Van Halen received a million dollars to preform a the US Festival, but it was Triumph that gave a million dollar performance.

Let's not forget that it's straight on playing and singing. NO auto tune, NO ear monitors, NO tricks. Just unbelievable talent. Triumph was and still is truly special.

i'm old enough that i'm actually blown away when anyone hasn't already had their mind blown by Rik Emmett. very few people are as good a guitarist, as good a singer, OR as good a songwriter, let alone 2 out of 3, let alone all 3. won't see another like him in my lifetime.

I’m so glad you’re giving Rick Emmet the love he deserves. Triumph is SOOooo underrated!

Criminally underrated band. Have been a Triumph fan for decades. Rik Emmett is amazing, the singing is incredible, the guitar playing is incredible. Also, the drummer Gil Moore sings lead on several of their hit songs, as well as great harmonies, which were not present in this song. They have a live album called Stages, which I wore my cassette out.

OMG, I was a young teen when I went to the US fest and saw this Triumph performance. Now 40 years later I am a music producer in Nashville, thank you Triumph and Rik Emmett for the inspiration. I still have the magic power of music in me.

Rik Emmett wrote this song for his aunt, who was dying of cancer. As a person fighting cancer myself, this song touches me in a new way from when I saw them in concert back in the early 80s. Love this band! Thanks for putting this up.

They came to kick butt that day. All the other groups showed up wearing black - they were the good guys in white playing right at sunset. They asked the organizer if he had introduced any other bands so far. When he said no, they said "Well come up on stage and you can introduce us." Total class. I love this concert.

Triumph was huge in the 80’s. Huge. Along with Rush, Triumph were my musical saviors. Their lyrics were so impactful and the music is legend.

You should really watch them doing “Lay it on the line “ if you want to be totally blown away with his vocals

Their drummer is a great singer in his own right too.

It took me a long time to realize the genius of Triumph. And to see this woman's face light up the first time she hears them is so worth it. She exemplifies most peoples response to hearing Rik's voice. The genuine smile and overwhelming dismay at what comes out of his mouth is Incredible!

Yes! You finally dove into the Triumph rabbit hole and I couldn't be happier! These guys are absolutely incredible live and I was so lucky to see them many times over the years. Rick Emmett has a phenomenal voice. Thanks for doing this and don't stop here. They have so many more such as 'Magic Power', 'Lay It On The Line' and 'Follow Your Heart". Enjoy!

Apart from mind blowing vocals and totally virtuoso guitar playing, Triumph have really uplifting lyrics too. Instead of singing about dark emotions (like every single rock band), there is alot of pure joy in their music. And that is another reason to love them.

Triumph and Queensryche = greatest bands most have never heard of.

Rick Emmett is one of my favorite singers. Triumph is so underrated. Such talent

it's always cool when someone hears them for the first time and are blown away by Rik's vocals... one of my favorite bands

Love this woman, she nows her stuff and is so beautiful!❤

How cool is this? My first view of your channel and I was actually at this performance! This is day two of the US Festival in Southern California, 1983. The entire lineup that day was fun, Quiet Riot, Motley Crue, Triumph, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Scorpions and Van Halen (again, Day Two) ..... I'd purchased the LP "Allied Forces" by Triumph but had no idea of what to expect seeing them live. They really did deliver! I was recording for Motown records at the time and my manager handed me tickets to see this show so a free show like this made for a great weekend

Lay It on the Line is another one of their great songs, they are such a talented and very under appreciated band by mainstream standards, Rik is also a classically trained guitarist, loved this reaction!

This is from the US Festival Memorial Day weekend 1983, Devore, CA. Somewhere around 375,000 of "us" in the crowd that day! I was 30' from the stage. Triumph played an absolutely amazing set. They were an extremely underrated act on the bill that day, but man they stole the show imo.

THANK YOU! Triumph was SO underrated as a band. I love watching this, because I (with the rest of the fans here) - we KNOW what's coming. We know you're not only going to be amazed, but Triumph is going to make a lasting impression on you. Thank you for being a champion of great vocalists/bands. The world needs more of this.

And remember he’s playing all of these great guitar lines while singing these amazing vocal lines

What’s incredible is that as a professional Sound Engineer for 35 years I remember watching this concert when I was in high school and being blown away. So much so that about 10 years ago I went looking to see if I can find it on DVD and I found it. It was as amazing on rediscovering as I thought it was when I saw it happen, live in 1983. This performance was a motivator for me to be the connection between a band and their audience. So here I am today some 35 years after I started working professionally in the music industry, reflecting on the impact this performance had on me. I’ve traveled to 39 countries working with very famous artists, my whole adult life. And it makes me very happy to see the Internet suddenly starting to rediscover this performance. You’re starting to see more and more of these vocal coaches reacting to this performance. Try to find it and enjoy it without any interruptions from someone making commentary on it. No massive affects. No autotune. Just three guys crushing it on borrowed equipment.! This is EPIC. THANK YOU Triumph. Your music impacted me and many others. While I can’t speak for them, I can tell you that your music truly changed me and helped me find my path in life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Best quote I’ve heard to describe Triumph. “They were the nice guys in an era meant for the dirt bag.” All of their songs have an uplifting message to them. I’ve seen them live a few times back in the day. Always left the show feeling like the world just became a better place. I’ll always hold Triumph in the highest regard just behind RUSH as the greatest Canadian band ever and simply one of the best rios and bands ever.

Watch the whole concert, Rik absolutely makes it look effortless and the energy he puts into the whole show is unbelievable, he even does a long guitar solo so the other guys can take a break.

You just witnessed pure talent! They are an amazing band with simplicity. Have loved them since 1980 💜🎶💜

Rik is such a guitar wizard that you forget what a great singing voice he had back in his prime. If you really want to hear his voice in it's prime, check out the studio version of Lay It On The Line.

I was at this show 40 years ago as a 19 year old. Triumph hit the stage as the sun started to set which gave off a golden ambiance to the whole incredible performance. You can't tell by the video, but the temperature was about 110 degrees. It was incredibily hot that day. Triumph arguably out of all the bands that day were the best of them all. Thanks for the reaction.

I LOVE LOVE Triiumph. Always feel so positive listening to the great lyrics. But Rik Emmet's voice is unparalled. No autotune and he's so perfect, incredible.

It’s a very simple formula… An unbelievably tight and talented band with one of the greatest singer/guitarists to ever set foot on a stage! Criminally underestimated unfortunately…

Outside of Canada, Triumph really didn't get the recognition they deserve. Incredible vocals and terribly underappreciated musicians.

Criminally underrated. Written off as the "Canadian Journey" and drew a lot of unfair comparisons to Rush simply because they were a Canadian trio. They were my first arena show ever back in the day and their live performances were absolutely amazing.

Credit to the sound department as well. That mix is perfect.

Totally agree about them being underrated! I've been a fan since I was 17, and I'm now 61. Not only is the talent & skill, over the top, but I will go watch triumph videos whenever I'm in a bad mood, because the amount of happy energy that Rik Emmett exudes when he's on stage, is contagious, and you can't help but get happy , too I've seen a lot of bands in all my years (probably been to at least 600 or more concerts) but I've never seen anyone who is Happier to be up there playing then Rik Emmett!!

Triumph’s performance on Heavy Metal Day at the US Festival was considered to be the best performance!

Rik Emmett is the reason I play guitar. Vocals on Thunder Seven album are incredible.

It is the emotion he puts into the words. He paints the sunset with his voice and you see the night coming on. His voice is a bit melancholy… then he rocks out. Think Styx Rush and Yes and so many 70s and 80s bands. So much emotion… so much soul… they are genuinely feeling their music.

I first saw this band in Erie while home on leave in 79. When I returned to my base in California I turned my friends on to it. It became our new favorite. Another Canadian favorite is April Wine; awesome.

Their music is sooo positive...and Rik had the perfect voice for it. Very underrrated band.

This was easily the best performance of the entire festival.

Correct me if I’m wrong. All this great sound from a three-piece band. Lead, bass and drums. Phenomenal.!!

My favorite since I was a little kid. I wish I would have been old enough to have been at this concert. One of the few bands that always sounded just as good live and often even better than in studio. Three people making this powerful of a sound! And yes- they were underrated- I remember calling radio stations and requesting Triumph and either the DJs said they did not know who Triumph was or they scoffed and would not take the request. I hear Triumph more often, now, on the Classic Rock station, than I did on the rock stations back in the day when Triumph was putting out new albums.

That is so great that you reacted that way you did. They were a local band from the Toronto area when I was a kid and just starting to play guitar. They were the next best thing to Rush at the time. I wasn’t a huge fan until I saw this concert live in TV. I think this was the biggest gig they had had to that point. Besides his guitar playing and his incredible voice, the prowess with which they commanded that stage was just phenomenal. They had a decent following and much of the appeal was the more straight ahead rock thing of the day but Rick was just in a whole other level. He wrote a column for one of the major guitar magazines for a while as well. I know someone who met him once. I can’t remember why this friend was at his home but it was nothing to do with music but my friend asked him if he’d play something and he graciously did. He is apparently super nice guy.

Rik Emmett was nothing short of incredible. Great guitar player, great vocals, unique, identifiable sound...just incredible! Check out more of their stuff. Magic Power, World of Fantasy, and especially, Lay It On The Line.

Rush get all the plaudits and I'm not saying they don't deserve them. But Triumph deserve so much more recognition as more than just another Canadian Rock trio. Great band. You and your reactions are still just the best!

Triumph fan before MTV ever existed... raised in a troubled home and this song was my go to to find strength. Rik Emmett has such a amazing voice it is priceless and in my opinion the best guitarist EVER !!! Every morning I have a ritual. Coffee a small fast bite and then I crank up Triumphs .. Fight the good fight , Never surrender and Van Halens ( Van Hagars ) song Right now. Triumph broke up because Rik Emmett wouldn't change his songwriting to a heavy metal program. The breakup ended the bands relationships. Triumph was actually a Christian band believe it or not. Rik Emmett was never as financially blessed as his band members ended up. Rik Emmett is worth less than 5 million where his old band members are valued over 25 million. Rik Emmett moved on to teaching and playing with very small bands in Canada. Rik Emmett married later than earlier in life. He rubs elbows with his humble neighbors and coaches for free in his towns kids sports league which his young sons are involved. The man stuck to his principles and in my option wealthier than his old bands mates are with there 20+ more millions in there bank accounts.

He wowed everyone that day. his solo was killer

When it comes to Triumph, you not only have the talent but also listen to the lyrics. When I was a kid and first heard Magic Power, I learned two things. 1) There is someone singing about my love for music. 2) I am not alone! Those were the first time I felt that way and that song cemented a place in my personality. It is OK to love music to the point that you can let yourself go in it. The lyrics of all the Triumph songs always seem positive, uplifting and instructive on how to live life right. Fight the good fight every moment of every day.

Thank you for covering this highly under-appreciated band. For us high school hard rockers in the early 80s, the lyrics and power behind them grounded some of the suburban teenaged angst

They remind me a lot of Rush, and I remember them always on the radio when I was a kid. Great memories.

Amazing!! Fight the Good Fight - Love Triumph, your facial expressions were fun to watch 🙏💙

The most under appreciated rock band of the era. These men are so talented and uplift the audience like no other.

Rik Emmett sang in full voice...his range huge and clear. Whole band is so underrated.

Never heard them before! I am hooked. This is what i love about reaction channels. Finding so many good forgotten music. Respect

I had so much Fun watching Your Reaction to Triumph and Especially Rik Emmett last time I Loved watching again seeing Your Excitement and You being a Professional Singer as Well reminds me I know why they are one of my Very Favorite Bands and seeing them 9 times live Rik Emmett never had a bad Performance and less than 2 weeks after this Performance I saw them first time outdoors at a football stadium and they were Neatly Perfect I think I said I have gotten to see about 700 concerts and I once thought about if I was to make a Top Ten Performances Rik Emmett has 3 of those 10 Best Performances Getting so fortunate to grow up in a time of Classic Rock Bands and the Singers Wow I Miss that So Much it was So Crazy I so many Amazing Musicians then and alot of theses Bands were not getting the attention because Disco Ouch I didn’t like Disco! But I Enjoyed watching again Thank You for confirming I was Right about Triumph

You should listen to Magic Power. They have really awesome songs. They sing about positive stuff that's real.

This song still gives me chills...... all these years later!

One of the best pure live acts ever! Triumph us the real deal! Love them..lucky to watch them in Puerto Rico in 1988, before their break up.

Love that you reacted to Triumph! ❤ From the same concert, US Festival 1983, I would highly recommend "Lay it on the Line", for his vocals as well.

I am so glad people are going back and discovering Triumph and Rik Emmett. Such an amazing guitar player and singer. He was on par with the 'guitar gods' of the day and then his singing was incredible. Thanks for watching this and breaking it down. Love Never Surrender too (either the studio or the US Festival Version).

They were always an underrated band in most main stream circles but like Rush had an insanely devoted fan base of musicians and nerds like me!

WOW,...I know this song and I know Triumph but I have never seen "this" live video of it! Holy shipensburg...that was REALLY darn groovy. Rick just sings soooo high and effortlessly! I love your reactions to these videos! You have a kajillion billion dollar smile and I love how animated your expressions are! So much fun to watch! Love your channel!

The drummer Gil Moore is also a terrific vocalist. Some songs feature him on lead, but either way they always have stellar vocals including backup and harmonies! This is a criminally underrated band outside of Canada, except by those in the know who became diehard fans and supporters, because this band and their music is phenomenal. Please do more: Lay it on the Line, Hold On, Magic Power, Allied Forces, Rock n' roll Machine, Ordinary Man, Spellbound, Follow Your Heart, Never Surrender, World of Fantasy, When the lights go down, Tears in the Rain, Somebody's Out There.

It's good to hear a positive song come out of a relatable struggle. This song was inspired by Rik Emmett's aunt who was fighting cancer at the time. Inspirational.

Thanks for doing the reaction video for this song. You really do a great job of bringing out what's awesome about the vocal here and the band performance as a whole. I'd forgotten how great this is.

I am from Michigan but saw this performance and I will never forget it - they were so very talented and criminally under-rated. To top it all off, to their credit, their lyrics are always positive and uplifting, which is incredibly unique and beautiful

Triumph is one of my all-time favorite bands. Rik's vocals and guitar playing are top-notch and he makes it look so easy. He also had the face of an angel. Definitely the whole package and then some as far as front men go.

I heard Rick play an acoustic set not too many years ago. He was still killing the vocals as effortlessly as in this video- amazing!

Great review! Your review put into words many of the reasons I fell in love with them. I have loved Triumph from the early 80's! Such great music. Thank you!!

Watching this takes me back. Triumph was a amazing. God I miss the 1980s.

Love seeing you listen to this band, one of my very favorites from the 80s, saw them live 3 times. The good guys of hard rock at the time, always spreading a positive message. Rik is an incredible guitarist and vocalist. Thanks for this reaction, Bethany!

I was at the US Festival and saw this performance in person. Rick Emmett is an incredible vocalist/guitarist and Triumph was a very talented band.

One of the best 70’s /80’s rock trio from Canada 🇨🇦

This is at the end of the concert too and he sounds that smooth!

Living in Toronto, I first saw them at a High School performance in the auditorium, just after their first album was released. When that album came out, they were unknown, but it was so good we didn't take it off the turntable for three months, when the grooves were worn out. Somehow, I KNEW they were going to make it big! Rick's voice is angelic and note-perfect. I've listened in amazement watching them live, knowing there's a high note coming and wondering if he'll hit it, or sing around it. He didn't hit it, he took it higher...goosebumps! As amazing a singer as he is, he's every bit as good as a guitarist, Canada's version of Eddy Van Halen, Rick was also a great lyricist & song-writer...a quadruple talent who's band propelled them right to the top! Ace up their sleeve: their fantastic drummer is ALSO an amazing singer, lyricist, and song-writer! How many three-man band have TWO great singers? I don't agree they were under-rated , after numerous albums, videos & radio hits, they broke up while still on top, just as popular musical tastes were starting to change from arena rock towards the crap that rules now, and they just sort of were 'forgotten' except for their top hits which still get played on Classic Rock FM.

My wait is over...Triumph, probably one of the best rock bands to have ever graced our ears. Thank you Beth, made my day.

You reminded me of this day back in 1983. So many good bands at the US Festival, but Triumph was one of the best. Thanks for highlighting how awesome the band is.

Love Triumph, such an inspiring song, make it worth the price we pay, better to give than to receive, great advice.👍

It's more than obvious that it rendered you speechless at points in trying to describe just how amazing this Canadian trio is. Lay It On the Line, hooked me when I first heard it.

The 2nd best Canadian power trio. Ever! So much talent and technique. Happy to see you've found these guys. Fun fact - spent an evening with these guys, in the 70s, on their bus parked at a gas station in Chicago...more fun than is actually legal in, almost anywhere..! Keep 'em coming kiddo, I love this trajectory. rl 🤘👹🤘

Loved watching your reactions, and your comments were so insightful! Triumph was an amazing band no doubt! Let's take a moment to appreciate Rik Emmett...how often in any band do you have a virtuoso guitarist (he only scratches the surface of his abilities at the US Festival), a virtuoso singer, and top tier song writer in the same band let alone the same person! Rik never ceases to amaze me with his abilities....Truly a once in a lifetime musician and a hell of a nice guy! Thanks to Rik for sharing his gifts with us all these years!

Have loved Triumph for a long time and I love this song. Have listened to it on KZfaq numerous times. Your video popped up and I was so happy to see your amazement at this tremendous vocalist.

A deeper dive into Triumph will not disappoint. So much beauty and so much range.

You need to hear more from them. They were known for incredible shows with lighting and everything. Rick Emmett also plays the double stack guitar. Their songs are so uplifting lyrically and musically.

One of my all time favorite bands. And let’s not forget that they are a trio! And they make all that noise with only 3 of them! Rik Emmit is one of the all time greatest guitarists ever! And that drummer, don’t get me started…

I've been a Triumph fan for I can't even remember how long when they first came out and I'm 59 years old and I love magic power you should play that song and hear that you will love that thanks for being on😅 you're the best I think you're the sweetest lady and go girl

There were only a handful of bands that I felt the need to obtain all of their records to hear their development throughout the years. RUSH and TRIUMPH broke down the barriers entirely for me and millions more like me. Both of these Canuck bands were all I needed to get me through to the next level of my own musical development as a drumming singer. Gil Moore was great. Powerful to say the least. Try Magic Power next from the same recording. It's truly magical...

One of the few bands from back in the day that had a positive message to many of their songs.

I worked their last concert. Stage crew and security. Such a cool moment.

I'm so glad I came across your channel. Your facial expressions say it all. BTW I saw them in maybe 1982 in St. Louis. Great concert. Keep up the great work.

I think that it’s wonderfully refreshing that a younger person such as yourself is discovering this phenomenal music. It’s important to note that this performance was from 40 years ago this past summer. Yes you heard that right this was the summer of 1983. Rick Emmett is one of the most talented, singer guitarist ever in rock music history. He eventually became a music professor at a college and it’s gotten heavily into jazz and jazz fusion music throughout the years incredibly humble, incredibly well spoken and talent off the charts. Phenomenal guitarist an equally phenomenal vocalist.

I was fortunate enough to see Triumph in the late 70s They never seemed to get the recognition they deserved. Always a great live show, wonderful sound from all the instruments, and the vocals. Just great rock and roll! Lyrics were fantastic, Riks voice was incredible. This music never gets old.

This ‘83 US Festival performance is right up there with- think Queen Live Aid

I truly enjoy watching your reactions to these videos always happy, excited,and professional

I've listened to Triumph a good bit over the years, but I watched this whole concert about a week ago. There are many other great songs just in this concert alone. Seemed to be recorded really well too. I hope you check out some more, even if just from this same concert since it's so well recorded.

He sounds even better now. He does an acoustic version in an incredible small intimate club. I think the song is magic. It will blow your mind.

I was backstage for this concert. They kicked ass on a Metal Day! The crowd loved it, great performance. Definitely a highlight of the day.

Your joy for music is delightfully contagious. Thanks for your videos. I always feel happier after watching.

Excellent! "Never Surrender" from this same concert is also an amazing performance and features the back-up vocals of the drummer Gil Moore.