Iconic Band With Several Recognizable Songs Wow An Appreciative Crowd at North Charleston Performing Arts Center

Jeff Walker,  Entertainment Writer

Just one short year of celebrating their 50th anniversary, Toto kicks off 2026 with a more intimate show, as they brought their 'An Evening with Toto' to the North Charleston Performing Arts Center Tuesday (Feb 24th) night. Peppered with deep cuts and familiar Top 40 hits, the band entertained 1300 plus appreciative fans for more than two hours at the PAC.

Led by noted guitarist and founding member Steve Lukather, and 40 year lead singer Joe Williams, the seven member band are incredibly tight, so much so that if you paid for musicianship alone, the ticket price is well worth it. Lukather still shreds the guitar like a skilled axe-man, and Willams' voice is as fluid as ever, with the remaining members resumé including stints with Mick Jagger, Ringo Starr, Sammy Hagar, and Taylor Swift.

Diehard followers no doubt embraced the band as they opened with 'Goodbye Elenore' a solid track off their third album 'Turn Back' from 1981. They had no problem getting the mostly baby boomer crowd on their feet, when they followed with 'Rosanna', a Top 10 hit in nine countries around the world in 1982, reaching number two on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Although 'Georgy Porgy' off the 1978 debut album didn't crack the Top 40, it's become a standard in almost all of their concerts, and one audiences can easily sing along too. Fans had little trouble swaying to 'Pamela', the funky semi-ballad tune that peaked at #22 on the charts off their appropriately titled 'The Seventh One' from 1988. Williams said it was about and ex-girlfriend he was dating, and was advised by his psychiatrist to perform the song everyday. That brought a nice chuckle from the crowd.

Up tempo ballads ensued with 'Stop Loving You' (which received stronger support in Europe) and the hit single 'I'll Be Over You', which spent two weeks at number one on the Adult Contemporary chart, becoming Toto's second song to reach number following 1983's 'I Won't Hold You Back', a chart topper they offered up earlier in their setlist.

Too their credit and Lukather's creativity, Toto know how to fill their shows with a good mix of pop, rock, funk, and harder edge songs, offering up well-placed guitar solos (Lukather), around a superb keyboard solos by Rai Thistlethwayte and Dennis Atlas.

The often misunderstood piano-driven '99' featuring Lukather on vocals paved the way for another crowd favorite 'I'll Supply The Love' off 'Hydra' (1979) and their debut album respectively. In want can only be described as a tribute to the brotherhood of Toto, Lukather offered up a shout to Jeff and Mike Porcaro as he segued into 'Gift of Faith', reflecting the loss of his former band members.

The stage was set for an epic finale. Rather than exit the stage as a prelude to an encore, Toto ripped right into 'Hold the Line', the band's 1978 breakthrough hit, reaching #5 on the pop charts, which is remarkable during the heavy laden disco era.

With the crowd on their feet, Lukather chimed in saying 'are you ready for that song?', baiting even the casual Toto fan for the band's signature song, wasting no time as they rolled out the red carpet for 'Africa'. Ranked number 452 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, the infectious ditty has become the band's closing number and easily one of the greatest sing-along songs of all time. In June 2024, the music video reached the one billionth view milestone on YouTube. 

An extended version of 'Africa' complete with instrumental solos provided a nice exit for the band, and for the 1300 plus fans in attendance. Toto's core following is so devoted that several drove as far as three hours away to see the band. With 2027 marking their 50th year, there's no telling what Toto have in store for diehard fans, but given how they performed at the PAC, it's as clear as Lukather proclaimed 'why do I do it, to keep the music alive'. 

Steve Lukather, Joe Williams, and the rest of Toto will be touring throughout 2026, teaming up with fellow 1980's hitmakers Christopher Cross and The Romantics for a 33 city summer tour that takes them across America and Canada. For more and dates visit https://totoofficial.com/