For the first time in over 30 years, Canadian rock icons Triumph are hitting the road. To prepare for the band’s massive 50th-anniversary tour, frontman Rik Emmett admits he is taking his physical preparation seriously.
Speaking recently with Mike Hsu of “100 FM The Pike,” Emmett opened up about the reunion, the expanded lineup, and the rigorous work going into the upcoming shows. While the singer had previously stated he would never tour with Triumph again, he explained that a combination of fan demand and the enduring popularity of their hits changed his mind.
“What’s happening here is that everybody that I do interviews with goes, ‘Hey, Rik, you’re such a lying hypocrite.’ I’m human,” Emmett admitted (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “But things sort of accumulated to the point where it’s almost like hands got behind me and pushed me out onto the stage, into the spotlight again. And it’s more the songs than anything else. They got used for hockey playoffs and baseball world series. And then Round Hill [Records] made the [Triumph] tribute album and that made a bunch of noise. And [on that LP] there were all these guys like Slash [of Guns N’ Roses] and [Heart‘s] Nancy Wilson, and they’re all singing my songs and playing guitar. And it was, like, ‘Woah.’ And it’s the songs. People are saying, ‘Yeah, ‘Fight The Good Fight‘, ‘Never Surrender‘, ‘Hold On‘, ‘Magic Power‘. Come on, let’s go. We wanna see this happen live. We wanna have a communion with you guys.’ And we went, ‘Oh, man. Okay. Well, let’s see if we can organize it in a way that’ll make it good.'”
The classic trio of Emmett, bassist/keyboardist Mike Levine, and drummer/vocalist Gil Moore won’t be alone on stage. They have recruited a powerhouse backing band featuring Bon Jovi guitarist Phil X (who previously played with Triumph), along with Brent Fitz and Todd Kerns from Slash’s band.
Emmett believes this lineup ensures the music will be delivered with the power it deserves, though he is also working hard personally to be ready.
“Now I got Todd Kerns and Brent Fitz, and they both toured with Alice Cooper and Slash, and Phil X, who routinely goes out on the road with Bon Jovi. He replaced me in Triumph in the first place. So it’s not like we don’t have a large safety net,” Emmett explained. “But we are gonna be able to make this thing happen in a way that I’m gonna feel, like, ‘No, we’re doing justice to that catalog. These songs are still happening in a good way.’ And I do have a personal trainer now in order to try and get me into shape for all of this.”
When asked if the tour would rely on modern “mixed reality” technology—something drummer Gil Moore has discussed in the past—Emmett suggested a balance between spectacle and raw energy.
“Well, that’s a great question. And you’re right — it started in Gil‘s head, and it was, like, ‘How can I make this happen if I don’t have the bodies?’ And then he got the bodies. And then the bodies went in and started having rehearsals,” he said. “And the more that I rehearse with him, I say, ‘Gil, this sounds like we should just be a rock band and we should just get out there and bring it. So there’s going to be a marriage between… I mean, there’s no way you can’t in this day and age — digital technology, light systems and screens that you can have things happen. I mean, I saw a clip of the other day and it was like The Eagles playing at the Sphere [in Las Vegas], and the films things that can happen behind the band playing, they’re unbelievable, the level of stuff that can happen. So I think now an audience expects, ‘Well, there should be some of this, right? Where is that stuff? I need some of that.’ And Gil‘s head is very much into that stuff. But I think it’s fair to say that in its heyday, Triumph was really more about just going out there and kicking ass, and it was a big system and, yes, there was pyro and, yes, there were lasers and there’s probably gonna be all that stuff too. But to be honest, I think it’s more about just getting out there and kicking ass.”
Emmett is acutely aware that fans aren’t just coming for the light show; they want to see if the band can still deliver the goods after all these years.
“I think the largest aspect of things is also curiosity, that fans from way back are coming to say, ‘Can he still hit the high notes? Is he gonna wear those spandex pants?’ And so you have to sort of, not cater to it, but I think it’s important that you take that into consideration as you’re figuring out how you’re gonna make it happen.”
The trek begins with two Florida dates in early April before moving to Canada from April 22 through May 8. The tour then heads to the U.S. starting May 13 in Rosemont, Illinois, concluding on June 6 in Boston. Support will be provided by fellow Canadian rockers April Wine.
Triumph 50th Anniversary North American Tour Dates 2026
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
- April 10 – Orlando, FL – Hard Rock Live Universal Orlando
- April 13 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live Seminole Hard Rock Hotel
- 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
