Steve Lukather - O2 Islington London 18th November 2010

In support of the recently released and quite superb "All's Well That Ends Well" cd, Steve Lukather and his band hit London as part of a 14 date European tour.

With no support act we were straight into the main event and track 1 off of the new cd "Darkness In My World" hits us hard. Big riff and Steve in great voice on a song that is very autobiographical for the year that Steve has had. But Steve is happiest playing music and from the word go the whole band were on and having a real ball, enjoying playing their music.
With a setlist that went way back into the back catalogue right to the new cd with 6 songs played off it.

The setlist was

Darkness In My World
Always Be There For Me
Extinction Blues
On My Way Home
68
Brodies
Ever Changing Times
Keyboard Solo/Song For Jeff
Tumescent
Drum Solo
Out Of Love
Tears Of My Own Shame/Little Wing
Can't Look Back
Encore 1 Flash In The Pan
Encore 2 The Road Goes On(acoustic)

His band of Steve Weingart (keys), Eric Valentine (drums) and Renee Jones on bass were superb. Laying down the beat to allow Steve to weave his magic over. Some of the musical endings were very intricate and a joy to hear.

Highlights were all of it really.

All of the new songs came over superbly and worked well in the live mode. Shazz was especially glad to hear "On My Way Home" and I enjoyed the way the songs have grown in the live setting and the extended solos in "Brodie's" and "Flash In The Pan" were phenomenal.

We also had the instrumental "68" that Steve wrote for the Lee Ritenour cd "6 String Theory" this year which started with a long story of the song being named after an act that you are left owing 1. I'll let you all think about that one.
In fact between songs the stories from Steve were great -  it felt like being in a room full of friends, which to an extent we are. We laughed a lot and also felt for him with the break up of his marriage and the loss of his mother this year.

We had blues, funk, jazz and straight ahead rock in "Can't look Back" and of course marvellous geetar playing throughout.
We had songs from Luke, Los Lobotomys, Candyman and of course Toto. Not the karaoke ones as Steve call them but "Out Of Love" and "The Road Goes On" which ended the show. Steve returned to the stage and played this last track unaccompanied on an acoustic guitar  -  again a song about the road where Steve is happiest.

After an hour and 50 minutes it was over and a great night was had by all.

Brilliant.


He will be back to the UK again in fact I read 3 dates in March have been announced in Leamington Spa, Manchester and Holmfirth
and also tickets for Toto in June are already in hand.

"The Road Goes On!"
ME


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