Rock band cancels all remaining concerts on first reunion tour in 33 years

An acclaimed rock band has canceled the second leg of its tour after reuniting for the first time in more than 30 years.Triumph began its 50th anniversary tour earlier this year with original Triumph singer-guitarist Rik Emmett, bassist-keyboardist Mike Levine and drummer-vocalist Gil Moore. Guitarist-vocalist Phil X, who was a member in the 1990s, is also part of the reunion lineup.But the Canadian music group announced Friday all upcoming concerts are being called off “due to sudden and unexpected medical circumstances.” The first of 17 shows was scheduled to Nov. 17 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.Tickets for all affected “Rock and Roll Machine Reloaded” concerts will be refunded automatically at the original point of purchase, Triumph said in a statement.“With the second leg of the tour set to begin in just under three weeks, these [medical] circumstances prevent us from being able to rehearse and move forward with the current shows as planned,” a statement said. “We recognize that this announcement comes on short notice, and sincerely apologize for the disappointment and inconvenience this will cause.”“To our fans: Thank you for your patience, understanding and unwavering support,” the statement continued. “Your support means more than we can put into lyrics, especially during a difficult time like this. Thankfully, the outlook is positive, and we will be back on stage with you as soon as possible.”Triumph did not provide more details on the health issues, but Ultimate Classic Rock reports Emmett said he’s been having problems since wrapping up the first leg of the tour.“My wife and I were having our 50th anniversary, and my hair started falling out... I had alopecia areata, and I lost all my hair,” he told Talkin’ Bout Rock. “So it was like, ‘That’s not so great.’”“I’m sort of dealing with that and coping with that. And I’m not exactly sure how that one’s going to play out before the tour,” he added. “You may see me as a guy wearing a lot of hats. But however it plays out, I feel good. My health is good. I’m strong, and I feel like I can play and sing.”Emmett, Levine and Moore co-founded Triumph near Toronto in 1975 and released their first album in 1976. They were known for hard rock/heavy metal hits like “Lay It On the Line,” “Magic Power,” “Fight the Good Fight,” “Hold On,” “I Live for the Weekend” and “Rock N Roll Machine.”“Our fans have always been the heart of Triumph,” the group said in a statement. “Their energy, their belief, and the way they embraced the positivity in our music have carried us for 50 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 released nine albums in the ‘70s and ‘80s before Emmett left in 1988 to pursue a solo career. Phil X replaced Emmett on the final Triumph album, “Edge of Excess,” in 1992 before going on hiatus in 1993.The band was inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2008. They were also honored by the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in October.Fellow artists recently paid tribute to Triumph in June with the album “Magic Power: All-Star Tribute to Triumph,” featuring Sebastian Bach (of Skid Row), Slash (of Guns N’ Roses), Nancy Wilson (of Heart), Dee Snider (of Twisted Sister), Mickey Thomas (of Jefferson Starship), Alex Lifeson (of Rush), Deen Castronovo (of Journey) and Joey Belladonna (of Anthrax).Emmett, Levine and Moore have reunited for a small number of concerts over the past two decades, but not for a full tour. Moore said the idea for a reunion started with lighting director Paul Dexter doing hologram shows of Ronnie James Dio before deciding the same wouldn’t work for Triumph.Live Nation expressed interest after “Lay It On the Line” received a resurgence in popularity in NHL broadcasts. Emmett and Moore performed together in June ahead of the Edmonton Oilers’ Stanley Cup Finals game, helping build demand for a triumphant comeback.“It’s serendipity,” Moore told UCR. “It’s the rising tide of fans reflecting on how songs that Triumph played affected them in their life. The more time goes by, the more of these stories you hear and the more compelling they are, or in some cases, heart-wrenching.... We may have recorded them and written them, but they’re their songs, and they’re sending us a strong message. They want to hear them again, so it’s the least I think we can do to give it our best shot. You know, it may not be perfect, but what’s perfect anyway? We’re a rock and roll band. We’re going to go out there and we’re going to light it up absolutely the best way we know how.”Emmett told UCR that he was nervous about the tour due to their ages. He, Levine and Moore are all in their 70s.“I think I’m sh--ing my pants,” Emmett joked to UCR. “What have I said yes to? Oh no! You know, it’s a big mountain to climb. I’m 72 years old... I do want to make sure that Triumph fans understand that Gil Moore never stops cooking and planning ideas for blowing up the world, in his own inimitable fashion, through Triumph. He’s always thinking about, ‘Hey, what if we did this? What if we did that?’ I think it’s his life. He’s got a production company, he’s got a school, he’s got a studio, he’s always around this stuff that there’s, I think, more energy to drive him back out on the road than me and Mike, you know. So from the inside out, there’s always that little bit of mental energy and push.”