Live Review: Imagine Dragons, The Temper Trap

Volume radiates from inside Brisbane Entertainment Centre as excited ticketholders make their way in to see The Temper Trap warm up the stage for Imagine Dragons.

Their tapestry of sound does the job perfectly, always leaving room for the famously strong vocals of frontman Dougy Mandagi, which act almost as an antidote to the rough guitar melodies.

Brisbane shows ample appreciation for recent hits Love Lost and Trembling Hands, but something shifts in the room as the familiar melody of Fader swells. An old favourite takes on a new energy onstage and many in the room sing along to every word. The execution of vocals and instrumentation shines throughout the set. The set traverses Fall Together, the heavier Science Of Fear, and the semi-eccentric Resurrection, highlighting Mandagi's perfect falsetto throughout.

The only thing missing is the band's movement around the stage. Although each band member has their own individual charisma and stage presence, this lack of animation detracts from the show's entertainment value. Still, the sound reaches the crowd in both volume and earnest, and ultimately makes the performance one to remember. After an intriguing instrumental track and fan favourite Sweet Disposition, the crowd is more than ready for Imagine Dragons.

The stage floor is thoroughly mopped and dried before the main act surfaces, the reason for which becomes clear when frontman Dan Reynolds gets his dancing shoes on.

From the very first number, he dances up and down the runway, using every inch of space he has. This was to be a show about life, and the frontman who is a freakishly talented combination of preacher, dancer, drummer and vocalist.

The band walk out dressed in eclectic get-up, among them an orange beanie and jumper combo, and launch into I Don't Know Why. The strength of Reynolds' vocals first comes as a surprise, only surpassed by his ability for pitch perfection.

The first shot of confetti arrives early in the set, right before the band launches into Believer. With a flamenco guitar solo, they cement their versatility, confidence and rapport with the audience. This rapport only grows as Reynolds speaks to the crowd throughout the set, divulging deep philosophical thoughts about life and its brevity as well as his battles with depression and anxiety.

From this point, crowd participation is at an all-time high, the whole room singing along to It's Time and their cover of Forever Young. By the end of Gold, everyone is on their feet and chairs are forgotten.

Despite the lyrical pace in Whatever It Takes, not a word is missed or misplaced and a heavy guitar solo leading into the final chorus steals the show. Another solo features in I'll Make It Up To You, giving guitarist Wayne Sermon his moment to strut down the runway as Reynolds absorbs it all horizontally from the comfort of the stage's floor. 

Somewhere between this solo and The River, Reynolds manages to lose his shirt, which is not to be seen again for the rest of the show and, from here on, everything gets even more enthralling and energetic. 

Yet another guitar solo in Yesterday has the crowd in raptures and then there's a cover of Bob Marley's Three Little Birds slotted in between the epic bass solo in Start Over and the Spanish-influenced I Bet My Life. It all leads into their performance of Thunder, which is memorable purely for the crowd-sustaining energy given consistently, particularly from Reynolds and drummer Daniel Platzman.

It's difficult to pull highlights from a set that seems jam-packed with memorable moments, but no one can go past the final number Radioactive. When the moment arrives, the crowd is ready and other set highlights - including room-silencing acoustic versions of Next To Me and Bleeding Out - are almost forgotten.

Imagine Dragons leave everything on the stage after their long-awaited finale and the applause to follow is only fitting for what will no doubt be hailed as one of the best live performances of the year.