There is nothing like a good live album when it comes to big arena-level rock. Triumph were specialists in the field of concert performance and this remaster of their 1985 Concert piece entitled Stages is a testament to that fact. The CD was originally recorded over the course of several of the bands tours, so the fact that is crosses many years in their career makes it all that much more interesting to listen to. Like all live albums of the time, this particular one did not skimp on including all of the classic numbers. The radio hits as well as the fan favorites are all here to listen to in a fresh and cleaner production.
For those fans who already own the original version of the CD you will be happy to know that the drum solo by Gil Moore that was excluded on the release when medium went from vinyl to CD is included once again. The surprise to me was still leaving the two studio tracks, "Mind Games" and "Empty Inside", on the release instead of perhaps modifying it for an unreleased or unheard classic. I thought it would have been prudent to move them to a different remaster, but they did not do anything different on that end.
As with the other remasters in the Triumph catalog there is no bonus material included. I was not happy about this fact, but do enjoy seeing the time taken to expand on the original booklet artwork as well as making sure that the production was as concise and clean as possible. Triumph were one of those bands that you just had to see in concert, and owning this remaster just made me relive the experience all over again. They are one group that I hope does some sort of reunion sometime soon.
Track Listing
1. When The Lights Go Down
2. Never Surrender
3. Hold On
4. Magic Power
5. Rock And Roll Machine – Rik Emmet Guitar solo
6. Lay It On The Line
7. A World Of Fantasy – Gil Moore Drum solo
8. Midsummer's Daydream
9. Spellbound
10. Follow Your Heart
11. Fight The Good Fight
12. Mind Games
13. Empty Inside
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