“I only knew them by name. Toto isn’t part of my musical references. I must even admit I downloaded songs last week to get a real idea. But on stage, they’re fantastic! They’re not amateurs! It’s the kind of band that’s better to listen to on stage than on your couch,” admits Julie, a Nice student who prefers jazz, blues and French variety. Julie is a typical example of the Nice Jazz Festival audience and festivals in general. Unlike concerts, where all spectators are already won over in advance, at festivals, the audience doesn’t consist exclusively of “fans”. Not far from her is Pascal, 41 years old, from another generation with a different take: “Toto is a mythical band on the scale of Guns N’ Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers. I’ve always loved Toto. They don’t suffer the ravages of age. I even find them better. They seem to take even more pleasure on stage.”
Pascal uttered the word “myth” and it’s well deserved. Toto has all the characteristics of a mythical band. Created in 1976, it has sold millions of albums since then with hits that everyone has heard like “Hold the Line” from their first album in 1978, “Rosanna”, “Stop Loving You”, “Africa”… Like all great bands, it experienced separations but also the tragedy of losing one of its founding members, Jeff Porcaro, in 1992.
Friday in Nice, even if they weren’t at the beginning, all spectators left as fans humming Toto’s hits. Right from the start the sound was delivered, no one had time to hesitate. With each song, the audience received an impact from the quality of the musicians. It was a great concert with incredible guitar solos from Steve Lukather and excellent vocalist as well, Simon Phillips on drums and Greg Philinganes on keyboards. The heavyset singer Bobby Kimball was in sync with his companions.
Two hours of show for a great moment of music, one of those magical moments where rock, when each instrument is in symbiosis with the others, resembles classical music. Pure happiness. A mythical band was in Nice Friday.
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