Toto may be past its prime as a multi-platinum recording band, but Live in Amsterdam offers abundant proof that their performances are as electrifying as ever. Recorded in Amsterdam's Heineken Music Hall on February 17, 2003, near the end of Toto's 25th anniversary world tour, this dynamic concert serves as a cheerful reminder that Toto have been alive and well and recording steadily since 1978.
The band's 2002 release Through the Looking Glass was an album of covers, two of which are welcomed here: "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is a prime showcase for guitarist Steve Lukather, and "Bodhisattva" is a tight, meticulous tribute to Toto's original drummer, the late Jeff Porcaro, and his classic sessions with Steely Dan. The mega-hits "Africa," "Rosanna," and "Hold the Line" are perfectly executed, and in a band full of talented singers, lead vocalist Bobby Kimball sounds better than ever.
Two impressive medleys show the band in full gear as a comfortable unit of seasoned professionals, highlighted by impeccable work from keyboardist David Paich, bassist Mike Poracaro, and ace drummer Simon Phillips (who also produced and mixed this recording). And while 35 minutes of Porcaro's backstage home-video might seem frivolous, it shows a band that's still having fun, as reflected in the beaming smiles of their appreciative Amsterdam audience.
--Jeff Shannon