The main stage was shrouded with a gray scrim awaiting Imagine Dragons to the San Diego State University Viejas Arena stage. The house lights went out as smoke and white light could be seen billowing from behind the curtain. Just before the curtain dropped, the lights flickered offering a quick glimpse of the band’s silhouette through the haze.
Imagine Dragons started the night with “Shots” the lead song off their second studio album, Smoke + Mirrors released earlier this year. One of the most popular albums of the year, Smoke + Mirrors reached number one on the Billboard 200 just days after the its release on February 17, 2015.
Imagine Dragons frontman, Dan Reynolds has an electric stage energy that explodes the moment the spotlight hits him. Reynolds expressive and impressive vocals kept the audience drawn in all night. Every second of this show had something to see, hear, and love.
The Grammy award-winning Las Vegas band draws from Vegas show design in their stage design with the elaborate “Smoke +Mirrors” lighting, laser lights, six mirror like video pillars, and a diamond-shaped walk-out stage.
The night featured songs from both their 2012 debut album Night Visions and newest release, “Smoke + Mirrors” including Demons, Monster, Radioactive and It’s Time. The packed crowd helped Imagine Dragons light up the venue with their cell phones as front man, Dan Reynolds poured his heart out singing “Forever Young” by the 80s pop group Alphaville.
After a momentary lull in the tempo Imagine Dragons fired up the crowd once more yelling “there’s no time” get “fired up” with their provoking song “I’m so sorry”. By the end of the song Reynolds jumped on the drum raiser to smash the cymbals as a laser show progressed behind him. A few more upbeat songs and an awesome drum solo and then a percussion ensemble ensued as everyone got in to it. The audience was clapping and dancing in the stands as the band transitioned into “Top of the world” allowing enough time for Reynolds to escape the stage into the upper arena audience.
Closing out the night, Reynolds thanked San Diego’s Local Independent radio Station 91x for being the first to “jump on board and believe in Imagine Dragons” by playing their songs. Reynolds continued on saying that even though he battled depression, music had been one of the “Best things” in his life.
By the last song, Reynolds wanted to thank “someone very special” in the audience, Tim Cantor. Reynolds talked about how they met to discuss a book of work that led to the main inspiration for Smoke + Mirrors and its album cover. Tim Cantor is a local San Diego surreal artist with a gallery in the historic Gaslamp area in downtown San Diego. Check it out here… The concert included an art exhibition of some of Tim Cantor’s work near the box office inside the venue.
The North American leg of the Smoke + Mirrors tour is now over. They will be back for the Life is Beautiful festival in Las Vegas, Nevada the last weekend of September 2015. Check the festival website here for more information.
PHOTOS
FEW IMAGES FROM THE SHOW
Dan Reynolds
BEN McKEE
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