Toto, Men at Work and Christopher Cross Rock Phoenix
by Kevin Wierzbicki
Toto, Men at Work and Christopher Cross - August 21, 2025 - Arizona Financial Theatre, Phoenix
The Phoenix appearance of Toto, Men at Work and Christopher Cross was an evening for fans to reminisce and enjoy performances by three acts whose catalogs are filled with big hits, and they played them all!
Christopher Cross
Cross opened the triple bill and perhaps presaging the mood of the entire evening he began his set with "All Right," a lively cut that besides featuring his smooth vocals also showcased his three back-up singers; the ladies would have other chances to shine throughout the show as there were many moments when their voices were "up front." Cross's set was relatively short but rewarding with takes on "Never Be the Same" and the jazzy "I Really Don't Know Anymore" leading into his big hit "Sailing." A bit of a subdued moment came with the singing of "Think of Laura" which Cross explained was about someone dear to him who passed away long ago. Of course Christopher performed his big hit "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)," a cut that he co-wrote with the late Burt Bacharach. The show built to a crescendo with takes on "The Light is On," "No Time for Talk" from his second album and the boisterous set closer and smash hit "Ride Like the Wind."
Men at Work
While front man Colin Hay also records and tours as a solo act, the Australian new wave act Men at Work remains a going entity and they were welcomed warmly by the full house at their Phoenix show. Hay had a smile on his face throughout the performance, making little quips here and there, and the fun he was having easily transferred to the audience. The band's set included "Can't Take This Town," a rocker that also featured a slinky sax solo, and "Down by the Sea," a cut from Men at Work's debut album Business as Usual which was released in late 1981 in Australia and early 1982 in the States. Hay told an amusing story about how he wrote the song and got a big laugh from the audience when he explained that a friend had come by with some "Sumatra tripping grass" and that smoking the potent marijuana had gotten him exceptionally high, joking that the song clocked in at four hours and 40 minutes when it was worked out that evening. As it stands these days the song is appropriately mellow except for the end when the drums come in fairly heavily. The set rocked to a big finish with all the band's smash hits, from "Overkill" to "It's a Mistake" where Hay urged the crowd to sing along (they did) and sing from their diaphragm, and into perennial favorite "Who Can it Be Now?" The biggest Men at Work hit, the playful "Down Under," was the next to the last song and the audience had a ball singing along to the cut. A take on "Be Good Johnny" closed the set. Notably, Hay's wife Cecilia Noel was a big part of the band's energy as she danced around the stage, contributing also to background vocals and on percussion.
Toto
Already having heard lots of fun songs, the audience was ready to rock out with melodic hit makers Toto and they were rewarded with a thrilling 15-song set that included material from throughout the band's career. Only guitarist and singer Steve "Luke" Lukather remains from the original Toto line-up but the band has always been known for being made up of consummate musicians and the current group is no exception. Besides Lukather, Toto today is singer Joseph Williams, drummer Shannon Forrest, bass man John Pierce, "new guy" Dennis Atlas on keys and vocals, the legendary Warren Ham on sax and percussion and revered player Greg Phillinganes on keys. The show opened with "Child's Anthem," an instrumental from the band's 1978 self-titled debut album and then moved into the soaring "Carmen," a vocal cut featuring Williams that has a similar feel as the Jefferson Starship song "Jane." The audience didn't have to wait long to hear one of the band's biggest hits as "Rosanna" was played early in the set and with the addition of a long jam to finish the song. "99" led into "Mindfields," the title cut from the band's 1998 album, and Williams explained that the song found its way into the set by virtue of winning a fan balloting. Williams also explained that he wrote the next song, "Pamela" about a relationship that didn't end well; ironically the song contains the lyric "I'll be yours forever." Phillinganes played a stunning piano intro to "I Won't Hold You Back" and Lukather tuned into a choogling guitar riff for "Angel Don't Cry." Another favorite, "Georgy Porgy," led into "White Sister," complete with a burst of psychedelic lights; it was followed by "I'll Be Over You" and "Stop Loving You," a cut that Lukather wrote with former Toto member David Paich. A trio of smash hits ended Toto's set: "I'll Supply the Love," "Hold the Line" and everyone's favorite, "Africa" for which Colin Hay and members of Men at Work joined the band and the audience in a massive singalong. The set was filled with stellar musicianship and awesome lead and harmony vocals and thanks to excellent camera work and two large video screens fans could see close ups of, for example, Lukather's fiery fretwork as he lived up to his guitar god status.
Toto remains on tour through the end of August and then they'll be headed to South America and Mexico late in the year. Find tour dates here.
For a listing of Live Nation shows in Phoenix and elsewhere go here.
