The rock group Imagine Dragons have been dominating the music industry, consistently putting out great music with each new record. In support of their latest effort, Evolve, the band has been touring the world and just kicked-off the U.S. leg on Tuesday in Hartford.
Grace Vanderwaal, winner of America's Got Talent Season 11, opened the show, pleasing the crowd with hits like "Moonlight," "So Much More Than This," and her debut single, "I Don't Know My Name." In her floor-length hippie-esque dress, flower crown, and ukulele, she spread positivity and good vibes to the crowd, revving up the audience for a chill night ahead.
When Imagine Dragons hit the stage, they surprisingly opened with their smash-hit from 2012, "Radioactive." Throughout the night, they performed a vast majority of their catalogue; making sure to play older tracks from Nightvisions like "It's Time," "Demons," and "On Top Of The World," as well as "Gold" and "I Bet My Life" from Smoke + Mirrors. However, a large amount of their set consisted of Evolve. It's pretty insane how many of their songs are huge hits — it felt like the thousands of people on the lawn and within the arena were singing along to each song, knowing every word by heart.
"Whatever It Takes" and "Believer" boomed through the crowd while things slowed down a bit with "Next To Me" and "Yesterday." Lead vocalist and frontman Dan Reynolds raced around the stage, energetically boasting vocals - while shirtless. He took a few breaks throughout the night to address the audience. First, he thanked Vanderwaal for performing and opening for them on tour, claiming that she is an individual we need in the world who is intelligent and creative beyond her years. Additionally, he took time to talk about depression and anxiety, something he had mentioned on his last tour as well. He opened up about having to see a therapist and how it changed his life, urging others to do the same if they are in a bad place. After running offstage and thanking the crowd, the group returned for the well-awaited performance of "Thunder." Balloons and confetti decorated the air as Reynold's voice echoed for miles. I felt chills as he sang the verse "Now I'm smiling from the stage while you are clapping in the nosebleeds." Since I first heard Nightvisions back in high school, I knew they would be a successful band, but with the multitude of platinum singles and a massive world tour, they seem to have surpassed my expectations — along with everyone else's.
Rating: ★★★★★