Alt-rock quartet Imagine Dragons enthralled viewers with their addictive melodies and captivating presence as they conquered the stage for an invite-only performance at The Staron Tuesday night. Located only metres away from the casino, the intimate venue was both ideal and brilliantly stereotypical for the Las Vegas foursome. The success of their debut studio album Night Vision resulted in a sold-out tour of Australia in 2013, setting expectations high for the night.

With no support act, it was straight into action for the Grammy-winning rockers. They opened with ‘Shots’, the first track on their newly released album Smoke + Mirrors.  Their jovial vibe combined with the song’s euphonic tune immediately had the audience head-bobbing along to the lyrics. Charismatic frontman Dan Reynolds broke the ice during song intervals with anecdotes including how he faked an Aussie accent to impress the ladies back in Vegas, only to fail in spectacular fashion. It was evident that Reynolds’ talent surpasses his musical skill, as a multitude of songs felt as if he was telling a story due to his causal demeanour and powerful delivery. This fused well with his close proximity to the audience, as he was able to easily engage spectators and make eye contact. Fellow band members Daniel Platzman, Wayne Sermon and Ben McKee showcased their diversity by playing a range of instruments during the set, such as Sermon’s alternation between an electric and acoustic guitar during their performance of ‘I Bet My Life’.

There was not a dull moment throughout the night with the ever-changing neon lighting, Reynolds’banter, and buoyant, band-wide drumming. Imagine Dragons concluded their Sydney show on an ultimate high with multi-platinum track ‘Radioactive’, giving purpose to the sizeable and previously untouched bass drum situated at the front of the stage. Their Sydney performance was a perfect precursor for their Smoke + Mirrors tour; the only disappointment of the show was the fact we will have to wait until September before they grace our shores again.

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