Toto respond to rousing pōwhiri at Tauranga Airport with hit song Africa

They've blessed the rains down in Africa and now American rock band Toto have touched sunny skies in the Bay of Plenty, landing at Tauranga Airport.

Toto — loved for hits such as Rosanna, Africa and Hold The Line — arrived at Tauranga Airport this morning ahead of their Mount Maunganui concert tomorrow greeted by local iwi and welcomed into Tauranga Moana with a pōwhiri.

The US hitmakers perform at Trustpower Baypark tomorrow before heading to Napier, New Plymouth and Christchurch as part of an annual summer concert series called A Summer's Day Live, which will feature major international artists from the past four decades.

Tour manager Heath Wynd said the band members were "blown away" by the welcome and sang Africa as their response.

"They've never received a welcome into a country, like that," Wynd said.

Toto have released 17 studio albums and sold more than 40 million records since forming in the 1970s.

Pato Alvarez from Neptune Entertainment, which is made up of Alvarez, Mitch Lowe and Toby Burrows, said securing Toto was three years in the making and they were excited to bring them to New Zealand.

He said they were particularly excited to have them perform in their hometown.

Also part of the lineup is Californian rock band Jefferson Starship and Kiwi rock legends Dragon.

Jefferson Starship, whose hits include We Built This City, Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now and Sara to name a few, descended from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees and 2016 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipients Jefferson Airplane, releasing eight gold and platinum albums and 20 hit singles between 1974 and 1984.

Representing homegrown talent, Dragon's hits include April Sun in Cuba, Are You Old Enough, Rain and Still In Love With You, and remain one of New Zealand's most popular live acts.