Guitarist Phil X, best known for his high-profile work with BON JOVI as Richie Sambora's replacement since 2013, has confirmed in a new interview that he will play the entire set alongside founding members Rik Emmett and Gil Moore on TRIUMPH's highly anticipated 2026 reunion tour. The confirmation puts to rest weeks of speculation among fans about whether the original members would perform the full show or rotate in and out for selected portions.
"Rik and Gil will be playing the entire set," Phil X emphasized, adding that the expanded six-piece touring lineup -- which also includes drummer Brent Fitz, bassist Todd Kerns, and periodic appearances by original bassist Mike Levine at selected shows -- allows TRIUMPH's classic material to be performed with a fullness and power that was impossible with the original three-piece configuration. The addition of Phil X's guitar alongside Emmett's creates a twin-guitar attack that fills out the arrangements considerably.
The 50th anniversary tour launches April 22 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, with APRIL WINE providing support -- a pairing that creates a distinctly Canadian hard rock celebration spanning decades of the nation's rock heritage. Ticket sales have already exceeded all expectations, with Emmett revealing that Live Nation is "beside themselves happy" with the response. The fact that this represents TRIUMPH's first tour in over 30 years has created a wave of nostalgia-driven demand that has surprised even the band themselves.
TRIUMPH -- who at their peak in the early 1980s sold out arenas across North America and produced hard rock anthems like "Lay It on the Line," "Magic Power," "Fight the Good Fight," and "Never Surrender" -- occupy a unique space in heavy music history as one of the genre's most commercially successful Canadian exports alongside RUSH. Phil X's involvement brings additional star power and modern touring experience to a reunion that has already captured the imagination of a fanbase that has waited three decades for this moment.