Entertainment

A Summer Pilgrimage in Sound: Toto, Christopher Cross and Men at Work

Published

7 months ago

July 27, 2025

By Dave Parsons

As the sun sank behind the hills of Burgettstown, PA’s beloved Amphitheater at Star Lake, the lawn was a sea of blankets and lawn chairs with neon throwbacks, shirts likely purchased in another century, and older couples who found in those folds of grass the same ritual they did decades ago. That twilight light, golden and forgiving, seemed to give permission: this night would belong to memory.

At 6:45 PM, Colin Hay and his band, Men at Work, emerged tight and unassuming, snugging the stage with a confidence only decades of craft can afford. They straddled pop synth and wit: No Restrictions opened with sprightly steps, before trading pathos in Overkill, introduced with a confession about long nights alone in a bus. It’s a Mistake reverberated as commentary and prophecy, while Who Can It Be Now? sent its saxophone echoing like a spectral question.

Of course, the set’s climax came with Down Under, and the response was immediate and overwhelming. From the opening flute melody to the final chorus, the entire amphitheater became a sing-along, the voices raised as one, recalling pub sing-alongs and midnight drives back home. It’s a testament to the song’s enduring power that a track written about Australian national identity could unite a crowd in western Pennsylvania. Hay introduced the song with characteristic humor, noting that while they might be “down under” relative to Australia, from their current vantage point, they were actually “up over.” The crowd ate it up.

Formed in Melbourne in 1979, Men at Work became one of Australia’s most iconic musical exports of the 1980s. With the distinctive voice and wry wit of Colin Hay, who still anchors them to this day, the band fused reggae-tinged rhythms with quirky storytelling and sharp social commentary. Their debut album, Business as Usual, spent 15 weeks at No. 1 in the U.S.

With that sly mix of satire and melody, only Men at Work could fuse social commentary and pop charm so gracefully, and keep the songs alive for longtime fans and curious newcomers alike.

What struck me most about Men At Work’s performance was how well these songs have aged. In 1982, they might have seemed like novelties – the Australian invasion following in the wake of the British one. Four decades later, they revealed themselves as expertly crafted pop songs with enough complexity to reward repeated listening and enough hooks to embed themselves permanently in memory.

By 8:00 PM, the sky had that post-sunset glow to it, as Christopher Cross appeared, guitar in hand, and his manner as soft as his music. What followed was introspective warmth, delivered with voice intact and melody eternal. His set was elegant, unhurried, and contained nine songs that bridged decades.

Cross opened his set with All Right, and within the first few bars, it was clear why he has toured non-stop since the beginning. The song’s complex structure and arrangement were a throwback to when there was music for adults, by adults, on pop radio. Four decades later, it sounded even more impressive for its refusal to pander or simplify.

Christopher Cross didn’t just arrive on the music scene in 1979; he glided in like a summer breeze through a yacht’s open cabin. His self-titled debut album became a soft rock landmark, sweeping the Grammy Awards with five wins, which is still a feat unmatched for a debut. With a voice like satin and melodies that floated, Cross captured hearts with hits like Sailing, Ride Like the Wind, and Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do).

The latter song, written for the Dudley Moore film Arthur, showcased Cross’s ability to craft songs that can stand alone as well as be parts of larger projects. Another example was the set’s emotional peak that came with Think of Laura, a song written for comfort after the death of a young woman with the same name, and then used for months about a character from the soap opera General Hospital. Watching the crowd’s reaction, each had their own Laura in their lives that they were thinking of during the song.

Touring steadily since the 1990s, Cross has preserved his sound, delivering shows with reflection and honesty. Sailing transformed Star Lake into a laid-back oasis. The crowd finally exhaled halfway through Arthur’s Theme, and every fan of General Hospital relived the Luke and Laura saga again with Think of Laura. By the time he got to Ride Like the Wind, the entire amphitheater was on their feet, riding the wave of an artist steadily giving them memories of summers past with an anthem, decades strong.

As night deepened toward 9:15 PM, Toto took the stage. Fans wearing Africa shirts and humming Rosanna found their expectation answered in full.

In the world of rock, Toto has always been a band apart, being part hitmakers and part musical architects. Formed in Los Angeles in 1977by a group of elite session musicians, Toto blended pop, rock, jazz, funk, and soul with uncanny precision. Their breakthrough came with 1982’s Toto IV, yielding global anthems like Rosanna and Africa, the latter becoming one of the most-streamed songs of the 21st century. But Toto’s legacy goes far deeper: the members played on everything from Michael Jackson’s Thriller to Boz Scaggs’ Silk Degrees and countless classics in between.

Rosanna came quick in the set, followed by 99, bringing the house down early. The energy was bouncing off the pavilion roof. Deep cuts like Mindfields and Angel Don’t Cry were sweet gifts for the devoted. When Steve Lukather took the lead on I Won’t Hold You Back, it was a moment to remember.

The evening’s climax, of course, came with Africa. The response to the opening synthesizer line was immediate and overwhelming, with a wave of recognition and joy that seemed to physically lift the crowd. By the time the chorus arrived, the entire amphitheater was singing along, creating one of those magical concert moments where performer and audience become a single entity.

What made Toto’s performance of Africa special wasn’t just its nostalgic appeal or its recent resurgence in popular culture through memes and covers. It was the recognition that this is simply a great song – beautifully written, expertly arranged, and performed with obvious affection by the people who created it.

What makes this particular concert package so successful is how well the three acts complement each other while maintaining their individual identities. Men At Work brought energy and humor, Christopher Cross provided sophistication and emotional depth, and Toto delivered technical excellence and anthemic power. Together, they represented a particular era in popular music when songcraft and musicianship were valued as highly as image and attitude.

The audience, which ranged from original fans who had discovered these artists through AM radio and MTV to younger listeners who had found them through streaming services and social media, responded enthusiastically to all three acts. This wasn’t just a nostalgia trip, but it was a celebration of songs that have proven their durability and continued relevance.

The summer 2025 tour package of Toto, Christopher Cross, and Men At Work succeeds because it understands that nostalgia alone is not enough to sustain a concert experience. These artists brought not just their classic songs, but their continued commitment to musical excellence, their understanding of how these songs work in a live context, and their obvious joy in performing them for appreciative audiences.

As the crowd filed out of The Pavilion at Star Lake and into the warm July night, many were already checking tour schedules to see if they could catch these three acts together again. It seriously was THAT kind of evening. A perfect July evening in western Pennsylvania, when the world felt very much alive and vital, reminding everyone present of the power of a well-crafted song and the irreplaceable experience of hearing it performed by the people who created it.

Setlist: Men at Work (6:45 PM-July 24, 2025)