Toto w/ Christopher Cross and The Romantics at Mystic Lake Amphitheater, Shakopee MN (2026-08-26)

Goodbye Elenore
Rosanna
Hydra
Georgy Porgy
Keyboard Solo (Rai Thistlewayte)
I Won’t Hold You Back
Endless
Kingdom of Desire
Keyboard Solo (Dennis Atlas)
Pamela
I’ll Be Over You
I’ll Supply the Love
Taint Your World (with Keith Carlock Drum Solo)
Hold the Line
Africa (with Cristopher Cross and Wally Palmer)

intro
All Right
Never Be the Same
I Really Don’t Know Anymore
Dreamers
Sailing
Think of Laura
I Know You Well
The Light Is On
Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)
Say You’ll Be Mine
Ride Like the Wind

THE ROMANTICS SETLIST

Rock You Up
Do Me Any Way You Wanna
When I Look in Your Eyes
Got Me Where You Want Me
Little White Lies
Real Good Thing
Bop
She’s Got Everything (The Kinks cover)
Stone Pony
Talking in Your Sleep
What I Like About You

There’s a good reason that good songs survive generations, get used in other media, and frame the soundtrack of so many people’s upbringings. Quite simply, they are well-crafted, well-executed, and relatable on some additional level, for the collective audience to take them in and embrace them through the years.

The touring package of veteran musical acts Toto, Christopher Cross and The Romantics, who just finished their 32-show summer run, including this penultimate stop in the western Twin Cities suburb of Shakopee at the new Mystic Lake Amphitheater, can each humble brag as having more than one of those said types of classic songs.

Eager to experience this live, our resident fan-in-the-stands took in this anticipated show; armed with just his simple phone camera, and his honest exuberance to experience this evening of entertainment, to provide us with this ‘unofficial’ report and pics.

Still ‘holding the line’ in their 48th year, veterans rockers Toto can look back on over 50 million plus of combined album sales, and over a billion online streams this year alone, and could rest on their laurels of past achievements, but no. Led by guitarist Steve Lukather and vocalist Joseph Williams, they still obviously enjoy playing live- rekindling memories with their hits and introducing new generations to their music.

The band has always had a somewhat intricate structure and polished exterior to their songs; but in the live environment, not only are both facets enhanced (and with more volume) but it’s also easier to distinguish those recognizable hooks and melodies, that have made the group radio regulars over the decades.

If there was any doubt as to the individual band members’ musicianship, that was quickly erased during not one, but two keyboard solos (Rai Thistlewayte and Dennis Atlas), a drum solo (Keith Carlock), and of course, Lukather’s riffage and six-string expertise throughout (though, surprisingly, no separate solo for him).

“Rosanna” was played as the set’s second song, getting the crowd into a sing-along mood early, and even a lesser known but still Top 10 hit from 1982, “I Won’t Hold You Back”, kept the crowd engaged and excited.

The set and the evening would culminate with the band’s two biggest hits, “Hold the Line” and “Africa”; the latter of which turned the stage into an all-out party, with Romantics singer Wally Palmar and Christopher Cross, returning on stage for the musical send-off (no appearance from Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo, unfortunately, whose band breathed new life into the classic with their recent authentic cover version).

Maybe in retirement, Toto are “gonna take some time to do the things we never had” but that doesn’t appear to be anytime soon, (they’ve already booked some 2027 dates) and in the meantime, will continue to musically ‘hold the line.’​​​​

Playing as the middle act of three, singer Christopher Cross, now an active 75-years-young, was a welcome presence to see back on the summer touring circuit, and brought both the nostalgia of his heyday (his 1980 self-titled debut album alone, won five Grammy Awards), played to a renewed interest in the ‘yacht rock’ genre (of which he’s defintiely a part of), and had a modern leaning into the new, showing there’s still some wind blowing his sail forward.

The Oscar winner who has logged five Top 10 singles, had an impressive band and was backed by three superb background vocalists, which gave the songs a fuller sound. Cross also reminded the crowd that, in addition to his laid-back and smooth vocals, he could be a formidable guitarist as well- not afraid to cut deeper than the surface that the polished yacht rock sound implies.

“Sailing,” played mid-set, almost epitomizes yacht rock in a single song, but it didn’t come across as a dated relic of almost fifty years ago; instead, still a carefree summer song that demands a top-down drive, or casual outing on the nearest lake or bay cove.

We’d almost forgotten the timeless impasse of getting “caught between the moon and New York City” on “Arthur’s Theme” and “Ride Like the Wind” remains a breeze-in-your-hair, coastal Pacific Highway 1, chase-the-sunset, kind of lite rock classic.