Imagine Dragons in Concert, Raleigh, NC

Tonight (technically last night) I had the opportunity to see Imagine Dragons live  in concert at the Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh, NC. Needless to say, it was definitely worth it waiting in the rain for 4 hours. They’re currently on tour for their album “Night Visions.” 

For those unfamiliar with Imagine Dragons, their music is an acoustic “straight ahead rock.” They do a lot of experimenting with synthetic sounds, and this sound becomes an electric shade over the chordal undertones.

Based out of Las Vegas, Nevada, they have grown from an act in casinos to a touring worldwide sensation. It is clear that they have mastered the emotional art of song writing- each song is an anthem of their collective struggles. It’s part of what makes the album so extraordinary.

Though it was one of the shortest concerts I’ve ever been to, it was certainly one of the most entertaining. The rain might have delayed their performance, but it didn’t hinder their energy whatsoever.

Oddly, I did not recognize  their opener. I had listened to this CD thoroughly, and I was confident that I knew every word on that album. I was dumbfounded. Apparently, I only owned the regular version of the CD. After searching Spotify, I discovered that there are 6 additional tracks, including a medley of “Nothing Left to Say Now/Rocks Medley.” Regardless, it was impressive.

The Red Hat Amphitheater

They put a unique touch on each one of their songs with an extended instrumental introduction. It was unexpected but remarkable. It almost gave the audience a sense of suspense as we waited to recognize the familiar openings of each song. It was definitely unique, something that I had never seen a band do before. From the band ‘s perspective, it was smart too, especially since a majority of the fans were presumably very familiar with the CD.

There are few concerts I’ve attended where the lead singer will sound familiar to his or her recordings. This was unquestionably one of them. Scratch that. It was even better. Their energy went a long way in delivering their music. They were interactive with the crowd, and  lead singer Daniel Reynolds even flew. There was a drum hanging from the top of the amphitheater, and little did we expect to see him get lifted through the air to play it. It was CRAZY.

And the lights go down in the city…!

Meanwhile, while his feet were on the stage, he was surrounding by a cascade of lights. It was absolutely breathtaking. The colors alternated between a cool and misty blue pallet  during sensitive tunes like “Demons,” and became  a bright, strong red orange for the harder anthems like “Radioactive.” There was a spinning disk on the stage that flashed colors too. While  he was in the air, the disk became a sun, and he literally was, “On Top of the World.”

If you have not heard of Imagine Dragons, I would greatly suggest that you do. “Night Visions” is truly a masterpiece. Unlike many other one hit wonder albums, this album is made up of 11 outstanding and relatable tracks, and believe me when I say, you’re not going to want to miss it.

xoxo,

 

Sources:

“Imagine Dragons.” : Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2013.

 

 

Related articles

• Album Review: Imagine Dragons’ “Night Visions” (anthonymaroon.wordpress.com)
• Tuesday Tunes: Imagine Dragons Concert Review (lorancook.com)