TOTO + CHRISTOPHER CROSS WEMBLEY ARENA LONDON WEDNESDAY 5TH FEBRUARY 2025

I’m shown to my seat and my initial response is one of joy; just seventeen rows back and I’ve got a reasonable view of the stage, albeit over to one side. I’m feeling pretty pleased with myself, concluding I made a great choice with my ticket. The venue is filling up nicely, and yet, nearly an hour after doors, there’s a suspicious number of vacant seats, the row in front of me barely occupied. It’s almost like there’s a lot of people waiting for Christopher Cross to start before they come in. Oh. Turns out there are. The lights have dimmed and I can hear Cross’ backing singers getting the bouncy ‘All Right’ underway, but I can’t really see them as the remaining hordes pour in, the frustrating upping and downing of people having to let people into their row, the murmuring of “sorry” as another has to squeeze past. It’s utterly distracting and persists for some time, as does the incessant chatter of those who probably should have just waited in the bar. It’s impossible to lose myself in the music, which is a shame, as Cross and his band sound good.

Rumours that Cross’ vocals have significantly deteriorated since his heyday seem a little exaggerated, and he does a particularly lovely job of the ballad, ‘Think of Laura’. Admittedly, there are moments where he seems a little breathless (forgive him for being 73!), and I’m sad that Michael McDonald doesn’t miraculously appear to lend his inimitable backing vocals to ‘I Really Don’t Know Anymore’ and ‘Ride Like the Wind’. I guess it’s a bit much to hope for, and the three female vocalists do a decent job. Cross’ songs prove timeless, as the reaction to ‘Sailing’ attests, an immediate roar as the first delicately plucked notes reverberate around the arena. ‘Arthur’s Theme’ is similarly well received, and puts Cross’ impressive saxophonist in the spotlight. For me, the set peaks with ‘The Light Is On’, a song that bounces along with such breezy brightness, you’d think writing a chorus this catchy was easy.

Initially, I'm disappointed to discover Toto have dropped ‘Goodbye Girl’ as their opening number for this leg of the tour, but ‘Child’s Anthem’ is a worthy replacement and recreated in such spectacular fashion, that the audience is immediately on its feet. Not a problem, as such, and a clear sign of appreciation, but not ideal for those of us who are somewhat vertically challenged. At a very average 5 foot 5, I often struggle to see past the various tall men who inevitably end up in front of me. Oh well, I figure we’ll sit down in a minute, but as ‘Carmen’ gets underway we still haven’t! The band sound absolutely incredible but I’m struggling to catch a glimpse. As the band dispense ‘Rosanna’ at this early stage, I realise I’ve got no chance, we’re on out feet for the long haul. It’s a shame, as when we we’re all seated, I can see, but I can’t complain about the atmosphere which is utterly jubilant. There’s something quite magical about being part of this crowd, singing “meet you all the way”, imagining we sound as good as Joseph Williams, undoubtedly falling somewhat short!  

Unbelievably, it’s the Toto’s first time at Wembley Arena and they’ve come with a set list that strikes a perfect balance between hits and unexpected deep cuts, seemingly engineered to disarm anyone who wrongly sees Toto as ‘just’ soft rockers. The reality is, this is a band who can play anything, from the light funk of ‘Georgy Porgy’ to the soulful ‘Pamela’ and the driving ‘White Sister’. It’s a treat to hear a smooth ‘Mindfields’ finally get a live debut, and the similarly overlooked ‘I Will Remember’ is truly moving, a song that I wonder how I've missed. 

It’s almost impossible to convey just how impressive Toto are as a band, the perfection achieved in their studio work is reflected and even elevated in their live performances. To have so many top tier singers in one band seems almost unfair, the harmonies are just beautiful throughout. Perhaps most revelatory is Dennis Atlas, who renders me stunned with a show-stopping vocal performance during ‘Angel Don’t Cry’, hitting the high notes with ease; a relative youngster at 36, he’s also a talented keyboard player, keeping us entertained with an engaging solo. I enjoy Shannon Forrest’s drum solo just as much, but can’t help feeling that I’d rather drop these indulgences in favour of some more songs (bring back ‘Burn’!). 

Steve Lukather introduces us to a “magic guitar” that belonged to Jeff Beck, claiming modestly that it won’t make him magic. He doesn’t need it to, because Lukather has enough magic of his own. A strutting ‘Don’t Chain My Heart’ provides an opportunity for him to show off his prowess, shredding a solo with real passion. I feel even greater admiration as he introduces the band, treating us to brief snippets of their session work in the process. I’m in awe of how immaculate these men sound, whether they’re locking into the riff from ‘Beat It’ or ‘The Power of Love’, or highlighting Joseph Williams vocals as featured in Disney’s ‘The Lion King’.

The evening inevitably concludes with the big hitters; and most bands can only wish for songs as huge as ‘Hold the Line’ and ‘Africa’. I'm giving the harmonies my best shot as we go for another "it's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you", and I'm not the only one! I’ve seen a lot of bands over the years, but I’ve not seen many who sound quite as spectacular as Toto. Let’s hope they don’t leave it quite so long for a return visit next time .