From an EP in February to an LP in September, Imagine Dragons sure haven't wasted any time cementing their awesome music into our brains. And in support of their first full-length LP, Night Visions, the band went out on the road with the rockstars in Awolnation; a tour that is sure to prove to be a massive source of new fans.

As one of the opening acts, Imagine Dragons was only allowed 8 songs. And so for approximately 30 minutes we were met with a mixture of chaos and pure energy. All hell broke loose a mere 3 songs into the set when the band pulled out their alternative hit "Radioactive". A few innocent notes trickled across a couple of the guitars as Dan (lead vocals) grabbed a drum stick. When the synth'd bass beats finally pulsed off the stage, Dan went after that upright drum like a teen in his first marching band. Though the tempo was fairly simple throughout, it was the chorus full of powerful vocals that kept the crowd hanging on to every beat.

We were taken on a 180 from the alternative tone to a set of truly uplifting anthems found in "Demons" and "On Top Of The World". But it was the latter that created the most excitement that night. A lovely melody of whistles and guitar notes made for a Disney-esque atmosphere. A sold out venue singing along to the lyrics "I'm on top of the world now/Waiting on this for a while now/ Paying my dues to the dirt/ I've been waiting to smile, 'ay/ Been holding it in for a while, 'ay/ Take it with me if I can/ Been dreaming of this since a child" can really be an amazing experience. Their hit single "It's Time" came second from the end. Military-grade claps eventually had the company of some mandolin notes. Again we had a song that allowed for some great crowd involvement and lyrics that not only empowered those who heard them but easily became addictive were coming from nearly every fan in that audience. Even though the tempo was slightly off kilter from what most pop songs use, the hand claps made it easy to follow along.

The set ended not with their most popular song, but rather one of the last ones on the new record. "Nothing Left To Say" didn't come off as an obvious finale; that was, until we heard its finale. Another song set on the slightly alternative side of the spectrum, with the bulk of the number consisting of subtle percussion and echoing harmonies, but when it got to the point that a typical song would've ended, that is when this one truly began. A break in the vocals gave the guitar and bass a chance to create some dramatics. The intensity grew ever so gradually until finally a similar fury as previously heard in "Radioactive" came busting out. It was obvious that the band used every last bit of energy to give this song their all. And even though it was one of the lesser known songs of the night, it was definitely one that stuck in our minds.

It was a short set by anyone's standard, but it was filled the best way possible. If Imagine Dragons didn't gain some fans after that night, then no one was really listening.

-Rachel Fredrickson

Imagine Dragons w/ Awolnation
September 27, 2012
Summit Music Hall, Denver, CO

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