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Graham Clark
Music Features Writer
@Maxximum23Clark
11:50 AM 17th November 2015
arts

Review: Imagine Dragons, Leeds Arena

 
The last time that Imagine Dragons played a gig in Leeds was at the Academy, such is their popularity that they now can play larger venues like the Leeds Arena.

Entitled the Smoke and Mirrors tour the stage set was minimal with strobes of white light behind them that shone into the audience.

" Hello Leeds, it's good to be back, Leeds Festival is one of our favourite places to play" offers lead singer Dan Reynolds. He was suffering from a throat infection but as he says the band have only ever had to cancel 3 shows in their career and they did not want to disappoint the Yorkshire fans.

Their music does have a similar style to their other American peers, The Killers although Imagine Dragons are more rhythm based with the drums always playing a huge part in their sound.

They do a cover of the old Alphaville song, Forever Young before they continue with their own tracks. Clearly overtaken by the current refugee crisis in Europe, Reynolds goes on to talk about how he was touched by what he saw in a refugee camp he visited in Germany whilst on the tour.

With a walkway that lead into the audience it was a chance for the band to get closer to their fans.

It was left until the end of the gig before their big hits were played. On Top of the World still sounds jaunty and uplifting when played live whilst the drums were to the forefront on Radioactive.

With his voice suffering he carried on to perform the encore, The Fall. Professional and as entertaining as ever their popularity shows no sign of falling.