Raw nostalgia fueled Triumph's Rock and Roll Machine as it rolled into Calgary's Saddledome on Friday night. The Canadian rock band, celebrating its 50th anniversary, delivered a polished and crowd-pleasing performance that revisited their greatest hits with technical prowess and cheerful bombast.
A Trip Down Memory Lane
Half a dozen songs into the concert, the band launched into the nine-minute epic "Blinding Light Show," the final track on their 1976 self-titled debut. While the song may seem dated to modern ears, it served as an appropriate memento for the anniversary tour, showcasing the band's determination to reward loyal fans with a complete picture of their journey.
The Band's Legacy
Triumph started a strange journey 50 years ago that turned them into bonafide rock stars on both sides of the border. Led by guitarist-vocalist Rik Emmett, still youthful at 72, and vocalist-drummer Gil Moore, the band revisited all its hits with energy and skill. Bassist Mike Levine, absent from the tour, received a nice tribute. The lineup was bolstered by guitarist-vocalist Phil X, drummer Brent Fitz, and bassist-vocalist Todd Kerns, who provided capable support.
Highlights of the Night
The concert began with a montage of the band's endearingly cheesy videos from the late 1970s and early 1980s, before the five-piece band ripped through high-octane versions of "When the Lights Go Down" and "Somebody's Out There." Emmett's guitar work was a standout, with dexterous shredding and a ferocious two-guitar assault with Phil X on tracks like "Allied Forces" and "Rock & Roll Machine." Some throwbacks, like a plodding cover of Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Way," seemed to go on a little long.
A Nostalgic Treat
For Calgary fans, many of whom have followed the band for decades, Friday's show was a polished treat. It served as a reminder of a specific time and place when Triumph embodied the stadium-rocker mold: spandex jumpsuits, flying V guitars, toothy grins, and anthems about believing in yourself and following your dreams.
