There are few things finer in life than a warm summer night and the sweet sounds of yacht rock. The Pavilion at Star Lake played host to three icons of the genre when Men at Work, Christopher Cross, and Toto stopped in Burgettstown and brought us an evening of iconic yacht rock classics.
Men at Work kicked off the evening and Colin Hay was as sharp and charismatic as ever. From the first few notes of “No Restrictions,” the crowd was locked in. Hay’s voice sounds almost exactly like it did on the records and his dry Aussie humor between songs had everyone laughing. “As you can see, we still have the original band,” Hay joked, as he took the stage with most of his bandmates looking half his age.
The band delivered tight performances of classics like “Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive,” “Who Can It Be Now?” and, of course, the crowd favorite “Down Under.” The iconic flute riff hit and the entire pavilion came alive, but even that couldn’t match the energy of percussionist Cecilia Noël, who was an absolute standout on stage. Who knew the tambourine could go so hard?
Next up was Christopher Cross, bringing the mellow vibes and silky vocals that made him a yacht rock staple. Dressed in his cool, classic style, he eased the crowd into a more relaxed groove with “All Right” and “Never Be the Same.” Christopher and his band brought some cool relief to the hot and humid summer evening.
But it was “Sailing” that really put the yacht in yacht rock. People swayed, slow-danced and just soaked it all in. That song never gets old. Cross’s voice is still as smooth as ever, and the band, and especially the backing vocalists, were polished and full of cooling energy. He wrapped up with “Ride Like the Wind,” which had just the right amount of wind to sail us into Toto.
Toto blessed the rains down in Africa and kept them away from us for the evening. The start of the night was sweltering, but once the sun went down for Toto’s set, the temperature was perfect. From the moment they opened with “Child’s Anthem,” it was clear we were in for a masterclass in musical artistry. Steve Lukather’s guitar work was jaw-dropping and smooth as silk and Joseph Williams has the kind of vocal range most singers only dream of.
The setlist touched on all the Toto essentials. “Rosanna,” “Georgy Porgy,” and “Hold the Line” were songs I remember hearing on the radio growing up, especially during Nights with Alice Cooper. Yes, Alice played all the rock hits and not just the dark stuff. When they finally played “Africa,” it was pure nostalgia. Everybody knows this song and everybody loves this song. You cannot tell me otherwise and hearing it live was incredible.
This lineup delivered exactly what you’d expect from such legendary acts. If this tour is coming near you, don’t hesitate to grab a ticket, grab a drink and get ready to sail away.