This straightforward press release hit inboxes across the land last December: “Toto, Christopher Cross and Men at Work have announced plans to tour North America Summer, 2025, produced by Live Nation.” Was this missive, odd punctuation and all, lost in the mail in 1982, only to be repurposed 43 years later? For those who weren’t yet born or have forgotten: 1982 is the year USA Today debuted; Knoxville, Tennessee, hosted the World’s Fair; Jane Fonda released her first exercise video; and Steven Spielberg’s E.T. dominated both the box office and the imaginations of fascinated youngsters everywhere. It’s also back when radio was king and a cable channel called MTV started making waves with the help of videos like Toto’s “Rosanna” and “Africa” and Men at Work’s “Who Can It Be Now?” and “Down Under.”
Well, as you’ve likely discerned, it’s no longer 1982, yet these Top 40 juggernauts are still around, delighting lovers of well-crafted pop songs and reconstituted bands with at least one original member in their midst. Or, as Men at Work frontman Colin Hay said in the aforementioned press release: “The mix of Christopher (Cross), Steve (Lukather) with Toto and Men at Work rings true to me. I think it will make for an exciting night of music for old and new fans alike. Let’s go!”
Toto is the headliner. If their recent set lists are any indication, expect not only their biggest hits — including “Africa,” which, with its Caribbean rhythms and soaring chorus, has proven more durable than anyone could have imagined in 1982 — but also a drum solo and not one but two keyboard solos. And while Men at Work and Christopher Cross don’t have anything as enduring as “Africa” (though Cross’ “Sailing” comes close), they each have plenty of recognizable tunes to have nostalgists everywhere nodding their heads in appreciation. If only we could get Casey Kasem to emcee this thing.
Toto with Men at Work and Christopher Cross play Riverbend Music Center on Aug. 3 at 6:45 p.m. More info: riverbend.org.
This story is featured in CityBeat’s July 23 print edition.
This article appears in Jul 9-22, 2025.