Erin Fuhr | Echo
Imagine Dragons, the alternative indie rock band from Las Vegas, did not exist four years ago. Now they are touring the world. On Sept. 16, they stopped in Indianapolis.
The band, comprised of Dan Reynolds, Ben McKee, Wayne Sermon and Dan Platzman, released their album "Night Visions" last September and began touring for the album shortly after. The band's Indianapolis performance of the Night Visions Tour at State Farm Insurance Lawn in White River State Park impressed the audience with their musical talent, visually dynamic stage and humble words between songs.
After the opening band, The Neighborhood, had played a set, the stage quickly transformed into a night sky twinkling with simulated stars and occasional meteorites. The audience waited in hushed anticipation for Imagine Dragons to enter the stage as pre-recorded night sounds, in the spirit of the Night Visions Tour, played in the background.
The band began their set with "Round And Round," "Amsterdam" and "Hear Me." When the crowd went wild, Dan Reynolds, lead singer, laughed and shook his head, saying, "I don't even know how all you people know who we are."
The band played 13 songs, including their hits "Radioactive" and "Demons." Reynolds, an energetic performer, never failed to get the audience excited about each song.
Reynolds spoke about his personal connection to Indiana after finishing one of their songs.
"My ex-girlfriend . . . she dumped me and went to college in Indiana . . . so I had this bitter taste in my mouth towards Indiana. But then my best friend came, my best friend of all time since I was in seventh grade, he moved to Indiana . . . and he loved Indiana. So then I forgave Indiana, and now I've seen it for myself, and the people here are so kind, and so full, I love Indiana . . . it's no longer the city of my ex-girlfriend, it's the city of my best friends . . . " He could barely finish his statement, because the crowd was cheering so loudly.
The band finished their set with "On Top of the World." The audience sang along and cheered, and Reynolds appeared to be getting choked up towards the end of the song. When the song was over, he spoke to the crowd.
"For some reason, when we played that last song, it really took me back to four years ago when we just started this band, and I don't know, it just seemed full circle in that moment, and that was a very special feeling."
After the band exited the stage, the crowd didn't stop screaming for an encore, so the band reappeared to sing their last number, "Nothing Left To Say." The crowd was left satisfied after a powerful concert.
The next Imagine Dragons show is on Sept. 26 at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in Woodland, Tex.
