Toto celebrates their 35th Anniversary at the Atlas Arena in Lodz, Poland during their 2013 World Tour. The 3-disc [Blue-ray] DVD was released early in 2014 to stellar reviews – critics are calling it flawless.
I finally broke down and purchased the HD video through iTunes after the price had dropped considerably. Every time I play it, I find another segment to be my “favorite”. Eventually, every cut on it may end up as a favorite at one time or another.
Lead vocalist, Joseph William, son of renowned composer John Williams, has been with the band off and on since the 1980s, but since returning in 2010, has been a regular member. Unfortunately, the tour was the last for spectacular drummer Simon Phillips and phenomenal bass guitarist Nathan East (original member of Fourplay), as both have moved on to other projects. East was nominated for a Grammy Award for his solo album in 2014, not long after wrapping up this Toto tour.
Toto has always been considered a band of “studio musicians”, so the swapping in and out of members in nothing new to them. As long as the nucleus of the band, David Paiche and Steve Lukather remain, Toto will continue, and though the Porcaro brothers have been an integral part of the band since its earliest days, with the recent passing of Michael, there are down to only one brother, keyboardist Steve Porcaro.
I’ve been an avid fan of David Paich since his days with Boz Scaggs on the Silk Degrees album of the mid 1970s.
