Review: Imagine Dragons Gig at Bristol O2 Academy (2nd April)

Photo credit: Billabong Design for Humanity

It's been a while since I went to a gig to see a rock band and was especially excited to find that Imagine Dragons were on tour in the UK so scooped an £11 ticket; it’s no wonder it was a sold out gig at the O2 Academy, Bristol. This Las Vegas indie rock band  are soon to be the next big thing in the charts. Their song Radioactive is currently in the top 20 of the UK pop charts (and still climbing) and their debut studio album Night Visions entering the albums chart at 2 (as of 07/04/04).

All photo credits: by Nisha Haq

I first was introduced to Imagine Dragons by my boyfriend and after listening to their Night Visions album I quickly became a fan. They played the 2nd April and being an O2 customer I was able to skip the giant queue and get close to the stage which was great. At 8pm an alternative electronica support act called The Good Natured came on to entertain the crowd however the lead singer and bassist's lacklustre performance didn't wow the audience, only made us more impatient for Imagine Dragons. All the singer projected was non-confidence, a weak and mumbled voice which resulted with many 'boos' at the end of each song.

Dan banged the drum so hard it broke!

By 9pm we were becoming impatient and eager to see the main act especially after being unimpressed with the support. So when the lights went low and a gradual strange sound echoed through our ears; the sound of crickets, drums and synths getting louder and louder we all burst with anticipation. Finally Imagine Dragons came on stage and the crowd roared with excitement (mainly teenage girls screaming). We were all fascinated by the giant Adams concert bass drum on the stage and to my surprise the lead singer, Dan, played percussion and drove emphasis on loud drums that got us all clapping along.

Adams concert bass drum

They played a range of songs most notably from their successful first studio album, Night Visions and songs from their EPs. My favourite performance was Radioactive; the crowd went wild, everyone pushing and shoving and having a great time. What I loved most was the band’s brilliant energy, especially the lead singer which we all instantly felt and bounced off from. There’s no other place to feel this kind of energy than being stuck right in the middle of the crowd soaking up the rapturous atmosphere ; it was amazing. Other great performances were It’s Time and On Top of the World plus an intimate acoustic song that really connected with the audience. The distinctive drumming really made their gig unique, unlike any other performance I have seen and that is what really drives their individual sound.

Intimate acoustic performance was lovely.

In the Night Visions album there is a song for everyone with genres crossing over from rock, indie, pop and influences of dubstep and folk penned by British producer Alex Da Kid, it’s great to see how well their album is being received in the UK. It’s one of my favourite albums this year and I look forward to what they have to offer in the future. This gig was their first in the UK leg of their Night Visions tour, it certainly was a fantastic experience and I would love to relive it again.

Night Visions Tour Dates (2012):

April 2 - Bristol, O2 Academy
April 4 - Liverpool, O2 Academy
April 6 - Glasgow, Garage
April 8 - Manchester, O2 Academy
April 9 - Birmingham, HMV Library
April 11 - London, The Forum 

Buy the Night Visions album here: Amazon.co.uk




Nisha Haq
Creative Director