Toto Extends North American Tour

Scott Legato / RockStarProPhotography.com – Steve Lukather of Toto
Freedom Hill Amphitheatre, Sterling Heights, Mich.

Toto is blessing the rains down in North America by booking another leg of gigs in the States. 

Forget Weezer’s version of “Africa” or the chicken cover of the 1982 single – it’s all about the real deal from the rock band formed in 1976 in Van Nuys, Calif. 

That being said, Weezer’s take on the classic song had a full circle moment last night on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” when Toto’s Steve Porcaro surprised the audience by appearing in the middle of the performance to do his thing on the keys. 

Long before Weezer’s cover earned a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 (No. 89 for the week – its first song on the chart since 2009’s “If You’re Wondering If I Want You To”), the world has been enamored with “Africa.” A November story from Vice broke down “How ‘Africa’ by Toto Became the Internet’s Favorite Song.” 

Ben Lunt, Executive Digital Director at London-based ad agency BMB, told Vice, “Usually when something becomes a meme there’s something that’s being subverted. There’s not a lot of subversion going on with the ‘Africa’ meme. People are mostly just using it as an expression of joy and love.”

Of course, there is much more to Toto than “Africa.” Just check out the band’s greatest hits package, 40 Trips Around The Sun, which debuted in the Top 40 in eight different countries. For more Toto, you can pre-order the limited edition release of their definitive box set, All In. 

Toto’s 40th anniversary tour, also dubbed “40 Trips Around The Sun,” kicks off July 30 in Vancouver. Here’s the routing, with the new dates bolded.  Presales start June 13 and the general onsale begins June 15.

July 30 – Vancouver, British Columbia, The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts

July 31 – Seattle, Wash., Moore Theatre

Aug. 1 – Portland, Ore., Revolution Hall

Aug. 3 –  Oakland, Calif., Fox Theater

Aug. 4 – Reno, Nev., Grand Sierra Resort & Casino – Grand Theatre

Aug. 5 – Modesto, Calif., Gallo Center for the Arts

Aug. 7 – San Diego, Calif., Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay

Aug. 8 – Costa Mesa, Calif., Pacific Amphitheatre (Orange County Fair)

Aug. 10 – Henderson, Nev., Sunset Station Hotel & Casino – Sunset Amphitheater

Aug. 11 – Grand Junction, Colo., Las Colonias Amphitheater

Aug. 12 – Littleton, Colo., The Hudson Gardens and Event Center – Outdoor Amphitheatre

Aug. 14 – Grand Prairie, Texas, Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie

Aug. 15 – Austin, Texas, Stubbs

Aug. 17 – Nashville, Tenn., Ryman Auditorium

Aug. 18 – Atlanta, Ga., Atlanta Symphony Hall

Aug. 19 – Springfield, Mo., Gillioz Theatre

Aug. 21 – Kansas City, Mo., Crossroads KC

Aug. 23 – Windsor, Ontario, The Colosseum At Caesars

Aug. 24 – Grand Rapids, Mich., Meijer Gardens Amphitheater

Aug. 25 – Northfield, Ohio, Hard Rock Live 

Toto just completed a run of shows through Europe, including a sold-out gig at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome that sold 15,826 tickets and grossed more than $1.1 million. Visit Toto’s Pollstar page for more information.