Imagine Dragons ProfileBritish India opening the show is a real treat, even if it is a slightly odd pairing with the headline act. It's always great to see Australian talent accompany international heavyweights, and the Melbourne four-piece quickly prove their worth and get heads bopping along with Plastic Souvenirs and Wrong Direction. The band clearly has a lot of fun on stage and is in high spirits. Guitarist Nic Wilson bounces around the space to pair up with the other beaming band members. Lead singer Declan Melia takes a moment between songs to reminisce on a gig at Riverstage where they played to "a total of about 30 punters". It's clear though that tonight's thousands-strong crowd is really waiting in earnest for the headliners as emphatic performances of Vanilla, I Can Make You Love Me and I Said I'm Sorry go by without much from the crowd except obligatory applause. There's no doubt that this set would definitely have killed at a headlining show. Nevertheless, the audience is thoroughly warmed for the main event.
It's a quick transition to fever pitch as Imagine Dragons take to the stage and open with Shots, the first track from album Smoke + Mirrors. It is clear that the show is going to be filled with lights, high energy and a lot of love. The show is an all-ages affair; the Riverstage is filled with screams of tweens, whistles and more traditional cheering from seasoned punters. The band launches straight into Trouble and It's Time with singer Dan Reynolds offering ample opportunity for crowd participation. It's easy to believe that Reynolds hails from Las Vegas, he's truly a showman — taking time to share some anecdotes about the band's last Australian tour — and it's quite clear that Imagine Dragons are veteran performers as they follow this personalised moment with a surprise rendition of Midnight Oil's Aussie classic, Beds Are Burning. The band infuses their own style into the song, offering heavy-hitting guitar riffs and a drum solo; however the song's political message seems a little lost in translation.
The rest of the set-list is a mix of tracks from the most recent album and the band's back catalogue. It's perfectly curated; the audience sings along to every song with gusto. An a capella cover of Forever Young (popularised here by Youth Group), Demons, Friction and Radioactive (the show closer) are all highlights. The crowd is left chanting for more but are clearly sated by an engaging show.
There's no denying that Imagine Dragons are one of the best live acts to tour in recent years and one can only hope that their oft-noted love for Australians brings them back soon.
