Triumph Tour
1981 concert tour by the Jacksons
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The Triumph Tour was a concert tour by the Jacksons, covering the United States and Canada from July 8 to September 26, 1981. The tour grossed a total of $5.5 million ($19.5 million in 2025), setting a record breaking four sold out concerts in Inglewood, California.[2]
- Triumph (1980)
- Off the Wall (1979)
| Tour by the Jacksons | |
 Poster to an extra concert in Inglewood, USA | |
| Location | North America |
|---|---|
| Associated album |
|
| Start date | July 8, 1981 |
| End date | September 26, 1981 |
| No. of shows | 46 |
| Box office | US $5.5 million ($19.48 million in 2025 dollars)[1] |
| The Jacksons tour chronology | |
History
By 1981, the Jacksons had regained success as a platinum-selling recording group with two albums, Destiny (1978) and Triumph (1980). Additionally, lead singer Michael Jackson was in the final stages of promoting his 1979 multi-platinum album, Off the Wall. This tour allowed Michael to bring in new show production ideas more to his liking. Inspired by Earth, Wind & Fire's live shows, Michael created the costumes and designed the stage. He and his brothers also collaborated on an intro that signaled similarities to their "Can You Feel It" music video. As it had been for many years, 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".[3][4][5]
Touring tenure
The Triumph Tour began in Memphis, Tennessee, and ended with a sold-out week of shows in Inglewood. Each show earned highly positive reviews, in part due to Michael's leadership and showmanship. His brothers also earned praise, particularly for Randy's and Tito's musicality, and Marlon's dance ability. The tour 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 a variety of shows, and compile them for an upcoming live release. It is rumored[citation needed] 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.[citation needed]
After the tour ended, Michael went back to record Thriller, his follow-up to Off the Wall (1979). 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 between 1967 and 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 (1984) and his Bad World Tour (1987–1989) after the Triumph tour.[citation needed]
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 different percussions).
Opening act
Tour dates
The tour dates are adapted from both The Jacksons: Legacy[6] and Michael Jackson FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the King of Pop,[7] although there are sources that state that some shows took place on different days.[a]
Box office score data
| Venue | City | Tickets sold / available | Gross revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-South Coliseum | Memphis | 11,999 / 11,999 | $118,528 |
| Reunion Arena | Dallas | 15,602 / 15,602 | $153,252 |
| Lakeland Civic Center | Lakeland | 10,000 / 10,000 | $107,000 |
| Buffalo Memorial Auditorium | Buffalo | 11,000 / 11,000 | $115,000 |
| Riverfront Coliseum | Cincinnati | 15,898 / 15,898 | $166,038 |
| Omni Coliseum | Atlanta | 15,667 / 15,667 | $163,773 |
| Spectrum | Philadelphia | 17,842 / 17,842 | $224,881 |
| Hartford Civic Center | Hartford | 11,153 / 11,153 | $121,490 |
| Providence Civic Center | Providence | 13,000 / 13,000 | $146,000 |
| ASU Activity Center | Tempe | 7,230 / 14,000 | $75,915 |
| The Forum | Inglewood | 55,000 / 55,000 | $633,029 |
| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena | Oakland | 12,435 / 14,000 | $149,633 |
| Total | 196,826 / 205,161 (95%) | $2,174,539 | |
Personnel
- The Jacksons
- Michael Jackson – vocals
- Jackie Jackson – vocals, percussion
- Tito Jackson – guitar, vocals
- Marlon Jackson – vocals, percussion
- Randy Jackson – vocals, congas, piano, keyboards
- Band
- David Williams – guitar
- Bill Wolfer[33] – synthesizer
- Mike McKinney – bass
- Jonathan Moffett – drums
- Wesley Phillips, Cloris Grimes, Alan (Funt) Prater, Roderick (Mac) McMorris – horns (East Coast Horns)
Footnotes
- Conflicting newspaper sources:
- Baton Rouge, July 9[8]
- Richmond, July 26[9]
- Mobile, July 27[10][11]
- Hampton, July 31[12]
- Landover, August 1[13]
- Atlanta, August 12[14]
- Providence, August 21[15][16]
- Buffalo, August 23[17][18]
- Milwaukee, August 26[19]
- Indianapolis, August 28[20]
- Detroit, August 29[21][22]
- Detroit, September 4[23][24]
- Milwaukee, September 6[25][26]
- Kansas City, September 8 (Cancelation)[27]
- Denver, September 10[28]
- Daly City, September 13[29]
- San Diego, September 17 (Cancelation)[30]