By Marisa Dawson, Photos provided by SKH Music (individual photo credits on each image)
Toto, the legendary rock band behind timeless hits like “Africa,” “Rosanna,” and “Hold the Line,” is set to bring their acclaimed “An Evening With Toto” tour to Omaha on Monday, March 9 at the Orpheum Theatre. The performance is scheduled for 7:30 PM, promising fans music in an intimate, no-opening-act format that highlights the band’s virtuosity and enduring chemistry.
Tickets are available for purchase at ticketomaha.com.
In an exclusive interview ahead of the show, lead vocalist Joseph Williams shared insights into what audiences can expect from this special tour. Williams, who has been Toto’s frontman since rejoining in 2010 after his earlier stint in the late 1980s, emphasized the raw, live energy that defines the band’s current performances.
“This tour coming up, we’re calling ‘An Evening With Toto,’” Williams explained. “So it’s more than just the songs that you are familiar with and want to hear, but there’s a lot of humor going on. I mean, when you have Steve Lukather there on stage, you can usually count on some interesting humor and a little banter with the audience.”
He highlighted the band’s commitment to authentic musicianship, noting that Toto (approaching nearly 50 years since its formation) relies on real playing rather than backing tracks. “We don’t really use any computerized bells and whistles and stuff. Who you see up there is actually playing everything that you’re hearing and singing everything that you’re hearing.”
Williams also discussed the powerful interplay between the band and the crowd. “In a big way,” he said when asked how the audience influences the band’s performances. “With ‘Africa,’ it’s impossible not to get excited and actually happy because the crowd is so completely involved… The whole thing is like a big circle- everybody starts getting charged up.”
Reflecting on personal favorites, Williams pointed to “Pamela” from the 1988 album The Seventh One as a song that still carries deep emotional weight for him. “It was about an actual person in my life… the lyrics are absolutely what it was that I felt back in those days… a reminder of that and a reminder of riding with David Paich back in the day.”
On the evolution of their classics, he noted how songs like “Africa” and “Hold the Line” have grown over time in live settings. “The live version has morphed and grown over the years… If you compare what we’re doing with them these days live as opposed to what the record sounds like… you’ll hear the growth over the years.”
Currently, Williams described the band as being “in a zone of travel and tour and performance,” with strong camaraderie among members. “Everybody that’s in this group really loves each other and gets along really well- we all get along great. We are heavily concentrated on touring and the concerts and performance right now.”
For Williams personally, the stage remains the ultimate thrill. “I am a creature of performance… Performance itself excites me every day and keeps me interested. I love it and I love the rapport that we get with audiences, especially with the more popular songs,” he exclaimed.
Even after decades of playing the same catalog, the songs stay fresh thanks to the fans. “When you’re out there with an audience and you see how much they want to hear these things and how much they love some of these songs… you can’t help but feel great about it.”
Looking ahead to the Omaha show, Williams shared what he hopes fans take away: “I hope that they come away feeling like, wow, the musicians in that group are amazing!” He also hopes each person feels joy from hearing some of their favorite songs performed live, and even a bit surprised at the humor coming from the stage. Overall, WIlliams hopes every person in the audience “comes away feeling great and happy about the fact that they bought their ticket.”
He closed with enthusiasm for arriving in Omaha: “We just can’t wait to get out there, everybody. We all love doing our job, and we love doing our job for you guys… just can’t wait!”
Omaha fans can look forward to a night of high-energy musicianship, heartfelt performances, and plenty of fun when Toto takes the Orpheum stage. Don’t miss this chance to experience one of rock’s most skilled and enduring bands live.
