On Saturday, October 20th, House of Blues Dallas hosted Awolnation and Imagine Dragons to a sweaty, jam packed house full of very enthusiastic fans.
Now I have to admit, I was there mainly to see newcomer Imagine Dragons. I have had their new album, Night Visions, on repeat since its release. Their eight song set I am pleased to say was PHENOMENAL! They have been working on their big label release basically for three years, and believe me, you will be hearing them everywhere very soon. Their stage setup was just them and their instruments, which did include a very large drum as the centerpiece.
The five guys were so completely excited to be on stage in front of such a worshipping crowd that the energy just flowed back and forth. Dan Reynolds, the beautifully voiced lead singer, was all over the stage, really interacting with the crowd. He was instantly rewarded with the entire audience singing back. D Wayne Sermon had his gorgeous flowing locks out in full effect, and, of course, his amazing guitar. Ben McKee and Daniel Platzman on drums and bass provided the foundation of rhythm that is what I find so addicting about this group’s music.
Slower songs like “Demons” really showed off the greatness of Reynolds’ voice. They then switched over to “On Top of the World” which showed the energy of the band as a whole and really got the audience dancing along, whether they knew the song or not. When they played their breakout hit “It’s Time,” Reynolds hardly even had to sing because the audience was belting out every word at the top of their lungs and jumping around everywhere. For those of you that are going to see them in upcoming shows, here is something of note. After their set, the lead singer made a surprise appearance at the merchandise table and posed for pictures with eager fans. These guys sounded great, and I absolutely loved their set. I will be monitoring their website to see if they come back to Dallas on their own soon!
After the amazing performance from Imagine Dragons, Awolnation had a very warmed up crowd chanting their name when they entered the stage. They were given a brief introduction by Josh from 102.1The Edge, which was sponsoring the show. Josh is the guru of new music in Dallas. He hosts a weekly show called The Adventure Club which is exactly where I first discovered Imagine Dragons. He was also the first to play Awolnation in the area, as well as many other bands that owe him credit for spreading the word on their new music.
The stage setup was banners with various emblems from their album, and a large, lighted AW logo in the center. Of course I am familiar with the highly rotated song “Sail,” but other than that, I went into this show with no expectations of what the music or show would be like. The lights went down and the guys took their places with their instruments. Then lead singer, Aaron Bruno, came out looking tall and thin in his bright red pants and blue suede oxfords. This made me more than intrigued. This guy’s voice, which is very deep and very strong, seemed so out of place given his quiet appearance.
By the end of the hour long set, Bruno had danced and jumped miles across that stage. He constantly came to the front of the stage and included the audience in the music. At one point, he even attempted to walk across the top of the audience, and they willingly held him up. With heavy electronic beats and moments of head banging rock, this was a great show! My husband had never listened to anything from them and emerged from the crowd a sweaty, danced out mess.
Overall, this was fantastic night of live music. If you are located near any of their upcoming shows on the tour (which is basically selling out every show), I highly suggest you get your ass there!
Gallery of 23 photos from the show:
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Review and Photos by Reanna Streater-Nunn
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