Written by Dave Clements
We headed south toward the beautiful Smart Financial Centre in Sugar Land to see two bands from north of the border — not the Texas–Oklahoma line, but the one between the U.S. and Canada. For a Friday night, we expected traffic to be a mess, but it was surprisingly light. That only added to the anticipation of finally seeing two bands we’d known for years but had never caught live.
We made such good time that we stopped at one of our favorite BBQ spots, Rudy’s, and split a jumbo baked potato big enough to feed four. With that handled, we rolled into SFC thinking I’d be shooting the first three songs from the pit. Instead, I found out the photo location had been moved to front of house. After a quick gear shuffle, it turned out to be a blessing — the pit was jam‑packed with fans, and FOH gave us room to breathe.
April Wine kicked things off. They’re originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and their music goes all the way back to the late ’60s. The longest‑tenured member on stage this night was Brian Greenway, who joined in 1977 and handled guitar and some vocals. Marc Parent is the lead singer these days, stepping in after Myles Goodwyn passed away in 2023.
The band hit the stage earlier than expected and got right to it. Parent tossed out a “Canada says hello Texas,” which didn’t quite land with the crowd, but the music absolutely did. Their ten‑song set opened with “I Like to Rock,” then moved through “Anything You Want” and “All Over Town,” and wrapped with “Gypsy Queen” and “Roller.” The audience reaction was strong and enthusiastic, and honestly, not surprising. These guys came ready to entertain, and for almost an hour, they did exactly that. They may not be the original lineup from ’69, but they carried out the spirit and tradition of April Wine with real respect. Well done, gentlemen.
Triumph was the reason the near‑sold‑out crowd showed up, though I’m not sure it was really Triumph they came to see — it might have been Rik Emmett. At one point he joked that he might be the oldest person in the building (Rik, not even close). What he was, though, was the best guitarist I’ve seen in a very long time, and I’ve seen some good ones. This Toronto native is something special. He can absolutely tear up an electric guitar, one neck or two. Don Felder is terrific on “Hotel California,” with his two-neck electric guitar however he might want to scoot over because Rik is coming through.
They’re calling this run the Rock & Roll Machine Reloaded Tour, with only a few North American dates left before things wrap up — if they actually wrap up.
They opened strong with “When the Lights Go Down” and “Somebody’s Out There,” and closed with “I Live for the Weekend” and “Fight the Good Fight.” Every song landed.
The peak of the night in my opinion was “Rock & Roll Machine,” which included an intro of “Little Texas Shaker” and a snippet of Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog.” Neither was necessary — Rik standing center stage was more than enough. Watching him do what so few humans can do was a privilege. His playing blends rock, blues, jazz, classical, and bluegrass. And on top of that, he’s a solid vocalist. In this reviewer’s opinion, he IS Triumph.
And yes, the band is in the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame and either the band or for sure Rik Emmett should be in the Rock & Roll Hall.
Until next time please help keep live music alive.
dwc