Toto had been planning to return to the road in 2021 with a revamped lineup for a trek dubbed The Dogz of Oz World Tour, but the band has announced that the outing has been pushed back to next year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The European leg of the tour now is scheduled to run from a July 14, 2022 concert in Bonn, Germany, through an August 14 show in Gothenburg, Sweden.
“In the interests of approaching the band’s activities with health as the primary concern for the fans, band, crew and all impacted when we commence activities, this was an easy decision to make,” explains founding Toto guitarist Steve Lukather in a statement. “After four and half decades on the road, it’s been challenging living the past 14 months in isolation. As much as [frontman] Joe [Williams], myself, the band, and the crew would love to be active again, The World is still navigating the challenges that face all of us.”
Lukather adds, “We’ll continue to announce shows so keep an eye out for confirmation that will be shared in the coming months.”
In February, Lukather and Williams both released new solo albums, respectively titled I Found the Sun Again and Denizen Tenant. The two musicians, who’ve been friends since childhood, contributed to each other’s project.
Williams reveals that the upcoming Toto tour will feature performances of some deep cuts from the band’s catalog, as well as selections from his and Lukather’s new albums.
Last year, the duo announced a new Toto lineup that includes Huey Lewis and the News bassist John Pierce and two recent Toto touring members — keyboardist Dominique “Xavier” Taplin and multi-instrumentalist Warren Ham, the latter of whom also plays alongside Lukather in Ringo Starr‘s All Starr Band.
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