'Journey', 'Toto' show draws State Farm's largest post-COVID crowd

Mar. 22—CHAMPAIGN — A blast from the past drew in State Farm Center's largest concert audience in years.

Monday night's setlists from legendary American rock groups Journey and Toto brought more than 7,000 fans, more than any musical performance in the arena since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

"It wasn't quite a sell out but wasn't far from it either — the bands seemed to really appreciate the energy the crowd brought for both acts," State Farm Center Assistant Director Brad Swanson said. "I personally heard some of the guys from Toto praising how great the crowd was."

You'd have to go back to April 2019 to find a bigger concert crowd, back when Kenny Chesney made an appearance. Miranda Lambert's concert that October came pretty close, with about 6,200 fans, Swanson said.

Monday's double-act kicked off a musical spring season for State Farm Center. Country artists Cody Johnson, Randy Houser and Jesse Raub Jr. play on Saturday, and officials expect a similar, possibly bigger crowd, Swanson said.

A live orchestra will perform its rendition of the Emmy-winning "Our Planet" docuseries on March 27; contemporary Christian rock group Casting Crowns visits on April 21; teenage Australian rap star Kid Laroi makes his final tour stop on May 3 with American pop singer Jeremy Zucker; and rock legend Alice Cooper appears on May 9.

The audience for Journey and Toto completely outgrew every other COVID-19-era act thus far; the closest was Christian contemporary band King and Country, which drew about 3,200 attendees in April 2022.

Featured Local Savings

Could this springboard into a new wave of bigger acts?

"It's a matter of what works from a scheduling standpoint, there are so many different factors that go into the booking process, it's hard to look into the crystal ball," Swanson said. "We certainly feel good about the way the building performed last night, having that many people for a show."

An analysis of Journey's previous visits to Champaign lay out the history of the venue's capabilities. The band's 1981 stop drew more than 14,000 fans — the then-named Assembly Hall was "configured very differently," Swanson said, before the 2013 renovation reduced its capacity. (Journey's 1986 visit brought about 9,500 fans; in 2005 they played for about 3,000.)

"It's really hard to compare eras of the building, just with the fact that the stages and production elements are so much larger now and take up more space," he said. "It's almost like comparing apples to oranges."

Have an idea for State Farm Center's next big show? Staff are happy to take in suggestions through the "Contact Us" form attached to the venue's website. Booking takes place usually six to eight months in advance, Swanson said.

"We can't guarantee we can make any individual request come to fruition, but if there are artists people here in the market are clamoring to see, we love those and consider them," he said.