Essential Junk

Imagine Dragons – Hard Rock Cafe Las Vegas Strip

Playing before a hometown audience in celebration of the release of their major label EP Continued Silence, Imagine Dragons held a captive audience in their hands from the opening notes. Singer Dan Reynolds displayed all the mannerisms of a rock ‘n’ roll star while the band shifted through the multiple sounds that make Imagine Dragons an ever evolving, confident band. On the new EP, the band incorporates beats typically found in hip hop without losing their identity as an alternative band with stadium sized hooks. Bringing the new songs to stage, the band looped in the necessary beats and acoustic tracks to fill in the powerful impact of the band’s live sound. New song “Radioactive” had some deep drops that Skrillex would appreciate while lead single “It’s Time” had the entire audience singing along at the top of their lungs. The song felt very appropriate in the small club. With an upcoming stint at SXSW, Imagine Dragons are close to leaving the tiny clubs behind and will be filling much larger rooms in the not so distant future. Older songs like “I Don’t Mind” inspired even more adoration from the loyal fans who hung on Reynolds every move.

Less than a month old, the new EP has already found a place in the hearts of fans. On “My Fault”, everyone knew the words as the chorus built to Coldplay heights of emotion. As the buzz of Imagine Dragons begins to emanate from Las Vegas to the rest of the world, the band’s music has all the necessary ingredients to capture legions of new listeners. On stage, the passionate and spontaneous energy of each song turns every live performance into a collective celebration of music that few bands are able to match. During their all too brief set on Friday night, Imagine Dragons bid farewell to Las Vegas for now and left fans beaming with pride knowing that this might have been the last time they’ll see the band in such an intimate setting.