The first two acts of the afternoon at the Summer's Day concert, Dragon and Jefferson Starship, got the 7000-strong crowd going, but it was Toto, the main act, who got them rushing to the front of the stage.
Toto, opened their set with
Hold The Line
, while the crowd sang along.
People were spotted in the crowd wearing African inspired shirts, in tribute to one of Toto's most famous hits,
Africa
.
Earlier in the first act, Dragon warmed up the crowd with their popular hit Still in Love With You.
April Sun in Cuba really got the crowd moving with many people dancing.
They also paid tribute to Kool and the Gang, who are performing tomorrow, with a cover of
Celebration
.
Jefferson starship opened after Dragon with
Find Your Way Back
.
Before singing their hit
We Built This City
the lead singer of Jefferson Starship Cathy Richardson said "It's a thrill of a lifetime to be performing in Tauranga. It's a dream come true."
The crowd cheered and continued to dance.
Richardson and the band took a selfie with the Tauranga audience before leaving the stage.
People who wanted to buy food and drink inside the venue were frustrated the wait times for a new system where they had to top up a spending card with money to use at different vendors. The line to top up the card was causing delays and people were missing the concert.
One woman said she had been waiting for 40 minutes.
A woman at the kiosk said it was a relatively new system and it took time to explain to people how it worked.
Neptune entertainment promotion team Pato Alvarez, Mitch Lowe and Toby Burrows, said it was pretty cool to finally have Toto in Tauranga.
"Its incredible," Lowe said.
"It is great to be able to bring all of these acts to Tauranga," Alvarez said.
Hold The Line was Burrows' favourite song but he said Africa was definitely a crowd favourite.
Lowe said it was great to see how an event held in a grass arena worked with a large crowd.
Addressing the long wait times in lines, Lowe said that was to be expected.
But he was glad to see the lines had lessened before the acts came on. "That's good, that is what you want."
Read more:
• Review: A Summer's Day Live gets the crowd rocking
Alvarez said members of Toto had lunch at Harbourside in Tauranga for lunch today and were excited to play in Tauranga tonight.
Some of the acts for tomorrow night's concert were in the crowds watching Dragon, Jeffersom Starship and Toto.
The trio of promoters were excited to have brought so many international acts to Tauranga stages.
"We have got more coming," Alvarez promised.
Ken Lukar brought his son Chris to his second Toto concert after 10 years since seeing them for the first time.
The father and son sat happily in the front row to see their favourite American rock band.
Ken said his son was in to "boy bands" as a teenager.
"I said to him, "Do you want to go see a real band?" I took him to the Royal Albert Hall in London and he was blown away."
The pair were in Tauranga to see Toto for the second time after moving from the United Kingdom eight years ago.
"It was almost 10 years ago," Chris,29, said.
Chris said his father knew everything about the rock band.
Ken's favourite songs included I Will remember You, Pamela and Jake to the Bone.
Des Lynch was a big fan of Toto.
He and his wife Bridgette and two children Caleb, 12, and Peta, 16, arrived at the concert early to get a good seat.
"I have been a big fan of Steve Lukather since forever.
"I always said if they were to come here we would be going."
His favorite song was
Hold the Line
.
Ben Greenwood and workmate Tumua Masina travelled from Auckland to see Toto.
"I am a massive fan of Toto," Greenwood said. "I saw them about 11 years ago when they first came to New Zealand.
"They said that was their retirement concert and now they are back."
Wearing matching outfits to the concert, the friends sang Toto's hit song
Africa
before finding their seats.
Tumua Masina said his friend Ben got him into Toto's music about three months ago.
"We travel to work together and it is the only album I have got in my car," laughed Greenwood.
The concert series continues with A Summer's Day Disco at Baypark tomorrow , which will bring together some of disco's biggest icons for the first-time.
Thursday's line-up includes The Jacksons, Kool & the Gang, The Pointer Sisters, Village People, Sister Sledge and The Sounds of the Supremes.
What:
A Summer's Day Disco ft. The Jacksons, Kool & The Gang and more
When:
January 10, 4pm
Where:
Baypark
Line-up:
The Jacksons, Kool & The Gang, The Pointer Sisters, Village People, Sister Sledge, Sounds of the Supremes
A tavern operating without a duty manager also found in breach.