“It’s time to begin, isn’t it? I get a little bit bigger than death I’ll admit. I’m just the same as I was. Now don’t you understand, but I’m never changing who I am,” screams the exalted, sweaty crowd in the pit, raising up phones and cameras to capture the incredible moment at Sunsetcove Ampitheater in Boca Raton, Fla..
The Imagine Dragons concert’s preshow began at 7:00 p.m. with the first band, X Ambassadors. The lead singer Sam Harris had a smooth voice, but the songs were mostly slow and repetitive. The acoustic songs were slow and unexciting, but considering X Ambassadors was only first of the two prebands to a newly popular band, they could have been worse.
The next band Paper Route was more engaging than the previous band. The band had catchier choruses and a more up-beat rhythm. Their songs were repetitive, but the repetition allowed the crowd to grasp the lyrics and sing along. The songs were fun and enjoyable, but easily forgettable.
The Imagine Dragons came on stage late, which was somewhat of a letdown, especially to those in the quickly-growing pit where strangers were tightly packed together like sardines pressed together in a can. The band was worth the wait though.
Imagine Dragons performed with the zeal and enthusiasm of a newly famous band, but also with the practice and professionalism of an older, more rehearsed band. With vigor, lead singer Dan Reynolds ran across the stage saluting the audience. His voice sounded almost exactly like it did on the radio, and despite a wrist injury, he performed with perfection.
Reynolds was also really appreciative of his fans. At one point during the show he commented on how the audience wasn’t supporting those attempting to crowd surf and encouraged audience members to help out crowd surfers as to make the show more memorable for them. Reynolds made the show exciting with his energy as he ran across the stage often, and during one song, even banged a really large drum repeatedly while still singing.
While his exuberance contributed to the show’s success, the lighting and effects also made the show more memorable. The lights often changed colors and flashed on and off to the beat of the songs making the show more interesting and enthralling. Behind the band, a screen displayed different video clips which related to the songs and pumped up the crowd. At one point during the show, balls both large and small were thrown out onto the crowd which made the show more engaging and exhilarating.
The show was also a triumph because the band played all of their hit songs such as “It’s Time,” “Radioactive” and “Demons.” The only sour point was when the band seemed to do two encores, the first being “It’s Time” and the second being a song that was not wildly known. They should have stopped after the first song because playing a slower, unfamiliar song detracted from the after show buzz.
Altogether though, the show was definitely something that I would want to see again. With an active, engaging performance, fun songs and a smooth sounding band, Imagine Dragons put on a memorable act.
