Toto, Christopher Cross & The Romantics – The Mann Center – Philadelphia (A PopEntertainment.com Concert Review)
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Toto, Christopher Cross & The Romantics – The Mann Center – Philadelphia, PA – July 26, 2026
Toto supplied the night, baby, and Christopher Cross supplied the love. Well, that’s not completely fair, all three acts in this back-to-the-80s nostalgia tour had their share of love songs and their share of rockers – sometimes both at the same time.
This is the second straight summer tour that Toto and Christopher Cross have done together, only the opener has changed. Last summer the opening act was the eccentric Australian synthpop hitmakers Men at Work. For this year’s tour, leading things off was the new-wave power-pop combo The Romantics.
The Romantics were one of the heroes of the skinny-tie brigade of pop/rockers, having a few hits in the early-to-mid 80s, and creating at least two stone-cold genre standards.
The band is made up of original lead vocalist (and rhythm guitarist and harmonica player) Wally Palmar, longtime lead guitarist and backing vocalist George “Coz” Canler (who was not part of the original band but joined in 1980 and was part of the glory years), and newer members Bruce Witkin (bass and backing vocals), Joey Malone (guitar and backing vocals), and drummer Mike Rizzi.
While Palmar did most of the vocals in the tight 11-song set, most of the other band members got a song or two to take over leads. They also previewed a new song called “Real Good Thing” – Palmar sang lead on that one and announced it would be available in a week or so – and it captured the band’s guitar-driven power pop aesthetic with a bit of modern flair. They also did a spirited, fun cover of The Kinks’ B-side rarity “She’s Got Everything,” which had also been featured on The Romantics’ 1980 debut album.
One notable issue, though – I’m not sure if it was because his voice was mixed a little low or just that he has lost a bit of his vocal ability, but Palmar’s vocals tended to get buried in the mix, particularly on the hit single “One in a Million.” But even when audible, he was clearly working hard to hit and hold notes. Palmar has been largely off the touring circuit for years, and at times it showed. However, the band sounded tight and his vocals were higher in the mix for the band’s two signature songs: the bratty, hard pop of “What I Like About You” and the new-wave bounciness of “Talking in Your Sleep.”
Honestly, the crowd was less engaged with The Romantics than the other two bands. It wasn't until the last two songs – "Talking in Your Sleep" and "What I Like About You" – that they really got involved. In fact, I doubt most people knew the first eight songs of the setlist, since they bundled their three hit singles at the very end of the set.
Christopher Cross, on the other hand, came right out with the hits – although not necessarily his biggest hits. Decked out in dress pants, shirt, a gray vest and a snazzy hat, he launched into the opening song – which was a slowed down, jazzy reinvention of his 1983 hit “All Right.” He followed it up with a joyous version of the third single from his classic 1980 debut album, “Never Be the Same,” which is quite possibly my favorite song of his career.
Other songs from the debut included a muscular take on the blue-eyed soul lament “I Really Don’t Know Anymore” and an inspirational run through “The Light is On.” Cross also returned the fourth single from the album to his set – when I saw him two years ago it was conspicuously absent – and did a big-hearted version of the hopeful love song “Say You’ll Be Mine” with its wall of gospelized harmonies.
Cross’ band included muscular backing by backing vocalists Bella Hicks, Lisbet Guldbaek, and Stephcynie, keyboardist/pianist Curtiss Brengle, drummer Joel Rosenblatt, bassist Kevin Reveyrand and saxophonist/flutist Andy Suzuki.
One of the night’s most unexpected high points came when Cross generously gave backing vocalist Bella Hicks a chance to shine in a duet on the semi‑obscure ballad “I Know You Well” (from his 1998 album Red Room). She hit it out of the park, her Broadway-style vocals soared and danced with Cross’ distinctive soft and melodic tenor to make this song that most of the crowd did not know one of the set’s definite highlights.
Fun fact: Some extremely proud close relatives of Hicks – perhaps her mother and father, but maybe an aunt and uncle – were sitting two rows ahead of us at the show, waving wildly to Bella and she made a heart for them with her hands from the stage. Hicks later came back into the crowd to see them and watch a few songs of Toto’s set with her family.
Of course, throughout the set the hits were what got the audience riled up. The tender tribute to a lost friend “Think of Laura” – which became a hit in 1984 due to its inclusion in the then popular soap opera General Hospital – had the audience swaying along. Another late friend was memorialized a few songs later, when Cross dedicated “Arthur’s Theme (The Best That You Can Do)” to his old friend and co-writer on the song, Burt Bacharach, who Cross called “one of the greatest songwriters of my generation.”
He closed the set out (other than the impromptu acoustic reprise of “Sailing”) with his biggest gun, his breakout single “Ride Like the Wind,” which had the entire Mann on its feet. The guitar solo – which is widely considered one of the great solos recorded but overlooked because it was mixed too low in the original single – was allowed to coil and writhe on the stage, with Cross memorably showing off his overlooked skill as a guitar hero.
Speaking of guitar heroes, one of the ultimate axe-wielders was ready to make his presence felt in Toto’s set. Steve Lukather (Luke to friends and fans alike) is the only original member of Toto still active in the band – keyboardist David Paich does occasional drop-ins on shows, but he did not appear at this show. Lead vocalist Joseph Williams (the son of movie soundtrack maestro John Williams!) has been with Toto since 1986 and sang some of their later songs like “Pamela” and “Without Your Love.” (Fun trivia fact: He also sang “Hakuna Matata” in the movie The Lion King.)
The rest of the group was a formidable group of seasoned musicians like drummer Keith Carlock, bassist John Pierce (a legendary session musician and Luke’s best friend since childhood), longtime sideman Warren Ham who handles horns, percussion and backing vocals, keyboardist Rai Thistlethwayte and keyboardist and vocalist Dennis Atlas.
Toto is known for its incredibly tight live shows – they sound as good in concert as in the studio – and with this lineup they did not disappoint. They stormed the gates opening with a fan favorite deep cut – “Goodbye Elenore” from the 1981 album Turn Back, and it was immediately clear that the band was in sync.
Luke said he wanted to go back in the wayback machine and play a song “for our brother David Paich, at home, because he’s the only one at this very moment that is naked and yet not knowing.” Then they rolled out a playful rendition of the hit “Rosanna” which had the Mann’s crowd on its feet two songs into the set.
“You guys feel like getting a little funky right now?” Luke yelled to the crowd as the band launched into a disco-vibed version of “Georgy Porgy” – a potent reminder of the blue-eyed soul the group excelled at when they were first starting out as Boz Scaggs’ band on the Silk Degrees album and tour.
After an extended virtuosic keyboard solo by Thistlethwayte bridging the songs, Toto eased into the sweet, soft heartbreak of “I Won’t Hold You Back.” Williams’ vocals soared and throbbed with emotion through the slow-burn ballad, and it climaxed with one of Luke’s most delicately expressive and moving guitar solos.
A newer member of the band got the spotlight next. Luke explained they had not performed “Endless,” for years because they hadn’t found a singer who could pull off the “rawk” vocals since their late compatriot Fergie Frederiksen. He then introduced keyboardist Dennis Atlas, “he’s the new kid, he’s going to kick some ass for you,” and Atlas, with his Robert Plant screech and rock god curls tore the house down.
Later Atlas also got an extended keyboard solo. Also, Keith Carlock delivered that most elusive moment – a drum solo which was not only not self-indulgent but was actually kind of stunning in its ability and craft.
Then the band settled into the homestretch, closing out on a run of five straight big hits. “[This] is a song about a girlfriend of mine, and it wasn’t the best ending to a relationship,” Williams acknowledged as he tore into a heartfelt version of his song “Pamela” which featured an instrumental face off between one of Luke’s tightest guitar solos and another featured keyboard run by Thistlethwayte.
“We’re going to slow things up a little bit,” Luke said as they turned things back down for a gorgeous take on “I’ll Be Over You” – which he called “a love song for all you young lovers of all ages.” Cell phones were waving all over the Mann. Then the band returned to a double shot of hits from their debut album, slamming, screeching takes on the rock classics “I’ll Supply the Love” and “Hold the Line.” The night closed on a high as Cross, his backing vocalists and Palmar returned to the stage to join Toto for a spirited version of their epic classic hit “Africa.”
The show was not just nostalgia for the people who still remember seeing the bands in their first go-arounds. Our photographer, who is only 21 years old and has learned of these bands through modern exposure – The Romantics through the placement of “Talking in Your Sleep” in Five Nights at Freddy’s, Christopher Cross through her brother, who had seen Cross a couple of years earlier and shared the music, and who was just a huge fan of “Africa,” said this may have been one of the best shows she’s ever seen. Compared to musicians of her age, these acts rely on pure musicianship and talent, and a healthy dose of charm and showmanship as well. She admitted she cried during “Arthur’s Theme” and was transported by actually seeing “Africa” performed live.
These bands all supplied both the night and the love. The best that you can do is fall in love.
Jay S. Jacobs
Copyright ©2026 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: July 28, 2026.
Photos by Jordan Wagner © 2026. All rights reserved.