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0 Tonight the world famous Viper Room welcomes Sin City sensation (how’s that for alliteration?) Imagine Dragons. After garnering every possible recognition and local music award that the entertainment capital has to offer, the band is poised to conquer the rest of the nation – and the world – with their heartfelt, anthemic melodies.
Speaking with TheSunsetStrip.com from across state lines, the quints (vocalist Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon, keyboardist Brittany Tolman, drummer Andrew Tolman and bassist Ben McKee) dispensed with solid advice on touring, blackjack and where to find the best all-you-can-eat buffets. Here’s what they had to say…
Cooler dragon: Puff the Magic Dragon, or Falkor the Luck Dragon?
Dan Reynolds: Falkor, hands down! Aside from the fact that he breathes blue fire and looks mysteriously like a large dog, his biggest asset is his incredible luck. That’s our kind of dragon.
How does the local music scene on the Las Vegas Strip compare to The Sunset Strip?
Wayne Sermon: A lot of the great local music venues in Vegas are off The Strip, so the local scene definitely isn’t as centralized where you can jump from spot to spot easily. In some ways, that is a great thing. People don’t tend to catch bits and pieces of shows as much in Vegas, because they come for the long haul. We’ve watched the music scene grow in Vegas even in the short time we have been together, and it has been exciting to be a part of.
It’s Saturday night in Vegas and you have a hot date. After dinner you take your date to A) Thunder from Down Under, B) Criss Angel’s Believe or C) Celine Dion?
Reynolds: If it’s a hot date, you skip all three and head straight downtown for deep fried everything, free music on Fremont Street and all-you-can-eat buffets. There is in an insane number of great distractions in Vegas, and so much to do if you leave the beaten path… or else just go to Thunder from Down Under.
So, how about all those comparisons to The Killers?
Brittany Tolman: Would you complain if someone compared you to The Killers? We’re incredibly grateful for the way they helped put Vegas on the musical map and we love their music. Because our genre and locale both intersect, the comparisons are bound to happen. Maybe one day someone will tell a young band that they remind people of Imagine Dragons. We hope so.
“America,” “Amsterdam,” “Tokyo”: What’s the most interesting place/city you’ve played thus far?
Andrew Tolman: That’s a tough call. We have been having a serious blast on the road lately. We recently converted an airport passenger van into a mini tour bus, and it has added a whole new element of excitement to our traveling. We’ve loved spending time in Seattle, Spokane and a bunch of other cities where our music is just starting to spread.
In April, we are leaving for Norway to play a couple shows at Bergenfest. That will probably take the cake.
The band has released three EPs. When are we going to see a full length?
Reynolds: This last EP (It’s Time), which we are crazy excited about, is really an EP/LP hybrid. Our first, real full length will come before too long, though. We are constantly [writing songs], and have some new material we are working on that we think is stronger and better than anything we have done before. We plan on going back into the studio in April, so keep your eyes and ears open…
Dealer’s showing 17. You have 16. Hit or stay?
Reynolds: Go big or go home. We are from Vegas, and we always hit.
Everyone has a great story about a night out on the Las Vegas Strip, anything you’re legally allowed to share?
Ben McKee: Spraining my ankle climbing the walls at Aria, and then going and dancing the entire night at Crave (the hottest gay club in town) on a sprained ankle – until they shut the club down at sunrise. My sprained ankle dance moves got me a lot of dates that night!
Imagine Dragons share the stage with South Africa’s The Parlotones tonight, March 30 at the Viper Room. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. A limited number of tickets are still available.
www.imaginedragonsmusic.com www.viperroom.com
–Brent X Mendoza
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