As Triumph prepares for their first major tour in over three decades, the legendary Canadian rockers are rethinking their live approach. For their upcoming 50th-anniversary trek, the classic trio of Rik Emmett (guitar/vocals), Gil Moore (drums/vocals), and Mike Levine (bass/keyboards) will be augmented by a powerhouse trio of backing musicians: Bon Jovi guitarist Phil X, along with drummer Brent Fitz and bassist Todd Kerns, both known for their work with Slash.
In a new interview on SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk,” Emmett expressed his enthusiasm for the new dynamic, explaining that the expanded lineup will allow the band to present their material in ways they never could before.
“Musically, artistically, there’s gonna be something here that’s gonna be quite something,” Emmett told host Eddie Trunk (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “There’s so many playing cards that are on the table now… Those people that are only listening on radio, I’m rubbing my hands in glee.”
Emmett highlighted the vocal capabilities of the new members as a key asset. He recalled a specific moment during a one-off appearance in Edmonton earlier this year, where the group warmed up by singing harmonies a cappella.
“I thought that should be part of the show. We should have moments where the band should cut out in ‘Lay It On The Line‘ and we should just sing the harmonies,” Emmett said. “And we can do that in ‘Fight The Good Fight‘. We can do that in songs that we never did it originally. It’s like another arrow in my quiver, it’s another tool.”
He also praised the instrumental versatility of the new recruits, noting that “Fitzy can play keyboard parts, and Todd is as good a guitar player as he is a bass player.”
Interestingly, Emmett is not threatened by sharing guitar duties with Phil X, who actually replaced him in a later version of Triumph in the early 90s. Instead, Emmett sees it as an opportunity to elevate the show, acknowledging Phil‘s distinct style.
“I definitely wanna give this guy so much rope that he hangs himself, because he’s such an incredible player and he’s a different kind of a player than I am,” Emmett admitted. “That whole world of sort of the Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads — he’s got a virtuosity that it’s not a part of my playing at all… I want Phil‘s star to shine. I’m happy to kind of take a backseat, move back upstage a little bit and let him have some room.”
Emmett emphasized that he wants the new members to feel a sense of “ownership and pride” in the performance, suggesting that they are crucial to sustaining the band’s legacy as the original members age.
“I think that hunger will be sustained by those guys, even if we get old and infirm and we can’t necessarily do it,” he reasoned. “I think the songs are still gonna be there, and if those younger guys wanna start carrying a bigger workload, I think they could.”
Drummer Gil Moore also weighed in on how Fitz and Kerns were selected for the project. He revealed that Phil X was the one who recommended them, but the criteria wasn’t just musical talent.
“I said, ‘It’s really simple. We’ve gotta find some people that have great hearts.’ All these guys we’re talking about, they’re really good players, but we want people that are gonna be good in the dressing room,” Moore explained. “And immediately he goes right to Todd and Brent. And he says, ‘That settles it. I got the guys.’… It’s because of how they are as people, in addition to all their talent.”
Triumph “50th Anniversary” 2026 Tour Dates:
Canada
- April 22 – Sault Ste. Marie, ON – GFL Memorial Gardens
- April 24 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
- April 25 – Hamilton, ON – TD Coliseum
- April 28 – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre
- April 29 – Moncton, NB – Avenir Centre
- May 1 – Laval, QC – Place Bell (Montreal)
- May 2 – Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre
- May 5 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre
- May 7 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
- May 8 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome
United States
- May 13 – Rosemont, IL – Rosemont Theatre (Chicago)
- May 14 – Milwaukee, WI – Miller High Life Theatre
- May 16 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre
- May 17 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
- May 20 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory (Dallas)
- May 21 – San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center
- May 22 – Houston, TX – Smart Financial Center at Sugar Land
- May 24 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
- May 26 – Atlanta, GA – Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park
- May 28 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion (Philadelphia)
- May 30 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill (Detroit)
- June 3 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
- June 5 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater (New York)
- June 6 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion
