A HOLLOW TRIUMPH

Probably the most interesting aspect of Triumph concerts over the years has been the way the Canadian trio’s stage presentation seems like a salute to a distinctly American holiday--the Fourth of July.

Triumph once again extended its odd tradition Friday at the Long Beach Arena with a seemingly endless supply of flashy visual gimmicks and lighting techniques (picture Laserium at an aerial fireworks display and you’re getting close). But the music itself was an amazingly dull artistic washout.

The threesome (guitarist Rik Emmett, bassist Mike Levine and drummer Gil Moore, augmented on this tour by a guitarist-keyboardist) occasionally demonstrated a greater melodic flair and fondness for vocal harmonies than your average headbanging squad. Unfortunately, the band was far more inclined to churn out bloated, wall-rattling anthems decorated with speedy but empty guitar riffs and banshee-wail vocals. Bring on the flashpots.