Toto – Falling In Between Live – DVD Review

DVD Reviews, Reviews

totolive
Available at Amazon.com

Who you are and when you grew up are two determining factors as to whether you are one of the millions who love Toto or simply despise them. It is true that their music is an acquired taste, and you are not going to be someone who hears them once and falls immediately in love with their sound. It will take listening to a lot of their new stuff while getting past albums and hearing some of their greatest hits. But love them or not, Toto has been around for over thirty years and continues to draw some of the biggest crowds around with their soft sounds and jamming tunes.

Founded in the mid-seventies, Toto found their biggest success during the eighties with their best album “Toto IV” which was released in 1982. The band is best known for such great songs as “Africa,” “I’ll Be Over You,” and “Rosanna,” which are three of my favorite songs ever. All of them are included on this DVD and performed to sheer perfection. Twenty-one songs total are sung to the highest in front of a raucous sell-out crowd at Le Zenith in Paris.

One of the things you’ll notice about Toto if you’ve never seen them play before is the sheer lack of the big time. What I mean by that is that Toto knows how good they are and they focus on the music. The stage is incredibly small with not a lot of fanfare and all that garbage that you see in other concerts today. Some stage lights, a few big screens, the band, and the audience is all that is needed to make this an enjoyable experience for everyone who was there and all those watching at home. And if you need any proof as to how exciting it is to be there, just watch the audience when the opening notes of “Africa” begin to play. Hell, keep an eye on the audience the entire night because I don’t think they ever sit down.

Through turmoil and tragedy, Toto has pressed on. They have experienced the loss of band members by simple disagreements, and all the way up to deaths as was the case with drummer Jeff Porcaro. His family wished for the band to continue on because they knew it is what Jeff would have wanted. We thank them for that gift because it paved the way for numerous others to experience the fantastic music of Toto, and for longtime fans to continue loving their smooth sounds.

Track Listing

Falling In Between
King Of The World
Pamela
Bottom Of Your Soul
Caught In The Balance
Don’t Chain My Heart
Hold The Line
Stop Loving You
I’ll Be Over You
Cruel
Greg Solo
Rosanna
I’ll Supply The Love
Isolation
Gift Of Faith
Kingdom Of Desire/Luke Solo
Hydra/Simon Solo
Taint Your World
Gypsy Train
Africa
Drag Him To The Roof

The film is shown in 1.33:1 Full Screen format and it looks like a concert should. The band is on stage and the audience is out there with a clear picture and some great shots from the camera.

The film is heard in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and there is just nothing better or more relaxing then sitting in your living room and listening to the beauty that is Toto fill in around you. Everything about this DVD sounds great and I’m sure if it is just the quality or the fact that the songs are just awesome.

Toto Interviewed – Tony Spinner, Leland Sklar, Greg Phillinganes, Simon Phillips, Steve Lukather, and Bobby Kimball are all interviewed separately. They talk about how their history with music, dancing, the crowds, and just coming back together for more tours. The interviews are very relaxed and just them talking about anything and everything. Each guy talks for about three to five minutes and the interviews last a total of about twenty-eight minutes.

Don’t go expecting all the flare and lights and explosions and all such garbage like that if you pick up this DVD. If you are going to buy this one, buy it simply for the music. That is why it gets a perfect score from me on replayability because it is something you could pop in and relax on the couch with or have it playing in the background while you’re doing something around the house. It is just that good. There is a mix of soft sounds, jazz, blues, rock, and a few other things but all in Toto’s style. The special features aren’t much, but again this is a disc you shouldn’t pick up for the normal reasons you’d buy a DVD. It is one that needs to be bought for those who have an appreciation for great music and an appreciation for a band that has been around longer then I’ve even been alive. It’s going to take a lot to drag me away from Toto.

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Eagle Rock Entertainment presents Toto – Falling In Between Live. Starring: Toto. Running time: 142 minutes. Rating: Not Rated. Released on DVD: April 1, 2008. Available at Amazon.com