Triumph Tour
Encyclopedia
The Triumph Tour was a concert tour by The Jacksons, covering the United States
from July 9 to September 26, 1981. The tour grossed a total of $5.5 million, setting a record breaking 4 sold out concerts in Los Angeles
, California
.
and lead singer Michael Jackson
was in the final stages of promoting his multi-platinum hit, Off the Wall
. Embarking on this tour provided Michael to bring in new ideas as to how the group can produce a show to his liking. Inspired by the live shows by Earth, Wind & Fire
, Michael created the costumes and designed the stage and alongside his brothers collaborating, created an intro that signaled similarities to their "Can You Feel It
" music video. As since the early days the choreography was done by Michael, Jackie and Marlon Jackson. The shows included magical elements designed by Doug Henning
, for example Michael disappearing in smoke during Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough.
and ended with a sold-out week of shows in Los Angeles, California
. The tour was given great reviews upon every show in part due to Michael's leadership and showmanship. The brothers also came in for praise, particularly Randy and Tito's musicality and Marlon's dance ability. The tour also marked the last truly integrated group effort as Michael's solo career would soon eclipse his success with his brothers. The tour was so well-received and popular that Epic
had the brothers record one of the shows (though it's not entirely clear where the recording took place in one show or on a bevy of other tours that were put together for the recording. However, it was rumored that the tracks were recorded during stops in Memphis
, New York City
, Buffalo and Providence
.). The live album, The Jacksons Live!
, came out in the winter of 1981 and went gold in its initial run, current sales are two million. After the tour ended, Michael went back to record his follow-up
to Off the Wall. It would be three years before The Jacksons would go back on the road again. Rolling Stone
later named the Triumph Tour one of the best 25 tours of 1967-1987. To showcase the success of the Triumph Tour, Michael Jackson commented that it was their first show without any marginal material. Michael patterned the Victory Tour and his Bad World Tour after the Triumph Tour.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from July 9 to September 26, 1981. The tour grossed a total of $5.5 million, setting a record breaking 4 sold out concerts in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
History
By 1981, the Jacksons had regained success as a platinum-selling recording group with two albums, Destiny and TriumphTriumph (The Jacksons album)
Triumph was the thirteenth album by The Jacksons, released in 1980 on Epic Records.-Reception:It was certified platinum in the U.S. and peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200. The Triumph album sold three million copies in its original run...
and lead singer Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
was in the final stages of promoting his multi-platinum hit, Off the Wall
Off the Wall (album)
Off the Wall is the fifth studio album by the American recording artist Michael Jackson, released August 10, 1979 on Epic Records, after Jackson's critically well received film performance in The Wiz. While working on that project, Jackson and Quincy Jones had become friends, and Jones agreed to...
. Embarking on this tour provided Michael to bring in new ideas as to how the group can produce a show to his liking. Inspired by the live shows by Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American soul and R&B band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Verdine and Maurice White. Also known as EWF, the band has won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. They have been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of...
, Michael created the costumes and designed the stage and alongside his brothers collaborating, created an intro that signaled similarities to their "Can You Feel It
Can You Feel It
"Can You Feel It" is a recording by funk and soul group The Jacksons, recorded in March 1980 and released on September 22, 1980 as the first track on their album Triumph....
" music video. As since the early days the choreography was done by Michael, Jackie and Marlon Jackson. The shows included magical elements designed by Doug Henning
Doug Henning
Douglas James Henning was a Canadian magician, illusionist, escape artist and politician.-Early life:...
, for example Michael disappearing in smoke during Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough.
Touring tenure
The Triumph Tour began in Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
and ended with a sold-out week of shows in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. The tour was given great reviews upon every show in part due to Michael's leadership and showmanship. The brothers also came in for praise, particularly Randy and Tito's musicality and Marlon's dance ability. The tour also marked the last truly integrated group effort as Michael's solo career would soon eclipse his success with his brothers. The tour was so well-received and popular that Epic
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
had the brothers record one of the shows (though it's not entirely clear where the recording took place in one show or on a bevy of other tours that were put together for the recording. However, it was rumored that the tracks were recorded during stops in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Buffalo and Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
.). The live album, The Jacksons Live!
The Jacksons Live!
The Jacksons Live! is a live album by The Jacksons, recorded during their North American tour in fall 1981, known as the Triumph Tour, and released in November 1981. The live double album was culled from recordings made in August 1981 on the tour's stops in Buffalo, NY; Providence, RI; Atlanta, GA;...
, came out in the winter of 1981 and went gold in its initial run, current sales are two million. After the tour ended, Michael went back to record his follow-up
Thriller (album)
Thriller is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released on November 30, 1982, by Epic Records as the follow-up to Jackson's critically and commercially successful 1979 album Off the Wall...
to Off the Wall. It would be three years before The Jacksons would go back on the road again. Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
later named the Triumph Tour one of the best 25 tours of 1967-1987. To showcase the success of the Triumph Tour, Michael Jackson commented that it was their first show without any marginal material. Michael patterned the Victory Tour and his Bad World Tour after the Triumph Tour.
Stage
The stage was dark and had three groups of strobe lights, all of them containing different colors of lights, facing the stage diagonally. The stage also had a spotlight that followed the main performers. In addition to the lighting, the musicians played their instruments on fixtures (the horn section to the left of the stage, the drums to the center, and keyboards to the right; with the exception of the guitarists and Randy Jackson who played the piano, keyboards, and assorted percussion).Setlist
Tour dates
| # | Date | City | Country | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 8, 1981 | Memphis | United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Mid-South Coliseum Mid-South Coliseum The Mid-South Coliseum, also known as "The Entertainment Capital of the Mid-South", was a multi-purpose arena, that seated 10,085 people, in Memphis, Tennessee... |
| 2 | July 10, 1981 | Oklahoma City Oklahoma city Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial... |
The Myriad Cox Convention Center The Cox Business Services Convention Center is a multi-purpose complex, located in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.... |
|
| 3 | July 11, 1981 | Dallas | Reunion Arena Reunion Arena Reunion Arena was an indoor arena, in the Reunion district of downtown Dallas, Texas . It held 18,293 for basketball and 17,001 for ice hockey.It was demolished in November 2009 and the site was cleared by the end of the year.-History:... |
|
| 4 | July 12, 1981 | Houston | The Summit | |
| 5 | July 15, 1981 | San Antonio | HemisFair Arena HemisFair Arena HemisFair Arena was an indoor arena, located in San Antonio, Texas, United States.It was home to the NBA's San Antonio Spurs, from 1973 to 1993 and the San Antonio Force, of the AFL, during the 1992 season, their only year of existence.... |
|
| 6 | July 17, 1981 | Baton Rouge | Riverside Centroplex Baton Rouge River Center The Baton Rouge River Center is a municipally owned multi-purpose 200,000 square feet entertainment facility located on the Mississippi River in downtown Baton Rouge, the capital city of Louisiana.It is maintained by a private management company, SMG, which presents more than five... |
|
| 7 | July 18, 1981 | Mobile Mobile, Alabama Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest... |
Municipal Auditorium Mobile Civic Center Mobile Civic Center is a multi-purpose arena located in Mobile, Alabama. Owned by the City of Mobile and operated by SMG, the arena comprises three venues: A theater, an expo hall, and an arena. It is suitable for large indoor events; including sporting events and trade shows. The theater has... |
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| 8 | July 19, 1981 | Lakeland Lakeland, Florida Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406... |
Lakeland Civic Center | |
| 9 | July 22, 1981 | Atlanta | The Omni | |
| 10 | July 24, 1981 | Greensboro | Greensboro Coliseum Greensboro Coliseum The Greensboro Coliseum Complex is an entertainment complex located in College Hill neighborhood of Greensboro, North Carolina. Opening in 1959, the arena was one of the largest venues in the South, with a seating capacity of over 7,000... |
|
| 11 | July 25, 1981 | Charlotte CHARLOTTE - CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',... |
Charlotte Coliseum | |
| 12 | July 26, 1981 | Hampton Hampton, Virginia Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts... |
Hampton Coliseum Hampton Coliseum The Hampton Coliseum is a multi-use cultural, entertainment and sports arena in Hampton, Virginia. Construction on the arena began on May 24, 1968 and the venue opened in 1970 as the first large multi-purpose arena in the Hampton Roads region and the state of Virginia, opening a year prior to... |
|
| 13 | July 31, 1981 | Landover Landover, Maryland Landover is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, within the census-designated place of Greater Landover. The Prince Georges County Sports and Learning Complex is in Landover... |
Capital Centre Capital Centre The Capital Centre was an indoor arena located in Landover, Maryland, unincorporated Prince George's County, Maryland; a suburb of Washington, D.C. Completed in 1973, the arena sat 18,756 for basketball and 18,130 for hockey.... |
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| 14 | August 1, 1981 | |||
| 15 | August 2, 1981 | Buffalo Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the... |
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium Buffalo Memorial Auditorium Buffalo Memorial Auditorium was an indoor arena in downtown Buffalo, New York. It hosted the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL, the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL, the Buffalo Braves of the NBA, the Buffalo Stallions of MSL, the Buffalo Bandits of MILL, the Buffalo Blizzard of the second NPSL and the Buffalo... |
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| 16 | August 4, 1981 | Richmond Richmond, Virginia Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area... |
Richmond Coliseum Richmond Coliseum Richmond Coliseum is an arena in Richmond, Virginia, where the SPHL Richmond Renegades played until the 2008-2009 season and the SIFL Richmond Raiders will play starting with the 2010 season. It is also the venue for various large concerts. The arena opened in 1971 and holds 13,500 people. A... |
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| 17 | August 7, 1981 | Uniondale Uniondale, New York Uniondale is a hamlet as well as a suburb of New York City in Nassau County, New York, United States, on Long Island, in the Town of Hempstead. The population was 24,759 at the 2010 United States Census.-Geography:... |
Nassau Coliseum | |
| 18 | August 8, 1981 | Cincinnati | Riverfront Coliseum U.S. Bank Arena U.S. Bank Arena is an indoor arena, located in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, along the banks of the Ohio River, next to the Great American Ball Park. Completed in September 1975, the arena seats 17,556 people... |
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| 19 | August 10, 1981 | Columbus Columbus, Ohio Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city... |
Veterans Memorial Auditorium | |
| 20 | August 13, 1981 | Pittsburgh | Civic Arena | |
| 21 | August 15, 1981 | Philadelphia | The Spectrum | |
| 22 | August 16, 1981 | Providence Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region... |
Providence Civic Center Dunkin' Donuts Center The Dunkin' Donuts Center , is an indoor arena, located in downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States... |
|
| 23 | August 18, 1981 | New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... |
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the... |
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| 24 | August 19, 1981 | |||
| 25 | August 22, 1981 | Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... |
Chicago Stadium Chicago Stadium The Chicago Stadium was an indoor sports arena and theater in Chicago. It opened in 1929, and closed in 1994.-History:The Stadium hosted the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL from 1929–1994 and the Chicago Bulls of the NBA from 1967–1994.... |
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| 26 | August 23, 1981 | Trotwood Trotwood, Ohio Trotwood is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. The population was 27,431 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is served by the Trotwood-Madison City School District... |
Hara Arena Hara Arena Hara Arena is a 5,500-seat multi-purpose arena, in Trotwood, Ohio, just outside the city of Dayton.At one time, it hosted the Dayton Jets basketball team and Dayton Gems, Dayton Blue Hawks, Dayton Owls, Dayton Bombers and Dayton Ice Bandits ice hockey teams and The Marshals indoor football... |
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| 27 | August 26, 1981 | Milwaukee | Milwaukee Arena | |
| 28 | August 28, 1981 | Indianapolis Indianapolis Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S... |
Market Square Arena Market Square Arena Market Square Arena was an indoor arena, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Completed in 1974, at a cost of $23 million, it seated 16,530, for basketball and 15,993, for ice hockey.-History:... |
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| 29 | August 29, 1981 | Detroit | Joe Louis Arena Joe Louis Arena Joe Louis Arena, nicknamed The Joe and JLA is a hockey arena located at 600 Civic Center Drive in Detroit, Michigan. It is the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Completed in 1979 at a cost of $57 million, Joe Louis Arena is named after boxer and former heavyweight... |
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| 30 | September 3, 1981 | Denver | McNichols Arena | |
| 31 | September 5, 1981 | Chicago | Chicago Stadium | |
| 32 | September 7, 1981 | Paradise Paradise, Nevada Paradise is an unincorporated town in the Las Vegas metropolitan area in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The population was 223,167 at the 2010 census... |
Thomas & Mack Center Thomas & Mack Center The Thomas & Mack Center is an arena, located on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. For ring events, the capacity is 19,522, for basketball, the capacity is 18,776.-History:... |
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| 33 | September 8, 1981 | Kansas City Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties... |
Kemper Arena Kemper Arena Kemper Arena is a 19,500 seat indoor arena, in Kansas City, Missouri.It is named for R. Crosby Kemper Sr., a member of the powerful Kemper financial clan and who donated $3.2 million, from his estate for the arena... |
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| 34 | September 16, 1981 | San Diego | San Diego Sports Arena | |
| 35 | September 17, 1981 | Daly City Daly City, California Daly City is the largest city in San Mateo County, California, United States, with a 2010 population of 101,123. Located immediately south of San Francisco, it is named in honor of businessman and landowner John Daly.-History:... |
Cow Palace Cow Palace Cow Palace is an indoor arena, in Daly City, California, situated on the city's border with neighboring San Francisco, notable as a sporting arena.-History:... |
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| 36 | September 18, 1981 | Inglewood Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census... |
The Forum | |
| 37 | September 19, 1981 | |||
| 38 | September 25, 1981 | |||
| 39 | September 26, 1981 |
Lead performers
- Jackie JacksonJackie JacksonSigmund Esco "Jackie" Jackson is an American singer and musician, a member of The Jackson 5, and the second child in the Jackson family.-Life and career:...
: vocals, percussion - Tito JacksonTito JacksonToriano Adaryll "Tito" Jackson is an American singer and lead guitarist and original member of The Jackson 5. He is the older brother of American pop stars Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.-Early life and rise to stardom:...
: guitar, vocals - Marlon JacksonMarlon JacksonMarlon David Jackson is an American entertainer singer, dancer, former member of The Jackson 5, and elder brother of American pop stars Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.-Personal life:...
: vocals - Michael JacksonMichael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
: vocals,piano - Randy Jackson: vocals, congas, piano, keyboards
Band members
- Drums: Jonathan Moffett
- Bass: Mike McKinney
- Guitar: David Williams
- Synthesizer: Bill Wolfer
- Horns: (East Coast Horns): Wesley Phillips, Cloris Grimes, Alan (Funt) Prater, Roderick (Mac) McMorris