If you're a friend of mine, you understand the heavy importance I place on music. More specifically, a particular band. We all have one - the one artist or group that we would listen to over and over again and never get sick of. The one artist or group that we would sell our souls to see in concert - no matter how many times we've already seen them. The one artist or group that we know absolutely everything about.
For me, this one artist or group is Las Vegas's own Imagine Dragons.
If you've talked to me for more than twenty minutes, chances are, I've worked the words "Imagine Dragons" into the conversation. If you've known me for for than a day, you'll know that "Night Visions" is my favorite album of all time. And if you've spent a weekend with me, you'll know that I've seen them in concert eight times so far. My parents say that I have a problem. Chances are, they're probably right.
But how could I not devote my love and admiration to them? They're four of the most talented individuals of our time. They've been a band for seven years, they were full-time musicians from the start, and they are supremely gifted with the ability to write.
While I might be biased, I am fully confident that a trip to see them in concert will have you jumping on the bandwagon and agreeing with me. Even if you aren't a fan of alternative music, you're in for a treat.
Picture this: four incredibly talented musicians, a beautifully decorated stage, and drums as far as the eye can see.
No one does percussion like Imagine Dragons. Their drum solos (especially the one during their hit song "Radioactive") are nothing short of legendary.
My favorite thing about their shows is the energy they all bring to their performances. Not only do they employ artistically orchestrated lights and effects, but they showcase a lively burst of energy with everything they do. You just get the vibe that they truly love their fans, and that they feel their music with their whole heart and soul. And who can blame them? They've worked so hard for seven years, and they deserve to be proud of the brilliance they have produced.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of an Imagine Dragons show is their sense of gratitude and humility. I saw them for the first time in 2013 in a tiny venue in San Francisco. Their album had been out for about five months and they were on their first tour. While their shows were on a much smaller scale back then, my father and I both noted their sense of appreciation for the crowd that had gathered to support their work. Since then, I have been blessed to see them many more times and each time their shows have gotten consecutively bigger. They became an instant success after the release of "Night Visions," and their notoriety only grew with the production of their second album, "Smoke + Mirrors." Nevertheless, they proved to be as humble and grateful to their fans as they were that first show in San Francisco.
My most recent experience with them was in September at the Life is Beautiful Festival in their home town of Las Vegas. They closed the show and performed flawlessly, per usual. Toward the end of their concert, the lead singer, Dan, expressed his love for his roots in Vegas, his family, and the fans of Imagine Dragons. He also commented on a review the band had been previously given, in which a music critic had noted that Dan "said thank you too much." To that, Dan said that he didn't mind the criticism - he was far too grateful for his loved ones and supporters to not thank them for everything they've done.
So, there you have it. My perhaps too long, very thought-out reasoning on why Imagine Dragons is my favorite band, and worthy of seeing in concert at least once. If you are lucky enough to score tickets to any of their shows, I promise that you will not be disappointed.