TRIUMPH Talk 50th Anniversary Tour And The Potential For New Music

Triumph, one of Canada’s most revered and influential rock bands, recently announced their first tour in 30 years with the Triumph 50th Anniversary Tour, produced by Live Nation – an expansive 2026 North American run celebrating five decades of musical excellence, pioneering stagecraft, and a legacy that continues to inspire fans worldwide.

Mike Levine, Rik Emmett and Gil Moore of Triumph spoke with host Eddie Trunk on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation about the band’s new tour. During the interview, they discuss the anniversary tour and how it came together, the possibility of new Triumph music and bringing in Brent Fitz, Todd Kerns and Phil X.

SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation, hosted by Eddie Trunk, airs daily at 3 PM, ET on SiriusXM’s Faction Talk. Audio clips and transcription below courtesy of SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation.

Mike & Rik on Triumph’s anniversary tour:

Eddie Trunk: “Mike Levine, are you gonna be involved in this? Are you gonna be out there on the road? Are you gonna be doing these shows? What is your involvement in this?

Mike Levine: “I’m gonna be, I suppose the best way to describe it is, I’ll be there in person and, or visually, but I’ll be there.”

Eddie Trunk: “So Rik, jump in here and tell us this Triumph is now basically, if I have this right, and Mike is part of this, gone from a three piece to essentially a six piece, right? Because, because Brent Fitz, Todd Kerns, dear friends, as well as Phil X, also a good friend, are going to be a part of this on the road, right? So talk about the balance between what you guys do and what they do. You’ve been very honest about the fact that they’re there in a supporting capacity to fill out the sound and fill in where you guys can’t at this point in your career. But talk about how that’s gonna work and have you figured that all out yet as far as what they do versus what you guys do?”

Rik Emmett: “That’s an ongoing thing and, you know, every day I sit down with the script and I look at the tunes and I think about it. And the big thing is, first of all, they’re incredibly skilled and talented and experienced musicians in their own right. And they deserve to end up feeling like they’re as much a part of this as Gil and Mike and I are. I want them to feel that sense of sort of ownership and pride in what’s going on. And this goes back to the songs again, and the way that we present them. Those songs have a life of their own. But, you know, I think this hunger that everybody is understanding is out there now for Triumph to come back and play these songs. I think that hunger will be sustained by those guys even if, you know, we get old and infirm and, you know, we can’t necessarily do it. I think the songs are still gonna be there. And if those younger guys wanna, you know, start carrying a bigger workload, I think they could. In the short term, I’m gonna tell you this, I know that they can all sing fantastic. And there was a moment in Edmonton when it actually made it on social media, where Gil and I and those three guys in the trailer, we were just singing ‘Lay It On The Line,’ background vocals to warm up. And I thought, ‘Okay, this was a great moment.’ It was one of my favorite moments in that experience out there. And I thought, ‘That should be part of the show. We should have moments where like, the band should cut out and ‘Lay It On The Line,’ we should just sing the harmonies.’ It should just be and we can do that in ‘Fight the Good Fight.’ We can do that in songs that we never did it originally because now we’ve got this, it’s like another arrow in my quiver, you know, it’s another tool on the, I go, okay, like, there’s things I wanna try and take advantage of, you know? So, and they’re all incredibly skilled in the ideas of, you know, Fitzy can play keyboard parts and Todd is as good a guitar player as he is a bass player. Like, there’s so many playing cards that are on the table now. I go, oh, you know, those people that are only listening on radio, I’m rubbing my hands in glee. That’s what’s happening. Like, this is gonna be a really fun thing to get to play with over the next little while. And then those weeks that Gil was talking about those, dress rehearsals and stuff, man, I think there’s gonna be an opportunity to build some things and never mind the brick production that Gil’s talking about and where this whole thing started just musically, artistically, there’s going to be something here that’s gonna be quite something.”

Gil Moore on how the anniversary tour came about:

Eddie Trunk: “Where were the seeds of this planted? Did it have anything to do with you guys coming together with, we know that Todd Kerns, Brent Fitz, Phil X are gonna be part of this. They were there. Was that kind of the genesis for this? Is that where this kind of started?”

Gil Moore: “It started in you know, I’ve said this a couple times, you know, with you and others, that Paul Dexter and I started playing with an idea of how to bring back Triumph, you know, in some sort of immersive platform. We kind of coined a name, MXR Vision for mixed reality, and we went through all kinds of different technologies and so on. But one day, you just mentioned Mike Clink, and we were looking at this differently and Mike Clink said, ‘Hey, you know, you’ve got these great musicians that are on this album. Maybe you should think about maybe getting back with Phil.’ And so we talked to Phil and one thing kind of led to another. It was kind of a series of stepping stones with the hockey thing that blew up in Canada during the NHL playoffs, kind of triggered us. Yeah, to your point, going out to Edmonton and giving it a run with the new guys without any effects or any fancy stuff. Just getting on the stage and playing and everyone really gelled and, you know, so here we are and feeling like we kind of have been saying no to fans for decades, and we’ve got a chance to say yes. So I guess we said yes to the dress.”

Eddie Trunk: “So the stuff, and I know this came up before, Gil, a couple times, even during the, when we were together for the tribute record, there was this idea of some sort of Triumph, I guess necessarily, not a hologram, but some sort of like technology that would represent you guys. Is this tour that was announced today, is that being integrated or is that a separate thing, or is that not happening anymore? Like what is the actual status of that?”

Gil Moore: “I’d say it’s partially integrated, you know, I mean, this is a full on rock and roll show that’s gonna hit everyone right in the chest, like that thump, you know? So it’s gonna be everything that a normal show would be, I guess. But, you know, we always were intent on trying to have a theatrical aspect to all the concerts we ever played. Everybody knows that this is the next step, it’s the next logical level, that we’re trying to take it to. We’re trying to surprise everybody. We’re trying to, you know, just say, ‘Hey, you never thought you were gonna see this?’ Well, guess what, here it is.”

Triumph on potential for new music:

Gil Moore: “Well, we haven’t, Rik, Mike, we haven’t really discussed it as a band, but I have had conversations with Jason about it, can’t remember, maybe with Phil too, but I think that would be really cool, Eddie. I just, you know, would love to see like what kind of music, you know, would emanate from the creative team at this, at this point. It could be really something. And let’s face it, we’ve got a studio. We can get inexpensively, because we know the guy. So you know, if we go in there and we don’t like it can stay there, you know?”

Eddie Trunk: “Rik, is there any interest to you in making new music with Triumph?”

Rik Emmett: “In one of the answers I gave to one of your questions down in Cancun, I must have talked about the idea of creativity and how it’s always an ongoing thing for me. I write poetry books and I write songs, and I, you know, collect these things the way squirrels collect nuts, you know, and I bury them in places, and then I don’t remember where I put them. You know, I can go back into my three ring binders and I could probably find eight, 10 songs that might make good Triumph songs. And of course, sometimes I would break songs to these two guys back in the day, and they would go, ‘Rik, I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but that’s not a Triumph song that couldn’t ever possibly be one.’ And even at that, I would fight and say, ‘No, no, you know, I really wanna.’ And then sometimes they would say, ‘Okay, Rik, all right, all right, we’ll let you put ‘Suitcase Blues’ on the end of the album, like a little PS thingy. It’ll be great.’ And it deserves to be on an album because it’s a good song. So, but it’s not like a Triumph song, except we did it so often that then people went, ‘You never know what to expect. So one minute they’re a blues band and they’re playing ‘Young Enough to Cry,’ and then the next minute they’re playing ‘Suitcase Blues,’ and it’s a jazz trio. And I don’t know what happened. And why is this even on the record?’ And then like it was talking about ‘Lay It On The Line,’ sometimes a song is just, it’s so good that you don’t have to mess with it much. It’s already a Triumph song. So if you’re asking me, do I have material that is like that? Yes because I have always have, you know. Would Mike and Gil buy in? Maybe, you know? And then what about Todd and and Phil, and like, what could it become as a recording thing? That really interests me. The idea of using the studio as a tool to generate something that, because let’s face it, there used to be a world, and this is the world that Triumph kind of came out of, was album rock, albums that got made to get onto radio that were album radio kinds of formats, FM radio that still intrigues me and interests me like crazy. Like, I like the idea of, you’re gonna make an album, you’re not gonna make an EP, you’re not gonna make a couple of songs and put them out on Spotify and see how it goes. Like, no, you’re gonna make an album and take people on a journey the same way that Gil loved a rock show, to be something that took people someplace and did something special and different and unique, and that was your responsibility. I felt that way about albums. So I still do. So, you know, if somebody chucks that gauntlet in my, you know, general vicinity, I’m probably gonna pick it up.”

Eddie Trunk: “Mike, your thoughts on new music?”

Mike Levine: “I come from a partial school of thought when it comes to albums. And you know, you’ve probably heard the same thing that I heard for years, that nobody wants to hear new music by old bands, right? They don’t care. They wanna hear the songs that they know, they’re not interested in new music. So you kind of put that off to the side and go, well, you forget about that one for now. But at the same time if you come up with the right mix of songs, you potentially, you could, you can have an album.”

Mere hours after the official tour announcement, Triumph issued the following update:

“We want to clear up something that popped up during today’s tour announcement: this is NOT a tribute band tour. This is a Triumph tour.

We’re putting in the work to bring our show and our songs back to you, the fans. And to help us deliver a truly world-class show, we’ll be joined on-stage by a few friends – Todd Kerns and Brent Fitz from Slash’s band, and Phil X on loan from the mighty Bon Jovi.

Big things ahead. We can’t wait to share it with you. See you on the road!”

Tickets for the Triumph 50th Anniversary Tour with special guest April Wine, will be available beginning with a presale running from today, Wednesday, December 10, through Thursday, December 11, giving fans early access to seats. American Express Card Members in Canada can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Wednesday, December 10 at 10am local time through Thursday, December 11 at 11:59pm local time. The general on-sale follows on Friday, December 12 at 10am local time at LiveNation.com.

“Our fans have always been the heart of Triumph. Their energy, their belief, and the way they embraced the positivity in our music have carried us for fifty years. We’ve always said these songs were meant to bring people together – and that’s exactly why we’re coming back now. We knew there was still a chapter left to write. This tour is our chance to do it, together with the people who made the Triumph journey possible.”

Triumph has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 from every ticket sold will support SoundsUnite – the music community for learning, wellness, and creativity – anywhere, anytime, any device.

Formed in Mississauga in 1975, Triumph – Rik Emmett (guitar, vocals), Mike Levine (bass, keyboards), and Gil Moore (drums, vocals), rose from playing high school auditoriums and rock n’ roll bars to selling out iconic arenas, from Toronto’s famed Maple Leaf Gardens to Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas. Their virtuosic musicianship, soaring vocals, and dazzling, high-production live shows helped define an era of arena rock. Blending hard rock power with progressive ambition, Triumph has sold over 15 million albums worldwide and earned multiple gold and platinum certifications, building a global following through headline tours and landmark festival performances, including the 1983 US Festival before 500,000 fans. With hits like “Lay It On The Line,” “Magic Power”, and “Fight The Good Fight” – combined with pioneering stage productions featuring pyrotechnics, laser lighting, and theatrical flair – Triumph became arena rock legends, securing a permanent place in Canadian and international rock history.

The band’s return to the road follows a defining year honouring Triumph’s impact across generations. In June 2025, the band was celebrated with Magic Power: All-Star Tribute To Triumph (Round Hill Records), a 15-track tribute album featuring rock luminaries such as Phil X, Sebastian Bach, Slash, Nancy Wilson, Joey Belladonna, Dee Snider, Lawrence Gowan, Deen Castronovo, Alex Lifeson, Jeff Keith, Mickey Thomas, and produced by the world-renowned Mike Clink (Guns N’ Roses, Mötley Crüe, Whitesnake).

Further solidifying their celebrated status, Triumph was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in October, a prestigious honour recognizing their enduring influence, masterful songwriting, and contributions to Canada’s cultural legacy. This induction adds to their long list of accolades, which includes membership in the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame (2007), the Canadian Music Hall of Fame (2008), and Canada’s Walk of Fame (2019).

Triumph 50th Anniversary North American Tour Dates:

Canada:

April
22 – Sault Ste. Marie, ON – GFL Memorial Gardens
24 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
25 – Hamilton, ON – TD Coliseum
28 – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre
29 – Moncton, NB – Avenir Centre

May
1 – Laval, QC – Place Bell (Montreal)
2 – Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre
5 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre
7 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
8 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome

United States:

May
13 – Rosemont, IL – Rosemont Theatre (Chicago)
14 – Milwaukee, WI – Miller High Life Theatre
16 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre
17 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
20 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory (Dallas)
21 – San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center
22 – Houston, TX – Smart Financial Center at Sugar Land
24 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
26 – Atlanta, GA – Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park
28 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion (Philadelphia)
30 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill (Detroit)

June
3 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
5 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater (New York)
6 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion

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