Rik Emmett and RESolution 9
April 29, 2017
Poor David's Pub
Dallas, Texas

By A. Lee Graham
Words and Images

Set List:
Lay It On The Line | Human Race | Somebody's Out There | Stand Still | Ordinary Man | Allied Forces | Blinding Light Show | Hold On | Rocky Mountain Way | Whole Lotta Love-The Ocean-Heartbreaker | End of the Line | Magic Power | Fight The Good Fight

Triumph fans remember the ritual: rushing to the record store, peeling back the shrink wrap and diving into the latest melodic maelstrom by one of Canada's finest.

From Rock and Roll Machine and Just A Game (remember the gatefold lesson in industry weaselry?) to Allied Forces, Never Surrender and beyond, Rik Emmett, Gil Moore and Mike Levine never let us down. They rocked out but never shied away from turning down the volume and exploring the emotional spectrum like few bands dared.

Emmett not only dares to record new material and tour in today's evolving musical landscape, but he still releases — and performs — some of the best music out there. Helping crank out the new material is RESolution 9, a musical force to be reckoned with.

RES9 proves that claim, an album that sadly went unnoticed when released last year. In another era, it would have gone platinum. But I digress.

About 300 fans recently gathered to hear the band rock Dallas. From Oklahoma and South Texas they came, packing Poor David's Pub in support of a musician who's helped compose the soundtrack to their lives. Helping bring Emmett back to town was Don Wishon and Wishon Promotions. 

Triumph material dominated the set. Kicking things off was "Lay It On The Line," the Just A Game hit that drew what turned out to be unending applause throughout the evening. Following up the Triumph hit was "Human Race," a RES9 rocker featuring Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson on the recording and Dunlop onstage.

The guitarist proved the perfect foil to Emmett's six-string histrionics. The duo clearly worked hard rehearsing the material, exhibiting almost intuitive tradeoffs while bass player-keyboardist Steve Skingley and drummer Paul DeLong supplied a powerhouse backbeat.

And powerful it was. While most Emmett solo performances follow an unplugged, almost singer-songwriter format, RESolution 9 went to 11, borrowing Spinal Tap parlance, and delivered a full-on rock show.

"Magic Power," “Ordinary Man,” “Hold On,” "Fight The Good Fight" and particularly "Allied Forces" – showcasing Skingley's uncanny Gil Moore vocal imitation – rounded out the Triumph tunes, while RES9 rocker "End of the Line," Led Zep medley "Whole Lotta Love-The Ocean-Heartbreaker" and Joe Walsh chestnut "Rocky Mountain Way" (also featured on Rock and Roll Machine) rounded out the full-bodied set.

Even "Blinding Light Show," a progressive epic from Emmett's former band Act III better known as a Triumph tune, made the set.

If Rik Emmett and RESolution 9 play your town, do not hesitate to buy a ticket.

www.rikemmett.com