Man buns were in high supply last night at the KFC Yum! Center.
(I see your Jerod Leto and raise you one Wayne Sermon).
Ponies aside, the evening made one thing abundantly clear. These Dragons are different. They're quieter.
Keeping it slow and steady, Reynolds and Co. opened the night with "Shots." Singing on his knees - or pleading rather - "I'm sorry for everything, oh everything I've done," Reynolds exuded a melancholy vibe. The Las Vegas quartet performed most of their Smoke + Mirrors album; refashioning some of their anthem like hits from Night Visions and covering Alphaville's "Forever Young." Maybe Marian Gold was on to something with his whole "music's for the sad man" thing.
Touring behind their sophomore album, Reynolds remained incredibly thankful and baffled at the crowd's overwhelming energy. At one point, he even hopped off stage to greet eager fans. "Do you guys ever wake up and think, damn why am I such an emotional human being?" he asked the crowd. "Truth is, this is the greatest most healing process of all time. Just for a minute tonight, forget about all your worries, be present and enjoy the moment."
And so we did. By the end of their set, the Dragons were back to beating drums center stage as strobes of light flashed into the crowd.
Earlier in the evening, opening act Halsey took over the Yum! Center. Her blue locks and sick beats, reminiscent of Lana Del Rey, rolled through the arena.
Metric however, was the true slayer of the night. Bouncing all over the stage, Emily Haines rocked like a new age techno gypsy. The band's vintage synthesizer sounds created a stadium of love that was as fun to watch as it was hypnotizing.
"What's worth wanting?" Haines asked. "For me, it's nights like this."
Photos courtesy of Max Sharp.
