Imagine Dragons kicked off the Loom World Tour at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Tuesday, July 30 with hits, a vibrant light show, thumping beats, and live debuts.
The 25,000 at the former BB&T Pavilion next to the Delaware river in Camden, New Jersey, heard tracks from each of the trio's six studio albums.
The group's new album, Loom, got the most love as all nine tracks from the upbeat LP were performed.
Loom comes on the heels of some heavy upheavals in frontman Dan Reynolds' personal and professional life.
The 37-year-old singer and his wife, Aja Volkman (singer of Nico Vega) divorced after being married since 2011. He moved from Las Vegas to LA. He now shares custody of their four children. And he is now dating actress Minka Kelly, who was last dating Trevor Noah.
This album and tour is also the first without his longtime bandmate, drummer Daniel Platzman who is taking a timeout to focus on his health.
Like much of the Dragons' catalogue, Loom is upbeat, modern, danceable, inoffensive. Even the more introspective, somber tunes lyrically won't bum your day.
Mixed with a dazzling, colorful light and video show, it was a toe-tapping fun experience in Jersey.
Reynolds told People writing Loom was a cathartic way to get through all the change he's experienced. And it's not something that is new to him.
“The way I process life, is through music," the 6'4" Nevadan told the magazine "Whether it was Mormonism or heartbreak or joy or sadness, music has always been my go-to to see how I’m feeling."
Along with guitarist Wayne Sermon and bassist Ben McKee, Loom doesn't sound all that drastically out of wack from their other offerings but it's the first LP of theirs not to reach the Top 10 or have a single chart in the Top 100.
"Eyes Closed," "Wake Up," and "Nice to Meet You" (which got it's live debut on Tuesday), were the three singles the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning group put out this spring to little fanfare.
You'd think the media would be asking them about Minka's handclaps on the studio recording of "Nice To Meet You," but not yet.
Besides the already-successful tour, "Wake Up" has gotten four million views for the official video that's just four weeks old.
Reynolds says Loom has an unlikely inspiration -- the 30 year-old debut from Weezer.
“One of my favorite records is the Blue album by Weezer," he told Rolling Stone, "because from start to finish, I just can’t skip any song. It just shows all the sides of Weezer that I wanted to see on a record. That was our goal.”
Interestingly, someone mashed up "Say It Ain't So," from the Blue album with Imagine Dragon's "Take It Easy" to make "Say It Ain't Easy" ... and it isn't terrible.
Maybe a live version of this would get people to take some notice?
The Dragons are on a pretty fun summer and fall tour in North America where, among others, they're playing at least one venue a month named after credit unions: Credit Union 1 in Tinley Park (8/18), Mid Florida Credit Union in Tampa (9/1), and North Island Credit Union in Chula Vista (10/5), Utah First Credit Union (10/11 & 10/12).
The North American leg wraps with an impressive four night stand at the Hollywood Bowl. If all four sell out they will join Depeche Mode as the only bands to sell out four consecutive nights at the 102 year-old iconic amphitheater.
Others who have sold out three nights at the Bowl include Coldplay, Roger Waters, The Cure, Billy Joel, Carole King & James Taylor, and The Eagles.
Grab your tickets on the Imagine Dragons website.
Imagine Dragons Loom Tour
August 2, 2024 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
August 4, 2024 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
August 6, 2024 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
August 8, 2024 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
August 9, 2024 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
August 12, 2024 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
August 14, 2024 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
August 16, 2024 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
August 18, 2024 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
August 20, 2024 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
August 22, 2024 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
August 23, 2024 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
August 26, 2024 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
August 28, 2024 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
August 30, 2024 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
September 1, 2024 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
September 4, 2024 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
September 6, 2024 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
September 8, 2024 – Ridgedale, MO – Thunder Ridge Nature Arena
September 28, 2024 – Seattle, WA – The Gorge Amphitheatre
September 29, 2024 – Ridgefield, WA – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
October 2, 2024 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre
October 5, 2024 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
October 6, 2024 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
October 9, 2024 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
October 11, 2024 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
October 12, 2024 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
October 17, 2024 – Denver, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
October 20, 2024 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
October 22, 2024 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
October 23, 2024 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
October 26, 2024 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
October 27, 2024 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
