The Bell Centre was booming with radioactivity this past Monday as Las Vegas native rockers Imagine Dragons lit up the stadium during their Night Visions tour.
Concertgoers were treated to two opening acts, The X Ambassadors and kiwi indie band The Naked and Famous.
The Naked and Famous had the crowd moving with their hits “Girls Like You” and “Young Blood.” It felt like a cool and breezy summer night at the Bell Centre, and the flower crowns were out and about to prove it.
Brooklyn based newcomers The X Ambassadors really got the crowd excited. Their unique sound, contagious energy, and catchy lyrics definitely stuck with you long after the show had ended.
Imagine Dragons burst onto the scene, opening with an instrumental lead into their song “Fallen.” The stage looked like a set out of Sleepy Hollow: with bare ridden trees that cast shadows as the light hit them, and a large round screen that projected various photos of nature, and also of the crowd and band themselves. In quirky Imagine Dragons style, they even let loose giant balloons filled with confetti during the set, and who doesn’t love giant balloons?
With its infamous drumming and chirpy intro, the crowd roared and took the lead when fan favorite “It’s Time” began to play. Fans of all ages were seen dancing and laughing along. While concerts at the Bell Centre aren’t the most intimate, the crowd was as great as ever, singing loudly in unison with the band, much to Imagine Dragons’ own surprise and awe. By the time they got to Radioactive it wasn’t even noticeable that lead singer Dan Reynolds had not started singing yet, as the fans took control of the song.
Fan interaction was great despite the large space, with Reynolds leaving the stage and making his way around the ground floor, and even courageously diving into the crowd.
The mood grew a bit more thoughtful as the band dedicated a song to Tyler Robinson, a 17-year-old fan who recently lost his battle to cancer. Fans came together and shined the flash on their smart phones as the Bell Centre grew eerily quiet, nothing but the sound of Reynolds’ voice filled the arena, thousands of little white lights swaying side to side.
Imagine Dragons take risks with their set, straying away from their songs and allowing for long guitar riffs, giving each member their time in the spotlight. Fans may also appreciate the large drums on stage. It adds to the bands style, however it could easily be overdone.
The mixed audience proved that there was something for everyone. Even a little surprise for fans of classic rock, as the band played a cover of Rush’s “Tom Sawyer.” Reynolds told the crowd how the band had grown up on their parents music, listening to a lot of Led Zeppelin, and Rush, which they were excited to play for a Canadian crowd.
After ending with an explosive audience collaboration of “Radioactive,” the band came on scene once again for an encore of one song, “Nothing Left to Say.” Sporting Habs jerseys, of course.
Overall, the setlist was no surprise, as the band is still rather new to the scene, Night Visions being their only album. However, they managed to use their musical talent and charisma to keep it fresh and exciting.
Imagine Dragons is a powerhouse of a band who definitely know how to command a crowd. Montrealers have fallen under their spell, and I have a feeling this one is going to be hard to shake off.
