9 and love Toto too. It's time we pass along this great band and their music to the younger kids now so they can grow up appreciating GREAT music!

Sincerely,

Casino Rama-2nd Show

Welcome Back To Canada!

You Guys rocked! This was my first TOTO concert and I was blown away by the great music, energy and musicianship. Everyone sounded great, especially Simon, he played like a monster. I was pleasantly surprised by the songlist, many from the seventh album! I am really looking forward to your next c.d., and next Canadian visit. Please don't wait another 18 years to play again in Canada.

Man you guys rocked the house on Saturday night. You've been on my want to see list ever since I was a young kid. I'm 35 now and find your music aw inspiring. My dad (who's a guitar player/musician) introduced me to your music when I was a young kid and it's stuck since. My unborn child loves your music too. I was sitting there with my wife and she said she/he started to spin and kick from the first guitar lick from Luke!! Steve your guitar playing is the best I've seen since Steve Ray Vaughn played in Toronto in the mid 80's; and I've seen many concerts since. Bobby Kimball you still got it, Simon Phillips is a master on the kit. He's tastefully busy without sounding like 'too much' and Mike Porcaro was amazing on bass.

I'm absolulely honoured to have seen such a group of tight professional 'musicians' and not the regular rock star/pop act. I hope this message find you all well and keep rockin guys. We hope to see you up here again soon and maybe my son or daughter will be old enough so your music can inspire a 3rd generation of Watsons'.

Cheers and Peace All!!

Toto comes back to Canada after an 18 year absence! The show was an absolute blast. The guys were tearing it up in typical fashion with ultra-tight, unbelievable performances. What a luxury to listen to real music played by real musicians at the top of their game! I just can't find the right words to describe how good these guys are. It seems there's nothing they can't play perfectly with incredible ease and precision. So much talent and musicianship and, to my continuous amazement, so little recognition in North America, especially in the U.S. Sort of missed David Paich but who better than Greg Phillanges to fill-in? Meeting, talking to and grabbing some photos of Steve, Simon, Mike and Bobby after the show was a real treat! Toto - a million thanks for the great concert and for taking the time to talk to your fans. But please, please don't wait another 18 years to come back to Canada. Looking forward to the new album and to more live performances.

A dream come true. TOTO came to Casino Rama in Orillia, Ontario (1 hour north of Toronto), which according to Steve was their first concert in Canada in 18 years! For those of you who missed it, well, damn. As expected, Toto is the TIGHTEST band on stage. Anywhere. Period. I hoped for some of my favourite tracks and got them all, but was laughing my @$$ off when they rocked the house with Angel Don't Cry, something I'd never expected would make it to the concert playlist. A few fans clearly learned for the first time just how good the boys can rock. Oh yes, oh yes. And the new arrangement on I'll Be Over You absolutely mesmerized the crowd. Musicianship was all over the stage. Mr. Porcaro was clearly having way too much fun. I was almost angry when the show appeared to end way too early ... it was only when I checked the watch that 2 hours had slipped by in a flash, and what started with a punch ended with some heavy toms from Simon Phillips that just about blew the cuff of my slacks. No doubt about it, the finest show I've seen in many, many years. A treat to see TOTO live, a dream come true. COME BACK SOON, boys. I can't wait.

Oh my goodness! What a weekend, espcially at such beautiful place. My wife and I attended both shows and were not disappointed. Each show was great, but the second night was even better. After a short layoff working on their new album, the band had played a couple of gigs and they found their groove big time. John, who does the sound mixing, was very nice in helping get a CD to Simon that he had some trouble finding. Thanks again John! Even the sound mix was better the second night. And not to forget how great lighting was espcially on the more laid back tunes.

I have seen Simon play with Toto five times and his playing keeps getting better and better. His solo on the second night was even better then the one from the first show. Even my wife mentioned that Simon's solo had a musical quality and was, unlike many other drummers, just bashing. The sound of his drums and his playing were incredible. I have never heard his kick drums (British term for bass drums to non-drummers) played as fast and with such precision.

Luke's and Mike's playing were as great as ever. Bobby sounds as strong now as he did in the early Toto days. Tony's vocals and guitar work were terrific.

I've left mentioning Greg till last for a reason. His performance and enthusiasm were captivating. First, as we all know he is filling some mighty big shoes of Mr. David Paich and I think Dave can be proud. Not a key keyboard note was missed in songs that could be considered trademark to Toto's sound such as Africa and too many others to mention. His solos on both nights were were astounding. On the first night he did a wonderful rendition of "99" as part of his solo that left us both saying "wow" over and over. His animation, especially on Gypsy Train, reflects his enthusiam for the music.

After the second show my wife and I were kicking back in the Firestarter lounge and eventually some of the band came drifting in. Mike was very nice in chatting with us for a few minutes on his way out of the bar and we all shared a very big laugh about the kind words that Simon had said about him at a recent drum clinic. On our way down to the Casino on Sunday morning we ran into Luke as we stepped into the elevator, so that afforded a chance the speak with him for a few minutes. And, as luck would have it, a bit later I had a chance to speak with Simon in the lobby before the band left for New York, and he was very, very nice. He asked about as many questions of me as I did of him. It certainly completed a fantastic weekend.

Thanks again to all!

Just got back yesterday from seeing them outside of Toronto on 5/20 (and to Band- we flew all the way from Savannah, Georgia to see you!!) More than worth it. Another really great show. It was a really nice mix of old songs and newer and it was great to see fans there that appear about half my age!

David Paich was really missed but Greg Phillanganes did a bang-up job. Wish we had gotten tickets for both nights. I have talked to many people and they said they would love to see Toto again, just need some more U.S. dates.

It's been 18 years since Toto last crossed the border to play in Canada & the wait was well worth it. From the opening strum on Steve Lukather's guitar to the encore of Hold the Line, Toto didn't disappoint the soldout crowd in Orillia on May 21st. Lukather was the Master of Ceremonies & kept the crowd laughing with his stories & then bringing them to their feet with his outstanding guitar work. Bobby Kimball's vocal work was crack on as he worked the stage playing the crowd at the front & Mike Porcaro's bass playing was slick & funky. Simon's playing was nothing short of phenominal & his solo was the highlight of the night. I drove 6 hours each way to the concert & it is one I'd do again to see Toto play again. We up here in Canada hope that it doesn't take Toto another 18 years to return to the Great White North. Canada likes to rock & 18 years is too long to wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fantastic!....100% awesome. Had the good fortune to see the band for the second time in 3 days. We saw the show in Verona then headed to the Saturday show up in Orillia. Met Steve, Mike and Bobby after the show and had a beer with Steve and Mike. The shows were outstanding in both places. I brought people who are new to Toto that were talking about it the next day. Simon's drum solo in Orillia was brilliant...like a machine. Steve told me his fingers were on fire after the show...no wonder!!! You guys are a gift to those who appreciate great music and talent. I said this to Steve and Mike ...never stop. The great news is they said they won't... This is what they do. Lucky for us. I'm already waiting for me next chance to see the best! Want my hands on the new album too!

The band played Casinorama near Orillia, Ontario, Canada on May 20/21. The 20th show was their first on Canadian soil in 18 years. I had seen the band in the US in the 80s and I knew that the shows would be an awesome display of musicianship. I don't think anyone was disappointed. I don't remember seeing too many bands in the past that had such accomplished players at each instrument. Bobby Kimball's range has stood the test of time. The same cannot be said for many of his peers in similar 70s/80s rock bands. What could I possibly say about Steve Lukather's abilities? Virtuoso, guitar god......both true. As the frontman, Steve had the crowd in a great mood from the start of the show. His sense of humour was quite appreciated by all in attendance. Adding Simon Phillips to the band was a great move. This guy is a rock steady drummer. I sincerely hope 18 years don't pass again before these guys come back.

Well, finally Toto return to Canada. And while the absence was lengthy, it was worth the wait. They rocked. We saw both Friday and Saturday's 2 hour shows, and while both were excellent, the band chemistry was really clicking on Saturday night (even though no bras were fired up on stage like on Friday...). Bobby's voice was peaking, Simon and Mike were totally dialed in, with both their solos almost surpassing Friday's show, and Steve MC'd to the max. With David resting, we loved Greg's style. Tough shoes, but he filled them nicely including covering "Africa" in solid fashion. I finally got my brother back out, having last seen the band in New Orleans in 1999. He loved it even more. The song list could only have been better if they'd played for another 2 hours! I believe the size of the crowd (must have been 3500+ Fri, and close to 5,000 for Sat) must attest to the fact that we have missed you guys in Canada. Please come back soon !

Hi Guys,

I was at the May 20th 2005 concert at Casino Rama in Orillia Ontario Canada. I have been a Toto fan for as long as I can remember and it's the first opportunity I have had to see the band live. I was a little disappointed that David Paich was not able to attend but family issues always come first. You guys were spectacular. It was so great to see talented and professional musicians at their best. Being a drummer it was great to see Simon play and to hear all the favourites was just wonderful. I was re-energized to Toto when I bought your Amsterdam DVD and now I finally got to see you live. I will be buying up your previous releases on CD and hopefully catch up on all of your discography.

Thank you for a womderful perfomance and a chance to see all of you in person. Continued good luck and will be anxiously awaiting your new album.

Sincerely,

May 20/05 At Casino Rama Ontario Canada

WOW!!! Toto Blew my mind that night.It's been 18 years since they came back to Canada. I drove 400 miles to see them, chicks were throwing their clothes at Luke. Bras Too!!! They did a totally awesome version of Jimi Hendrix's Little Wing. Luke just cut up the arena ,It was CHAOS man!!!. I had a chance to talk to Luke at the Weir Restaurant where we stumbled up on then having dinner before the show. I forgot to ask for an autograph DUH? Bobby sang awesome on all the "Fergie Songs" era stuff. TOTO ROCKS FOREVER ...THANKS FOR THE SHOW TO ALL OF TOTO for I WILL REMEMBER.

Hello to all.
I had the typical pleasure of seeing the greatest band on Earth perform shows at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY and BB King's in New York City, NY. I will place emphasis on the longer of the show...Turning Stone.
Turning Stone's setting was that of a concert hall with intimate, close seating, superb acoustics, and BYOB requirements (if you know what I mean!). From song one, Toto had the attention of everyone and those initially upset with no sight of David Paich quickly fell in love with the play and personality of Toto's newest home run hitter, Greg Phillinganes.
ONLY THE CHILDREN got things going with strong, high background vocals from Greg and the ever dependable Tony Spinner. PAMELA, with passionate vocals from Bobby, is a great live track and makes me wish he had done the original. I WON'T HOLD YOU BACK, with a sample from the overseas hit version, showed off Luke's incredible voice, and, of course, his second-to none guitar playing. GIRL GOODBYE rocked with great soloing from Steve and Bobby sounding as good as he did in 1978 when this gem originated. I'LL BE OVER YOU was as pretty as ever with Luke's playing at the end reminiscent of Toto's LIVE IN PARIS-1990 version. Greg Phillinganes was introduced in time for GOOD FOR YOU, one of my personal faves from TOTO IV. AFRICA was, as always, a crowd pleaser with each member trading off their playing expertise.
GREG'S SOLO was magnificent with jazzy, longer keyboard interpretations of GEORGY PORGY, 99 (with soft, delicate playing turning suddenly into thunderous delivery), and CHILD'S ANTHEM strongly bringing the band back for BETTER WORLD and that wonderful, multi piece arrangement.
LUKE'S SOLO was totally tasty with a strong vocal version and playing of Hendrix's LITTLE WING with the band returning for the conclusion.
My favorite part of the show was the creative medleys Toto provided. While medleys can be boring, nothing is boring with Toto as they blend, quite beautifully, segments of songs together into masterful arrangements. At this point, we were treated to ANGEL DON'T CRY which led into a smaller segment of CARMEN. A brief taste of DAVE'S GONE SKIING launched the band into the cushiony soft and awesome THESE CHAINS. Concluding the medley was the Latin-flavored segment of MUSHANGA with Simon rolling over the drums so perfectly into his DRUM SOLO. I do not know what is more fun to watch... Simon's playing or the jaws dropping around me. He blends the finesse and power so seldom found in drummers and is a treat for the eyes and ears.
ROSANNA, with the groove meister, Mike Porcaro, laying down his famous and flawless beat, got the crowd on its feet and Greg proved, again, that he is the perfect fit in Toto, making the keyboard solo look ridiculously easy. GYPSY TRAIN, a favorite of mine, rocked the house and should never be taken out of the set (IMO). With the ENCORE came band intros and the song that got it all started...HOLD THE LINE. A classic night of pure Toto magic.

BB King's shows were shorter, but equally energetic with the NYC crowd (and special guests Will Lee and Paul Shafer from David Letterman) charged up all night in this small, intimate venue. Former background singers Jackie McGhee, John James, and Jenny Douglas popped up for HOLD THE LINE which was a real treat as each singer has tremendous talent. Amazing to me was how Toto ended the night (the second of two shows and the 4th straight night of traveling and/or performing). The energy level and quality in all phases was as good as Thursday's Verona show. They simply give it there all time after time after time.

Thanks to Toto (and crew like manager Martin Cole, Anita Heilig from Fitzgerald-Hartley, Steve 'Astro' (lighting director), Bob Bradshaw (guitar tech), and Pete (drum tech) for the great shows and friendship. It was awesome to hang with Len Ventura, Steve McVey, his pal and my new friend Will, Jasmin Wynd, all of my friends in Binghamton, Waleed Kaleel from Puerto Rico, and future stars Brian and Robbie LeBlanc (BLANC FACES is awesome!!!). Finally, my deepest thanks to Peter and Sally Yablonsky for their great hospitality all weekend in Apalachin, NY. I felt like royalty all weekend and have never been catered to so amazingly. And the cooking...none better!
God bless all and hope to see you all on the road.

Awesome concert guys.
My wife and I met up with and another couple are long time Toto fans. We first saw you guys in Raleigh, NC on the Toto IV concert. That was when Bobby had a cast on his leg, and you lost power due to a lightning storm. But that didn't stop you guys.you kept the crowd pumped till the power came back on.. It was cool. We've been hooked ever since.

The Verona concert was a trip we had planned as soon as we heard that Toto was playing in the US. We went KRAZY. The song selections were all we could have hoped for. The band was incredibly tight. Bobby's vocals were strong and piercing from the get go. No warming up necessary. Mike and Simon are the dynamic bottom that hold the band together, and do unbelievable things together. Steve will peal back you hair and (Wendy, this is for you)make you want to sell your guitar. What an incredible guitar player. Steve, we were sitting right behind the guy that you were trying to hand your guitar to that night. What was that all about? Tony, great guitar playing and high vocals. You've got to be good to be with these guys. Congrats! Finally Congrats to their new keyboard man Greg. You did and awesome job, and I appreciate you signing the autograph for my wife and her friend after the job. They met you after you had something to eat. It was her friends birthday. Great job.

My wife and her friend even got to hear you guys rehearse that afternoon outside in the hall. That's wherethey met you #1 fan Barney from Japan Bobby, we were lucky enough to see you at the table next to us at dinner before the concert at the Orange Blossom. That was like a dream come true to all of us. Didn't get you autograph though. Next time....Mike and Simon, I appreciate your autograph the concert where you ate on the way back to your rooms. It meant alot. Anyways guys, Until the next time. Home to see you more in the USA..

My first TOTO gig at Verona, NY and I still can't believe what I heard vocally and instrumentally from these guys. Superb vocals meets incredible soulful musicianship! I need another dose so I'm going again at BB Kings Blues Club in NYC tonight and if they played more dates in the area I'd be there too. What a pleasure to be a part of the audience and feel the MAGIC that Toto truly performs! Can't wait for the new release.

Wow !! Totally awesome concert !! Toto tore up the place and had everyone on their feet! This was my first live Toto concert and well worth the long wait for them to come to upstate NY. These guys simply get better and better with age..much like fine wine. I became a Toto fan with Toto IV and saw them win the grammy. Since then, there's never been enough Toto!
Luke,no words can describe the sounds you can play. Mike, ever the classy heartbeat of the band, Bobby,you simply rock ! Simon, there is no one better. Dave, hurry and get better ! Tony, magical voice. You guys know how to rock our world! Now, this is music!!

WOW. Let's talk tight, timing, musicianship.

It's been a long time since I've heard a band work together like the boys did last night.

I hope we can get them Back in the USA. It says volumes about the music industry

In the states when these guys can't get recognition for being one of the best American bands we have ever.

1:30 am, just back from the Turning Stone gig, still riding the high. Man, what can ya say, another blistering performance. This is my 4th show since '02, and it just gets better every time. The band was 'on' from the get-go......Luke was simply smokin'!!!! The setlist was amazing, (hearing 'Gypsy Train' was a dream come true!!) It's been said before on these boards, but it needs to be repeated, Bobby has never sounded better. And Si, well............Si's the best.....'nuff said. Had a chance to snap a pic with Mike after the show, thanks Mike......it means alot. Can't wait for the new album. If tonight was any indication of what's to come....look out everybody!!!

Thanks guys, it was a blast!!

I took my wife to a concert Saturday night in Long Beach that awed me from the first notes. Steve's guitar not working made it that much more real. The crisp sound of a bass guitar and drums layed down the perfect foundation for David and Steve. True musicians. I had never seen Toto live, but I've listened to your music since high school. Your songs are embedded in my mind and in my heart. The concert was so special I burned a cd from my Toto cds of the "Vault" set. Too bad you don't have a five-part concert series. You guys are legends. I wish I could have listened to each record live. So many more great songs that didn't get played. The whole Mindfields album or the whole first Toto album . "Georgy Porgy" is timeless. "Pamela" is my favorite and I'm glad that one made the list. Make the new record. I need it. I can't get enough of that clean sound and sweet harmony mixed with a punch. I lucked out even hearing about the Long Beach show. Wanted to go last year but David took the year off. That's understandble since you guys have been at it since I was a teenager. You guys are on a plateau most will never come close to.

My mind is officially blown!

I still haven't come down from the show at the Vault 350 in Long Beach Saturday. Wow, what energy! I hadn't seen Toto live since the mid-eighties down at the Coach House, so I was juiced when I heard they were going to be local. I sat upstairs for dinner and had great seats to see what turned out to be a phenomenal show. I was also really glad to see (and hear) Bobby this time around since he's always been my favorite. The whole band tore it up and it was highly contagious to see them having such a blast doing it. I was really impressed with the set mix - old and new, and not just Bobby's tunes. I know I'm biased, but I thought Bobby nailed "Only The Children"..not just once..but twice (technical problems). I loved the new arrangement of "I Won't Hold You Back". Can't wait for a new CD!!!

Guys, I've been diggin' your work since Child's Anthem and the plethora of talent and versatility still amazes me today. I actually came across my 8-Tracks (yes I said 8-Tracks) of Toto I and Hydra when I was cleaning up my garage last week. How cool is that?! Anyway, thanks for the decades of quality musicianship, artistry, and all-around ass kicking. You're simply the best!

Wow, and we thought Wednesday at the Coach House was a great show. Tonight, in Long Beach, Toto really took things to another height! The sound was awesome and the energy from both the audience and the entire band was spectacular. The set list was pretty much the same except that tonight it seemed different.....I've always felt that sitting front row had to be the way to ultimately enjoy a show, but this time I was seated in the mezzanine level (dinner reservations).....the sound, the excitement, the mood was felt all the way up where my husband and I were situated and objectively, the dynamics were truly incredible. Contributing to the revelry was the presence of both Dave and Greg on keys........the combination of these two heavyweights on board is just magical. During the encore, Hold The Line, Luke's son, Trevor, joined the guys on stage. There was a moment with Mike, Luke and Trevor all in a cluster jamming together that was really moving. I took a photo of Simon during his solo, check out the motion of his drum sticks.........the guy is phenomenal.

another road trip well worth it to see you guys in Las Vegas think we seen yea a few times house of blues, dessert inn, the hilton,freamont experience and boulder station and 1 time in phoenix, AZ where were from. that was an awesome show and it was cool seeing Luke play 2 songs with the band that was after the toto show the and it was cool to here the song only the children and all the other great songs i wish you would have done white sister that is on of my favorite songs but i hears live before can't win them all good luck with the new album and hope to see you soon in Vegas or Arizona

I've been a long time TOTO fan since 1978. I saw TOTO at the Desert Inn almost 5 years ago and I when I heard they were coming, I had to see them again. I drove down to Las Vegas with my girlfriend, Melynda, who's a new TOTO fan and eagerly anticipated the greatest live band in the world to perform and you guys exceeded expectations! Bobby has never sounded so good! I could tell you all were having a wonderful time and the love and dedication you show to true musicianship is an inspiration. After Luke's Little Wing solo, Melynda turned to me and said that she had never heard a better guitarist or been to a better concert. The feeling of Mike's base reverberated our souls, the precise syncopation of Simon's drums kept it all going, David and Greg's keyboards were magical! Melynda knew of TOTO as an "80's band". She's now seen the light - TOTO is a band for the ages. Thank you for such a wonderful night.

I have to say it was a complete surprise to see Paich. This concert was better than my last one in Miami on April 7th 1985. You guys are great, and I noticed you stuck in a new one there. Can't wait till the next tour, you better come back to Las Vegas. GREAT JOB

Hello!!! TOTO,this is mike and emmy praferosa from las vegas but we're originally from the philippines. we watched your concert here in vegas last march 26,2005 at boulder station casino. we are your number 1 fans. you are awesome and classy musicians. and nice people too...we have pictures with you guys.. it was a dream come true having met you at the back stage after the concert. and saw you perform very closely, i was able to see you during your concert in the phillipines twice but farther.... THANK YOU AND MORE POWER TO YOU GUYS!!!! LONG LIVE!!!! TOTO!!!!...YOUR THE BEST....

Hello from Las Vegas...Toto played Vegas often in the late 90's so when the Boulder Station venue showed up on their web site I ran to get 2nd row tickets....Heard a little bit of their 5pm sound check and found a quiet table to wait for dinner reservations...Luke, Tony Spinner and Simon walked by, headed toward the front desk...Simon then passed by again with suitcase in tow..Show started at 8:00...This is a small venue but the Las Vegas crowd was not disappointed and we showed the band how much they are loved in the U.S...This show featured both Paich and Phillinganes on keyboards...It was the thrill of the evening for me. Together they played about a 5 minute solo.. Greg Phillinganes is long time favorite of mine. David Paich was charming wearing his Boulder Station hat and an Elvis shirt...On the back on his keyboard he'd taped a sign that read "Boulder Station welcomes David Paich"..Luke was both entertaining and extraordinary as always..Simon is absolutely my favorite drummer in the world and tonight was yet another shinning example of why...Bobby, Tony and Mike were flawless as well....I can only hope that Toto will again feel at home in their home, the U.S. Hope to see them play many more U.S. venues especially Vegas...
Best wishes,

Well when I first arrived at the Fox theater I didn't know what to expect, hey Im 17 it was before my time :-), but as soon as the music started I said to myself, hey this sounds pretty awesome :-) Halfway through the concert ToTo had me up and out of my seat shakin it ! I didn't know the words, but I didn't care I had to boogie, it was great to see such top quality musicians giving it their all, and I could tell you guys were having a blast ! When I do start my career I want to have as much fun as you guys were having up there on the stage ! especially Greg up there on the piano :-) It was also such an honor to meet you all backstage ! you guys are awesome, and Simon, wow! I could'nt wait to play my drums when I got home ! Just meeting you gave me more motivation to take my drumming up to the next level, Best of luck to all of you, you are a great band, I am now a new fan of Rock ! luv yah Greg, you guys are the best !

Take care

I think it was Steven Lukather who said, "we're not rock stars, we're musicians".

And, as I wiped the tears of musical satisfaction that flowed from my eyes, I couldn't have said it better. But the show in Bakersfield, California (at the Fox theater), told a much deeper story. That show foretold the pending return of one the all time greatest bands, ever. And it was easy to see the reason why they sounded so good; they were happy ! Every tune had it's unique high points, as did each of the individual performances throughout. And on a personal note, I'd like to suggest that they continue with the "electronica" tinged gravy that they used on ' I won't hold you back '. Not too much to take anything away from their trademark sound, but just enough to make them as fresh and contemporary as ever. And welcome to Greg Philliganes, a legend himself.

Luke, Paich, Kimball, Porcaro, and Phillips + all together again = a musical contentment that reflects in their performance. As for me and my husband, we heard perfection, even though they'll be the first to tell us all about the mistakes and off-timing things that happened that night. That's just the musician's way. But, make no mistake, Toto is back !

Wow!
I FINALLY got to see Toto after a mere 17 years since the last time...
Sat in the front row at the Fox theatre in Bakersfield, and had to come all the way from Seattle to do it but hey - it was TOTALLY worth it!
Also brought my camera in and took some incredible pix - here's one for you to enjoy.
Thanks to all the guys and especially Mike P. for being so kind and taking the time to chat with an old die-hard Toto fan...

Now git yer butts to the Northwest, will ya guys?!! :-)

Thanks again.
Peace,

My girlfriend and I attended the concert at the Bakersfield Fox Theater Thursday night.
We met two ladies from Holland that had been to the concert in Amsterdam that is available on DVD, they were going to all the west coast shows. The start of the show was powerful with "Goodbye Girl" most of those around me in the 3rd row were singing almost as loud as Bobby. Steve showed off his sense of humor during the introductions. When he soloed on Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" it made me wonder what Hendrix would sound like if he were alive today... Hendrix lives on just as Jeff does every time these guy's take the stage. The rest of the concert was spectacular. Simon just about brought the house down with his solo... he has got to have the fastest feet in Drumming today. Steve said it all when he proclaimed "We're not Rock star's...we're Musicians" And that my friends is the difference! David and the new keyboard player Greg traded off on duties seamlessly. Mike's Bass work is a driving force. There were new medley's one which included a short "Dave's gone skiing" run. Hearing song's like "Pamela" and "I'll be over you" takes us back to when we first fell in love with TOTO!
Thanks guy's for allowing us the privilege of seeing again one of the greatest bands in Rock!

I just came back from the Bakersfield concert at the Fox Theater. I have been listening to Toto since the beginning and this show was Sensational. As I was listening and playing all the air instruments,I started thinking about what was happening in my life at that point in time when this one or that one came on. I was sitting in a wheelchair 5 feet to the right of the sound board and it was the perfect spot. "Girl Goodbye" is one of my favorite songs of all time and when they played that I went nucking futs, my girlfriend sitting beside me as I sang along almost note for note. The one that I wish would have been done would have been "Home of the Brave". My first rock concert ever and one of my favorite all time bands. Doesn't get much better than that.

Ensenada, B.C., Mex. 26 March 2005
Hello TOTO fans, my family and I went to see Toto in concert in San Juan Capistrano, it was an unforgettable night, we drove 5 hours, get across the border, we were so close to the stage, the concert unfold right in front of us, and that was very strange feeling, because almost seems like a dream, visually it was better than the DVD, but what kept us awake from the sensation of being in an illusion, was the tremendous energy TOTO, displays on the stage, and the spectacular way that Simon Phillps plays his druming set, it was powerful and sensitive.
TOTO, THANKS FOR THIS MAGICAL NIGHT, AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR NEW CD.

Thank you, TOTO, for taking some time off from your studio work to touch base with us fans and to release some of your energy on us..........we're looking forward to your next CD. Last night's show at the Coach House was just what we needed (hubby and I). Our seats were right at the corner of the stage where the access steps were. Much to my delight, Mike was set up on that part of the stage as well! Of course, Dave was missed last night, however, the void was pleasingly fulfilled by Greg.

For those of you who would like to know the set list:

Only The Children
Pamela~Great job
I Won't Hold You Back
Good-bye Girl
I'll Be Over You
Good For You
Africa
Greg solo~with a hint of 99 & others
Better World~loved it!
Luke solo~which eventually broke into the next song...
Little Wing~awesome work by the entire band after Luke's intro
Angel Don't Cry
A medley of tunes~Dave's Gone Skiing, These Chains, Mushanga...
Simon solo~Yowee
Rosanna
Gypsy Train~Absolutely loved this..........excellent job!!!
-encore-
Hold The Line

I hope this set list is accurate, I tried to stay on track, but hey, I may have gotten distracted here and there, with good reason! Now, on to Vault 350 in Long Beach!!