Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
2020 will always be with us, it will be impossible to look back upon our lives in the future and not think of it, to focus on an area of loss, on a moment of pain, but in this respect, we must also think on those who helped, who aided us during a collective era of uncertainty, and when we remember that we made it when we can say with love and honour, With A Little Help From My Friends we survived and found reasons to live, laugh and remain positive.
Time is relative, if this had all happened in a different time, then the ability for art to survive, especially in the live arena, would have been the issue that would have kept us lonely, separated, unable to connect with like minded people; but thanks to innovation, thanks to the artists being able to perform for thousands without leaving home. The risk being counteracted by love, by the acceptance of belief.
Every gig is always special in that respect, every moment when you can connect with another human being in the pursuit of pure emotion and that crackle of electricity, is to be savoured, and yet on November 21st 2020 the extraordinary was to be found online as the classic American group Toto performed to a live audience via the internet. Special because it was truly global event, one that showed the new incarnation of the band that has given millions of fans that belief, that sheer sense of love, off with panache and style.
Joining Steve Lukather, Joseph Williams and David Paich are John Pierce, Robert Searight, Steve Maggiora, Dominique Taplin and Warren Hamm; proof if it were needed that the no matter the incarnation, the music sounds incredible, it sounds beautiful.
The performance included Till The End, the sublime Hold The Line, the classic Rosanna, Kingdom Of Desire, You Are The Flower, I Won’t Hold You Back, and the album title track, a tremendous cover of The Beatles’ With A Little Help From My Friends.
Time, it is on our side, but we must accept the help from friends to see us through the darkness that occasionally blights our way, and if we can find the way to still utilise art to make the life beautiful, then that is friendship in a nutshell.
Classic Toto across the ages, a band that has never gone out of style, return for another round around the sun.
Toto release With A Little Help From My Friends on June 25th via The Players Club/Mascot Label Group.
Ian D. Hall