Last night, Grammy Award-winning band Imagine Dragons took the stage at the iconic Hollywood Palladium on the Sunset Strip to put on an intimate performance for Citi / AAdvantage cardholders. Citi and American Airlines partnered with Live Nation Entertainment to throw a very exclusive concert as a way to reward and show appreciation for the many loyal Citi / AAdvantage members.
Before the doors were even open, the general admission line wrapped around the building. The sold out show attracted fans of all ages. Many families brought along the kids for an experience they would never forget. The massive crowd was welcomed into the venue with light shows and lasers running down the halls.
As part of an activation to encourage promotion on social media, Citi and American Airlines had interactive booths positioned all around the venue. These booths looked just like a normal snack vending machine with an iPad strapped to the console. Prizes such as earphones, chargers, frequent flyer miles or concert tickets could be redeemed from the machines. Concert goers just had to follow @CitiPrivatePass and @AmericanAir on either Twitter or Instagram and then post to social media using a specially generated hashtag. The vending machine released an unknown prize once it registered the hashtag was live.
At 8:30PM, a previously recorded interview of the band played on the Palladium screens that documented the origins of Imagine Dragons. They talked about how they all formed in Las Vegas and sought out as many gigs as possible, playing six hour shows for a mere $400. The audience laughed watching the humbling documentary of one of the biggest bands in the world.
When Imagine Dragons arrived on stage, cheers enveloped the room as they opened with “It’s Time,” the single that put them on the map. Everybody in the venue knew the lyrics and Dan Reynolds even turned the microphone to the audience.
Dan mentioned that the night was special and they would tell some of their most intimate stories between songs, allowing fans to see what goes on during the band’s life. He also wished Daniel Platzman, their drummer a happy birthday.
Some of the stories they told reiterated the origins of the band in Las Vegas. Their very first show as a band at the Cabana Club, required them sell their own tickets to their shows. With no prior knowledge of the requisite, the band ended up paying out of their own pocket for 60 tickets. They also played at a bar that was shut down because somebody got shot and died there. Daniel Sermon interjected that he also didn’t know anybody in Vegas as he was living there for only four days when they started performing.
Dan Reynolds admitted to the crowd he was night blind and is scared every night when he performs. He accidentally swapped songs on the set list and joked about his blindness being the cause.
They resumed playing with “Amsterdam” and then tossed in a cover rendition of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.” These two songs were actually out of order according to the set list (See Below).
They continued with their performance, playing “Gold” a new song off their recent album before tossing in crowd favorite “On Top Of The World.” This was one of the most energetic songs of the night. They followed with three songs from their new album “I’m So Sorry”, “Trouble”, and “Polaroid.”
Taking another break, the audience was treated to more behind the scenes stories from the band. The band joked about a time they opened for a mime and how the mime got a better reaction from the crowd with 30 seconds of silence. Other stories included their SXSW antics where their manager convinced them to play 15 shows in 3 days. Dan Reynolds ended up destroying his vocal cords and had to get surgery.
After sharing stories of their crazy antics, they ended the show with two of their biggest songs, “Demons” and “Radioactive.” These two songs drove the crowd wild.
The night was a giant thank you for fans that have supported the band throughout their career. They shared their struggling beginnings to show they were once in the same boat. They connected with the audience on a personable level and encouraged everyone to never give up on doing what they love.
Set List:
It’s Time
Shots
Roots
Won’t Back Down
Amsterdam
Gold
On Top Of The World
I’m So Sorry
Trouble
Polaroid
Demons
Radioactive
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