Triumph - A Night of Triumph Live
The Canadian power trio Triumph may have faded from the memories of disparaging critics, butA Night of Triumph Liveoffers ample proof that this underrated band could rock as well as any of their longer-lasting contemporaries. A sold-out crowd of 10,000 loyal fans already knew that when this exceptionally well-recorded concert was videotaped at the Metro Centre Arena in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on January 16, 1987. Twelve years into its history, six years after the breakthrough success of itsAllied ForcesLP, and just a year before breaking up, the band (lead guitarist/vocalist Rik Emmett, drummer/vocalist Gil Moore, and bassist/keyboardist Mike Levine, with guest bandmate Rick Santer providing backup keyboards and vocals) was heavily touring to support their 1986 releaseThe Sport of Kings, and they're in peak form with a dazzling pyrotechnical stage show that readily matches their versatile musicianship. The sheer megawattage of their stage lighting is quintessential '80s excess (or what Moore referred to as NGF, or "Net Gasp Factor"), but it never overpowers the music itself. Even casual fans will agree that the radio hit "Magic Power" has enduring appeal; if you were a teenage fan during Triumph's prime in the mid-'80s, the song's positive vibe may yet stir your soul. Better yet, the 82-minute gig--with all bandmates giving stellar performances--has been brilliantly remastered in three audio options, and the 5.1-channel mixes (DTS and Dolby Digital) are nothing short of spectacular. Triumph may be gone (Emmett departed in 1988, and the band never really recovered), but this impressive DVD ensures that they will most certainly not be forgotten.--Jeff Shannon