On Saturday night, American rock band Imagine Dragons treated Manchester Arena to a powerful performance of a selection of tracks from their stunning three hit albums.
Supporting the Dragons was K Flay, an American alternative hip hop artist. Beginning with ‘Make Me Fade’, she made it evident how grateful she was for this opportunity, stating that it was an ‘absolute privilege to be here’ and thanked everybody for coming out and also the band for letting her tour with them. She provided a very energetic set, getting the crowd on their feet ready for their headliner, playing her most popular tracks including ‘Giver’ and ‘Blood in the Cut’. The crowd matched her as she moved around the stage and danced as much as she could to her music. Blowing her audience a kiss as she left the stage, it was now time for the Imagine Dragons.
The main set began with an introduction to the concept of the Evolve Tour, named after their most recent album, which was played on a screen behind the stage. Screams and cheers filled the arena as the Imagine Dragons took to the stage, the band began with ‘I Don’t Know Why’, and their dedicated fans sang along to every word with them. Lead singer Dan then thanked their audience for supporting them through their journey as a band, from playing to a room of a 100 to now a packed arena. Next came ‘It’s Time’, one of their most popular tracks and always a festival favourite. Dan moved to the edge of stage to sing the its lyrics with crowd and the whole arena chanted ‘I’m never changing who I am’.
The crowd were constantly surprised as confetti, balloons and bubbles dropped down during the songs, making it a clear celebration of music. ‘Whatever It Takes’ included a powerful drum solo, making their audience jump up and down. Another hit was ‘Demons’, the front man introduced the song and its meaningful lyrics by telling the story of his mental health, and telling their thousands of fans that a diagnosis ‘does not mean that it’s the end’. Following on was ‘Rise Up’ and the incredible ‘On Top of the World’, where Dan moved to the first tier of seats to greet and hug fans, relating to the Manchester crowd and stating ‘Manchester strong, coming from Vegas strong’, in reference to the recent terror attacks in the cities.
Another surprise came when a second stage appeared at the back of the standing arena as the fans excitedly ran over to it, and it’s where the band played acoustic versions of tracks from their second album ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ including ‘I Bet My Life’ and ‘Shots’.
Moving back onto the main stage, the Imagine Dragons ran along the barriers to the standing area to high five their fans on the way, and it was so clear that they appreciated every single person who had come to their concert. K Flay joined the band on stage for ‘Thunder’, and the two artists combined created a formidable duet.
Soon, it was time for their incredible performance of ‘Radioactive’, where Dan played every instrument he could find during the song, as their audience jumped around to the powerful beat of the track. The group then left the stage with a bow, handing out drum sticks and guitar pics to their dedicated fans.
Overall, the Imagine Dragons provided a powerful, interactive, and hugely appreciative performance for their audience. Each track was made into a celebration of music, and of the strength of Manchester, giving the crowd an opportunity to truly lose themselves to the beat of the songs.
