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First show of this 50th anniversary tour at the approximately 3,000 seat Hard Rock Live Orlando. Bassist Mike Levine was not at this opening show (it was announced prior to start of ticket sales that he would be at select shows; he's been recovering from whatever health issues that he has had). Additionally, from various interviews the band members have done over the past several months, these productions are meant to scale (a few of the larger arena sized shows are supposed to have a larger production). The added members was also a known; it's an acknowledgement they needed assistance to cover parts which they can no longer do by themselves (having also been out of any sort of long term touring with this level of production since 1988).
Guitarist Rik Emmett also was very transparent in various interviews from the time of the announcement that he'd be letting guitarist Phil X take the lead (guitars and vocals). Even since Emmett's last solo shows (well over 7 years ago), his vocal range has definitely gotten lower (he therefore sang a lot of those songs in a lower key). One of the other reasons he retired was the arthritis he's been experiencing in his hands (you wouldn't know it from this first show). As he also mentioned in those interviews, he's long wanted to see drummer Gil Moore out front singing lead for those songs he sang lead on (now that they have a second drummer to also fill in for parts that Moore can no longer do, that allows him to do that). And Moore did a few (with a little bit of awkwardness to it).
There were unsurprisingly a few rough edges including one part when Emmett mentioned that a short "movie" was supposed to play (this was fixed in the Hardrock Live Hollywood FL concert). For those expecting that old 3/4 piece Triumph with Emmett belting out those high notes, this is not what these shows are about. It really is about overcoming the past split, the unlikelihood that they would even go back out on tour again (after the two shows in 2008), and then finding a new formula that would work which would allow them to perform some of these songs live again.
For those of us who have long been fans of this band, just seeing them playing together in some capacity is a fitting way to put a bookend to their career. The music they created has most definitely endured where seeing this initial show (imperfect as it may be) and seeing Rik and Gil having fun, was really the highlight. And the other three guys; they could definitely carry on the Triumph legacy if Gil, Mike, and Rik give their blessing. I know for purists, it's not the same without the original members (like there are many who see this as a glorified cover band and that maybe it shouldn't have happened). Myself, I see this as them at least trying to give their dedicated fans that one bookending tour.
One personal note, I absolutely got chills when he did the melodic intro for 24 Hours a Day at 1:10:00 (I'm not a singer but used to sing this in this same lower key that he sang it in because it's such a great melody).
Proceeds from both the Orlando and Hollywood Hard Rock Live shows went to the Make a Wish Foundation!
(credits: JD's Live Music)
This performance was for Triumph’s induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame at the 2025 LEGENDS, held at the Meridian Arts Centre in Toronto Canada on October 17, 2025. Rik Emmett is Triumph's original guitarist and Phil X took his place in 1992 (after Emmett left in 1988). Triumph's recently announced 2026 reunion will have Phil X joining as a supporting musician.
This performance sort of highlights how both will compliment each other during that tour; Rik has definitely lost that high end vocal range for this song but Phil is able to cover a good part of it in his own way. Emmett's guitar was also definitely lower for the solo in this live mix, but his guitar playing still sounds true to form even after being in retirement for several years now along with the arthritis in his hands (not bad for someone who is 72 years old and beat his 2024 announced prostate cancer). Watching this gave me goosebumps for sure.
Live performance version of their first release (November 2024) post-Sakurai Atsushi of 雷神 風神 - レゾナンス (Raijin Fujin – Resonance) that was performed at Nippon Budokan on December 29, 2024.
Triumph re-united in 2008 after being inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame after nearly 2 decades of not having spoken to each other; Rik Emmett (guitars) left the band in 1988 (which turned out to be a messy and acrimonious breakup). Part of reunion led to them performing two shows; the Sweden Rock Festival and Rocklahoma (with the three of them together for the first time since 1988 while for Levine and Moore, the first time since 1993 when Phil X replaced Emmett until they decided to call it quits that same year during a time when the music industry was undergoing major changes).
At the time, there was hopes they would really get back again to do new material and lives (that didn't really materialize and seemed to be destined never to happen).
While pro shot, the entire production of this was not the best quality (tried enhancing/upscaling as best as possible). Rik also had come down with a cold (additionally, he had been tuning down his guitar and vocals for several years by this point).
Best attempt at upscaling this to 720p (which didn't turn out that great). Produced during the time that guitarist Rik Emmett was doing his solo career after leaving the band in 1988. At that time, he was very much estranged/not on speaking terms with the other two members (drummer Gil Moore and bassist Mike Levine). At that time, it looked highly unlikely that the band would ever get back together again.
It's an interesting look back (as each member talks about both the good and then the bad times that ultimately led up Emmett's departure, the acrimony resulting from lawsuits, and how each member felt about the possibility of ever reuniting (and at least in Emmett's case, get back on speaking terms with Levine and Moore again).
A few years later, many attempts were made when there were plans to have the band inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Emmett's brother who was fighting cancer, asked Rik before his passing, to at least talk to his former bandmates (that life was too short to remain bitter). That (plus others who did what it took to get those conversations and meetings happening) led to the three talking and ironing out those past unresolved differences where they also appeared together on stage again to accept their induction. This also led to them performing together for the first time since 1988 at two festivals in 2008; the Sweden Rock Festival and Rocklahoma.
The ending part of this documentary (and each of their words spoken including Emmett saying "never say never") is most poignant given their 50th Anniversary Reloaded tour.
Rare live version of Never Say Never from a 1988 spring break concert held at Isla Blana Park (South Padre Island in Texas). Video was ML enhanced and audio tweaked a little (the quality is what it is). That tour for their Surveillance release had only 4 more shows; the final one in September 1988 would be guitarist Rik Emmett's last with the band until they reunited 20 years later for the two shows in 2008; Sweden Rock Festival and Rocklahoma.
The fact this footage exists is incredible since back then, this was around the time when digital cameras (both photo and video) were just coming on to the scene; this was around the time of the analog 8mm camcorders (like the Canon ES-series and Sony Handycam); not very small handheld camcorders which was held to shoot this entire show (no pro shot recordings exist for any of the 1988 shows). I'm slowly "re-mastering" the entire footage but did this one section first given how rare this live version is.
ML upscaled/enhanced to 1080p60 (video source from the 80's is much more difficult to upscale since it really is garbage in, garbage out territory). From Surveillance (released in November 1987), the original official music video was released on July 27, 1987. This (a progressive rock tune with a guitar instrumental prologue entitled "Prologue: Into The Forever") was also one of my favorite Triumph tunes (the melody, the lyrics, the guitar riffs and solo). I still crank the volume on this one. Surveillance would also be the last release with Rik Emmett who left the group in 1988.
ML enhanced and upscaled - Triumph "The Sport of Kings" Tour
Setlist:
Tears In The Rain
Somebody's Out There
Allied Forces
Lay It On The Line
Midsummer´s Day Dream
Follow Your Heart
Take A Stand
Drum Solo
Magic Power
Rock & Roll Machine
Guitar Solo
Spellbound
Fight The Good Fight
ML upscaled/enhanced to 1080p60 (video source from the 80's is much more difficult to upscale since it really is garbage in, garbage out territory). From The Sport of Kings (released in August 1986), the original official music video was released on September 11, 1986. This (a pop rock tune laden with synths and guitars) was also the bands biggest hit (27th place in the Billboard 100 over the course of 15 weeks).
ML enhanced to 720p. Legendary performance of Lay It On The Line at the US Festival in 1983. Personally consider myself lucky that I saw Triumph live during their Allied Forces, Never Surrender, and Thunder Seven tours. The tune saw a renewed (viral) revival in Canada when a sample of the song was used in promotions for the Stanley Cup Finals in Edmonton (Triumph themselves are from Ontario, Canada). This live was sans their usual laser light and pyrotechnic show.