Concert Review
Triumph
Wednesday June 3, 2026
Darien Lake Amphitheater
Darien Center, NY
Review: Joseph Suto
Photos: To Come Shortly
October 25, 1986 marked the last time Triumph stepped foot on a WNY stage as a band. That was when the band played the old Buffalo Memorial Auditorium on what was the Sport Of Kings tour. It was my first Triumph concert and til 2026 my last. That tour in 1986 proved to be the band’s last full tour featuring all original members. At the time I never would have thought I would ever see them live again. They reunited for two one-off shows in 2008 and quietly disappeared again. No one expected them to launch a tour in 2026 and yet there they were Wednesday evening out at the Darien Lake Amphitheater. This marked the first time the band had played the venue which did not open until 1993 after the demise of the original lineup.
The show began with the appropriately titled “When the Lights Go Down” to get the ball rolling. Following up with the band’s highest charting song “Somebody’s Out There” really helped set the tone of the show. Once “Spellbound” kicked in I bet many were surprised to see drummer Gil Moore simply just play the drums as bassist Todd Kerns took the spotlight for the vocals.
Drummer Gil Moore and guitarist Rik Emmett still play their prominent roles. The band has been augmented with three additional players as to what Emmett calls Triumph on steroids. Phil X, who is no stranger to Triumph as he briefly replaced Emmett for the Edge of Excess album and very short tour. He is also currently the lead guitarist in Bon Jovi. Talented drummer, keyboardist Brent Fitz and bassist, vocalist Todd Kerns round out the super charged lineup. When the tour was first announced it was stated that bassist Mike Levine would appear when he was able to. Sadly he has yet to make an appearance due to health issues.
I must say that from the reports from some of the earlier shows of the tour, Emmett sounded really well as evidenced on some of the centerpiece songs like “Hold On” and “Lay It On the Line”. The crowd ate those up. Emmett addressed the healthy crowd at Darien Center saying that he was one of the skeptics who did not expect how well the tour would do. He gave Gil Moore the credit for the believing in how great this tour would be calling it an unbelievable gift. As he led up to introducing the song of hope, a song of optimism in “Magic Power” he was very emotional.
Sure the new blood has rejuvenated the band. Make no mistake however that Emmett and Moore both knew what needed to be done to have this show succeed. Moore even sacrificed singing two of his biggest songs in “Spellbound” and the dynamic “Follow Your Heart”. He knew Kerns would do the songs justice and allowed him to do exactly that. Emmett realizes his limitations at this point of his career, after all he was basically retired for the last seven years. He realized how much stronger the songs would sound with another killer guitar player playing alongside him. Enter his one time replacement Phil X. These guys realized how overall the decisions they made would make the band stronger. The Rock and Roll Machine Reloaded 2026 tour has been amazing for the fans, the band and all involved. Will this be the last we see of the band? Only time will tell but one thing is certain never say never.
Set List
When The Lights Go Down
Somebody’s Out There
Spellbound
Hold On
Allied Forces
Blinding Light Show
Rock and Roll Machine
Rocky Mountain Way
Never Surrender
Lay It on the Line
Follow Your Heart
Magic Power
Encore
I Live For the Weekend
Fight The Good Fight
