A Evening With Rik Emmett

I have been a big fan of the Canadian band, Triumph, since I was a teenager. Songs like "Magic Power", "Fight the Good Fight" and "Lay It On The Line" were inspirational tunes that had the ability to make your day just a little bit brighter.

I can remember going to a Triumph show at the old Baltimore Civic Center back in the early 80's. After the opening band (Foghat) finished their set, the crowd began to move closer to the stage. Even though I was already sitting in the second row, I figured this was an opportunity to get even closer. So, securing a spot just to the left of one of the large stage speakers, I leaned against the stage and prepared for a night of melodic tunes and blistering guitar solos.

The good news was that the show was awesome. The not-so-god news was that my ears were ringing for three days. My ear drums had taken a full frontal assault from Rik Emmett's thunderous guitar riffs. I actually began to worry that I might have suffered some irreparable hearing damage. But thankfully, the ringing eventually stopped and my hearing was saved for another day (and many more concerts).

Fast forward a few decades........

Last night, I went to see Rik Emmett last night ar Ram's Head in Annapolis. Similar to that concert in Baltimore 30+ years ago, I was again very close to the stage. However, the Ram's Head venue is more like a large living room. So a couple of small speakers was sufficient to broadcast the sound. I quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Around 8 o'clock, Rik and his fellow musician, Dave, approached the small stage. They immediately kicked into the classic Triumph tune "Hold On" and then followed up with the familiar instrumental "Petite Etude". Throughout the evening, there was a trade-off of vocal songs and guitar instrumentals. There's no secret that Rik Emmett is a gifted guitarist. But I was also very impressed with his bandmate, Dave Dunlop. They traded off guitar solos much of the evening, each displaying his own special blend of talent.

We heard all of the Triumph classics as well as a cover of Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Way". Perhaps the most surprising song was a quirky rendition of Monty Python's "The Galaxy Song". But as with all of the "normal" songs, they did a brilliant job and it was very entertaining.

Aside from the music, Rik is also a very funny guy. He told stories in between songs that had the Annapolis crowd rolling. Listening to his music and stories in the intimate Ram's Head venue, I felt like I was spending time with an old friend in my living room.

After the show, Rik and Dave hung around to meet people and sign CD's and other memorabilia. And unlike many other performers, they didn't gouge the fans by making them pay another $50 for the meet & greet. I was impressed to see Rik laughing and talking to each and every fan. I got the feeling that he was genuinely good guy who really did care about his fans.

All in all, it was a great night. And as a bonus, I had absolutely no ringing in my ears....

kw