CONCERT REVIEW: CHRISTOPHER CROSS - MEN AT WORK - TOTO THE BANK OF NH PAVILION

On Monday July 28, 2025, The Bank of NH Pavilion in Gilford, NH, welcomed Christopher Cross - Men At Work - Toto. It was a great night of music. Around Nine thousand people attended the concert.  The atmosphere inside the large venue that can host several different events - from concerts with famous singers to community gatherings - was terrific. The lighting, the soundcheck...everything was perfect for an exceptional live show in New Hampshire.

Wearing black T-shirts with the logo of their favorite bands, the fans were seated in one of the 9,000-seat amphitheaters or on the grass field patiently where they were waiting for the opening of the show. Some of them could be seen walking outside the venue enjoying the perfect hot afternoon of summer. They were drinking, eating, talking to each other, sharing their live music experience.

At 6:45 P.M. Christopher Cross, one of the most successful singer-songwriters of the early 1980s, hit the stage. Born on May 3, 1951, in San Antonio, Texas, the American singer and songwriter best known for his eponymous debut album (1979) executed with his band a series of songs from the list of the 10 greatest songs ever that he wrote:

- I Will (Take you Forever)

- Swept Away

- Say You'll Be Mine

The public went crazy when the band played, I Really Don't Know Anymore. The song is part of the second track on Christopher's self-titled debut album, which won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1981 (beating Pink Floyd's, The Wall, no less!). The album is noted as one of the greatest soft rock albums of all time and being one of the ultimate yacht rock albums ever.

It was another exciting moment when the band played "Sailing". The song was released in June 1980 as the second single from Christopher Cross self-titled debut album (1979), which was already certified gold by this time. The song was a success in the United States, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on August 30, 1980. The song also won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Arrangement of the Year, and helped Cross win the Best New Artist Award. VH1 named "Sailing" the most "softsational soft rock" song of all time.  

Christopher Cross won five Grammy Awards for his eponymous debut album released in 1979.  "Sailing" earned three Grammys in 1980, while "Arthur's Theme" won in 1982 the Oscar for Best Original Song (with co-composers Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Peter Allen.

Christopher Cross has recorded and/or toured with such musical luminaries as John Mayer, Sting, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Toto, Christopher Cross, Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Diana Ross, Faith Hill, The Blues Brothers Band, Mike Stern, Leni Stern, David Johansen and the Harry Smiths, Richard Bona, Chris Botti, Wayne Krantz...

At The Bank NH Pavilion Christopher Cross played with a consistent group including Francis Amaud on drums, Kevin Reveyrand on bass, Andy Suzuki on sax, Jerry Leonide on piano, Jewelee Peters and Lisbet Guldbaek on vocals, Windy Palmore - Lighting designer - Ross Pallone - foh mixer, Steve Kades - monitors - Julia Sarr and Stephcynie, vocals.

CHRISTOPHER CROSS SETLIST AT THE BANK NH PAVILION

1- All Right

2- Never Be The Same

3- I Really Don't Know Anymore

4- Dreamers

5- Sailing

6- Think of Laura

7- Arthur's Theme (Best that you can do)

8- The Light is On

9- No Time For Talk

10 - Ride Like the Wind

At 8:15 P.M. the second group entered the stage. It was the Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1979 called Men at Work. The band was best known for breakthrough hits such as "Down Under", "Who Can It Be Now?", "Be Good Johnny", "Overkill", and "It's a Mistake". After playing as an acoustic duo with Ron Strykert from 1978 - 1979, Colin Hay formed the group with Strykert playing bass guitar and Jerry Speiser on drums. They were joined by Greg Ham on flute, saxophone and keyboards, and John Rees on bass guitar, with Strykert switching back to lead guitar.

Men at Work current touring members are: Colin Hay, Jimmy Branly (drums), San Miguel Perez (guitar, backing vocals), Yosmel Montejo (bass, backing vocals), Rachel Mazer (horns, keyboards, backing vocals), and Cecilia Noel (backing vocals).

In January 1983, they were the first Australian artists to have a simultaneous No. 1 album and No. 1 single on the United States Billboard charts: Business as Usual (released on 9 November 1981) and "Down Under" (1981), respectively. At the same period of time, they achieved the distinction of a simultaneous No. 1 album and No. 1 single on the Australian, New Zealand, and United Kingdom charts.  Their second album Cargo (2 May 1983) was No. 1 in Australia, No. 2 in New Zealand, No. 3 in the US, and No. 8 in the UK. They won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1983, they were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame 1n 1994, and they have sold over 30 million albums worldwide. In May 2001, "Down Under" was listed at No. 4 on the APRA Top 30 Australian songs and Business as Usual appeared in the book 100 Best Australian Albums (October 2010).

MEN AT WORK CONCERT SETLIST

1- Touching the Untouchables

2- No Restrictions

3- Come Tumblin's Down

4- Can't take this Town

5- Down by the Sea

6- Overkill is a Mistake

7- Who Can It Be Now

8- Down Under

9- Be Good Johnny

It was 9:30 P.M. when the third group entered the stage. It was Toto. Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1977. The group combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, hard rock, R&B, blues, and jazz. Having released 14 studio albums and sold over 50 million records worldwide, the group has received several Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009.

David Paich (keyboards, vocals) and Jeff Porcaro (drums) had played together as session musicians on several albums and formed the band; David Hungate (bass), Steve Lukather (guitar, vocals), and Bobby Kimball (vocals) were recruited before the release of the band's eponymous debut album in 1978. Their fourth album Toto IV (1982) brought them global attention. "Africa" topped the Billboard Hot 100, while "Rosanna" reached number 2, helping Toto become one of the best-selling music groups of their area. As of 2023, they have released fourteen studio albums, eight live albums, one movie soundtrack, 1984's Dune, and a number of compilation albums. The band released in 2018 the album called Old is New.

At Bank NH Pavilion Toto played with Steve Lukather who remains the only original member who still records and tours with the band. Playing with a list of new musicians, Toto was terrific. Although the years the band proved it has the reputation as one of the greatest bands in the world.

TOTO SETLIST

1- Child's Anthem

2- Carmen

3- Rosanna

3- 99

4- Minfields

5- Pamela

6- I Won't Hold You back

7- Angel Don't Cry

8- Georgy Porgy

9- White Sister

10- I'll Be Over You

11- Stop Loving You