Evolve World Tour
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Evolve World Tour
World tour by Imagine Dragons
The band performing in Sydney, Australia
in May 2018
Location
  • North America
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • South America
  • Oceania
Associated albumEvolve
Start dateSeptember 26, 2017 (2017-09-26)
End dateNovember 22, 2019 (2019-11-22)
Legs14
No. of shows136
Supporting acts
Imagine Dragons concert chronology

The Evolve World Tour[1] (stylized as ƎVOLVE World Tour) was the third concert tour by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons in support of their third studio album Evolve (2017). The tour began on September 26, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona and concluded on November 18, 2018, in Mexico City.[2]

Background

[edit]

Imagine Dragons conducted two previous tours, their Night Visions Tour and Smoke + Mirrors Tour, supporting their first two albums, released in 2012 and 2015. Following the release of two singles, "Believer" and "Thunder" in early 2017, the band released their third studio album, Evolve, in June 2017. In May, the band had announced the Evolve Tour in support of the album.[3] On September 18, 2017 they announced 23 further dates, extending the tour to Europe.[4] The Tour began on September 26, 2017.[5] K. Flay was the opening act for their first US tour leg and their UK and Europe shows.[6] In December, the band announced six shows in Australia and New Zealand.[7] Singer-songwriter Grace VanderWaal was the opening act in the tour's 2018 summer leg in North America.[8]

Set list

[edit]
North America Leg 1

This set list is from the concert on September 26, 2017, in Phoenix.[9]

  1. "I Don't Know Why"
  2. "It's Time"
  3. "Gold"
  4. "Whatever It Takes"
  5. "I'll Make It Up to You"
  6. "Mouth of the River"
  7. "Demons"
  8. "Yesterday"
  9. "Start Over"
  10. "Rise Up"
  11. "Dancing in the Dark"
  12. "Second Chances"
  13. "It Comes Back to You"
  14. "Bleeding Out"
  15. "Dream"
  16. "Thunder"
  17. "On Top of the World"
  18. "I Bet My Life"
  19. "Radioactive"
Encore
  2. "Believer"
  3. "Walking the Wire"
Asia

This set list is from the concert on January 7, 2018, in Singapore.[10]

  1. "I Don't Know Why"
  2. "It's Time"
  3. "Gold"
  4. "Whatever It Takes"
  5. "I'll Make It Up to You"
  6. "Mouth of the River"
  7. "Yesterday"
  8. "Start Over"
  9. "Demons"
  10. "Rise Up"
  11. "On Top of the World"
  12. "Bleeding Out"
  13. "Amsterdam"
  14. "The Fall"
  15. "Dream"
  16. "Thunder"
  17. "Believer"
  18. "Walking the Wire"
  19. "Radioactive"
Europe Leg 1

This set list is from the concert on February 24, 2018, in Birmingham.[11]

  1. "I Don't Know Why"
  2. "It's Time"
  3. "Gold"
  4. "Whatever It Takes"
  5. "I'll Make It Up to You"
  6. "Mouth of the River"
  7. "Yesterday"
  8. "Start Over"
  9. "Demons"
  10. "Rise Up"
  11. "On Top of the World"
  12. "I Bet My Life"
  13. "It Comes Back to You"
  14. "Warriors" / "Bleeding Out"
  15. "Thunder" (with K.Flay)
  16. "Believer"
Encore
  2. "Walking the Wire"
  3. "The Fall"
  4. "Radioactive"
South America

This set list is from the concert on March 22, 2018, in Rio de Janeiro.[12]

  1. "I Don't Know Why"
  2. "Believer"
  3. "It's Time"
  4. "Gold"
  5. "Whatever It Takes"
  6. "I'll Make It Up to You"
  7. "Mouth of the River"
  8. "Yesterday"
  9. "Start Over"
  10. "Demons"
  11. "Rise Up"
  12. "On Top of the World"
  13. "Thunder"
  14. "Walking the Wire"
  15. "The Fall"
  16. "Radioactive"
North America Leg 2

This set list is from the concert on July 30, 2018, in Wichita.[13]

  1. "Radioactive"
  2. "It's Time"
  3. "Whatever It Takes"
  4. "Yesterday"
  5. "Natural"
  6. "Walking the Wire"
  7. "Next to Me"
  8. "Shots"
  9. "Every Breath You Take" (The Police cover)
  10. "I'll Make It Up to You"
  11. "Start Over"
  12. "Rise Up"
  13. "I Don't Know Why"
  14. "Mouth of the River"
  15. "Born to Be Yours"
  16. "Amsterdam"
  17. "I Bet My Life"
Encore
  2. "Demons"
  3. "Thunder"
  4. "On Top of the World"
  5. "Believer"

Tour dates

[edit]
List of 2017 concerts, showing date, city, country, or district, venue, opening act, tickets sold, number of available tickets and amount of gross revenue
Date City Country Venue Opening act(s) Attendance Revenue
September 26, 2017 Phoenix United States Talking Stick Resort Arena Grouplove
K.Flay 		12,551 / 12,977 $732,153
September 28, 2017 Chula Vista Mattress Firm Amphitheatre 11,845 / 19,582 $496,612
September 29, 2017 Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena 13,050 / 14,763 $775,536
October 1, 2017 Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl 16,478 / 17,407 $1,074,797
October 3, 2017 Mountain View Shoreline Amphitheatre 16,701 / 22,010 $508,469
October 4, 2017 Sacramento Golden 1 Center 10,868 / 11,542 $702,517
October 6, 2017 Seattle KeyArena 11,947 / 12,221 $687,749
October 8, 2017 Vancouver Canada Rogers Arena 12,846 / 12,846 $761,029
October 10, 2017 Edmonton Rogers Place 12,847 / 12,847 $726,169
October 11, 2017 Calgary Scotiabank Saddledome 11,461 / 11,461 $636,793
October 13, 2017 West Valley City United States USANA Amphitheatre 18,798 / 20,000 $525,754
October 14, 2017 Denver Pepsi Center 12,445 / 13,109 $919,507
October 16, 2017 Saint Paul Xcel Energy Center 14,688 / 15,086 $810,039
October 18, 2017 Chicago United Center 13,072 / 14,351 $932,852
October 19, 2017 Detroit Little Caesars Arena 12,697 / 14,704 $733,591
October 21, 2017 Cincinnati U.S. Bank Arena 12,211 / 12,658 $694,327
October 23, 2017 Brooklyn Barclays Center 12,600 / 13,100 $753,942
October 24, 2017 Newark Prudential Center 10,649 / 12,152 $612,412
October 26, 2017 Quebec City Canada Videotron Centre 11,681 / 12,766 $640,158
October 27, 2017 Montreal Bell Centre 14,951 / 14,951 $892,760
October 29, 2017 Boston United States TD Garden 12,658 / 13,159 $855,279
November 1, 2017 Buffalo KeyBank Center 11,323 / 13,277 $628,074
November 2, 2017 Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center 13,815 / 15,414 $896,200
November 4, 2017 Uncasville Mohegan Sun Arena 5,634 / 7,769 $546,380
November 5, 2017 Washington, D.C. Capital One Arena 13,465 / 14,042 $950,685
November 7, 2017 Atlanta Philips Arena 11,112 / 11,482 $618,006
November 8, 2017 Charlotte Spectrum Center 14,064 / 16,007 $717,245
November 10, 2017 Orlando Amway Center 13,073 / 13,453 $836,703
November 12, 2017 Houston Toyota Center 11,354 / 11,815 $786,289
November 13, 2017 Dallas American Airlines Center 13,390 / 14,276 $845,281
November 16, 2017 Anaheim Honda Center 12,078 / 12,693 $802,870
List of 2018 concerts, showing date, city, country, or district, venue, opening act, tickets sold, number of available tickets and amount of gross revenue[2][1][14][15][7][16][17]
Date City Country Venue Opening act(s) Attendance Revenue
January 6, 2018 Shah Alam Malaysia Malawati Stadium — — —
January 7, 2018 Singapore Singapore Indoor Stadium
January 9, 2018 Tokyo Japan Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium
January 11, 2018 Bangkok Thailand IMPACT Challenger
January 13, 2018 Hong Kong Hong Kong AsiaWorld–Arena
January 15, 2018 Taipei Taiwan Nangang C3 Field
January 17, 2018 Shanghai China Mercedes-Benz Arena 12,184 / 12,184 $1,285,921
February 16, 2018 Antwerp Belgium Sportpaleis K.Flay 20,272 / 21,372 $954,137
February 17, 2018 Esch-sur-Alzette Luxembourg Rockhal 5,849 / 5,849 $319,912
February 19, 2018 Amsterdam Netherlands Ziggo Dome 15,781 / 15,781 $834,999
February 22, 2018 Paris France AccorHotels Arena 14,884 / 15,694 $904,612
February 24, 2018 Birmingham England Genting Arena 13,616 / 14,481 $766,820
February 26, 2018 Dublin Ireland 3Arena 12,475 / 12,475 $682,300
February 28, 2018 London England The O2 Arena 34,495 / 36,938 $2,042,709
March 1, 2018
March 3, 2018 Manchester Manchester Arena 14,620 / 15,290 $770,043
March 4, 2018 Glasgow Scotland SSE Hydro 12,382 / 12,447 $630,650
March 16, 2018[a] Buenos Aires Argentina Hipódromo de San Isidro — — —
March 17, 2018[a] Santiago Chile O'Higgins Park
March 20, 2018[b] Asuncion Paraguay Espacio Idesa
March 22, 2018 Rio de Janeiro Brazil KM de Vantagens Hall Plutão Já Foi Planeta 5,299 / 8,434 $343,243
March 24, 2018[a] São Paulo Autódromo José Carlos Pace — — —
April 3, 2018 Paris France AccorHotels Arena K.Flay 15,868 / 16,063 $944,610
April 4, 2018 Bordeaux Metropole Arena 10,952 / 10,952 $625,269
April 6, 2018 Barcelona Spain Palau Sant Jordi 16,990 / 16,990 $1,046,643
April 7, 2018 Madrid WiZink Center 16,162 / 16,597 $1,209,697
April 9, 2018 Montpellier France Sud de France Arena 12,545 / 12,545 $736,025
April 10, 2018 Lyon Halle Tony Garnier 14,385 / 14,385 $841,968
April 12, 2018 Munich Germany Olympiahalle 12,111 / 12,111 $789,692
April 13, 2018 Zürich Switzerland Hallenstadion 14,396 / 15,000 $750,424
April 15, 2018 Vienna Austria Wiener Stadthalle 14,228 / 14,228 $803,090
April 16, 2018 Prague Czech Republic O2 Arena Prague 16,710 / 16,710 $1,049,689
April 18, 2018 Oberhausen Germany König Pilsener Arena 11,141 / 11,308 $736,350
April 19, 2018 Frankfurt Festhalle Frankfurt 11,490 / 11,490 $759,072
April 22, 2018 Hamburg Barclaycard Arena 11,527 / 11,527 $760,966
April 25, 2018 Oslo Norway Oslo Spektrum 9,144 / 9,144 $543,125
April 26, 2018 Stockholm Sweden Ericsson Globe 13,895 / 13,895 $849,422
May 12, 2018 Perth Australia Perth Arena The Temper Trap 11,091 / 11,666 $858,115
May 15, 2018 Melbourne Margaret Court Arena 13,471 / 15,000 $1,005,927
May 16, 2018
May 18, 2018 Brisbane Brisbane Entertainment Centre 9,299 / 9,447 $696,231
May 19, 2018 Sydney Qudos Bank Arena 13,453 / 13,828 $963,942
May 21, 2018 Auckland New Zealand Spark Arena 9,865 / 10,500 $634,453
May 23, 2018 Wellington TSB Bank Arena 5,635 / 5,635 $387,029
June 5, 2018 Hartford United States Xfinity Theatre Grace VanderWaal 34,326 / 44,132 $1,597,485
June 6, 2018 Mansfield Xfinity Center — —
June 8, 2018 Bangor Darling's Waterfront Pavilion 14,350 / 14,350 $843,363
June 9, 2018 Holmdel PNC Bank Arts Center 16,349 / 16,349 $968,630
June 11, 2018 Syracuse Lakeview Amphitheater 16,833 / 17,118 $745,765
June 13, 2018 Toronto Canada Budweiser Stage 30,633 / 32,914 $2,711,244
June 14, 2018
June 16, 2018 Hershey United States Hersheypark Stadium 30,440 / 30,632 $1,520,568
June 17, 2018 Cuyahoga Falls Blossom Music Center 20,733 / 20,867 $939,001
June 19, 2018 New York City Madison Square Garden 13,977 / 13,977 $1,378,894
June 21, 2018 Clarkston DTE Energy Music Theatre 14,793 / 14,793 $1,014,943
June 22, 2018 Noblesville Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center 24,142 / 24,142 $1,105,961
June 24, 2018 Omaha CenturyLink Center Omaha 13,806 / 13,806 $962,062
June 26, 2018 Sioux Falls Denny Sanford Premier Center 10,683 / 10,683 $824,402
June 27, 2018[c] Milwaukee American Family Insurance Amphitheater 22,106 / 22,106 $1,170,509
June 29, 2018 Saratoga Springs Saratoga Performing Arts Center 22,106 / 22,106 $1,013,362
June 30, 2018[d] Camden BB&T Pavilion — —
July 2, 2018 Bristow Jiffy Lube Live 22,427 / 22,700 $910,791
July 3, 2018 Virginia Beach Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater 19,455 / 19,456 $687,539
July 5, 2018 Raleigh Coastal Credit Union Music Park 19,434 / 19,434 $729,148
July 7, 2018 Columbia Colonial Life Arena 12,805 / 12,805 $897,574
July 8, 2018 Brandon Brandon Amphitheater 7,144 / 7,144 $548,283
July 10, 2018 Nashville Bridgestone Arena 13,176 / 17,272 $846,301
July 11, 2018 Maryland Heights Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre 18,488 / 18,488 $721,680
July 13, 2018 Tinley Park Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre 27,499 / 27,499 $1,445,974
July 14, 2018 Kansas City Sprint Center 14,117 / 14,117 $932,195
July 16, 2018 Morrison Red Rocks Amphitheatre 9,074 / 9,525 $841,973
July 18, 2018 Albuquerque Isleta Amphitheater 14,791 / 15,166 $689,922
July 21, 2018 Inglewood The Forum 28,860 / 28,860 $2,325,357
July 22, 2018
July 24, 2018 Concord Concord Pavilion 11,868 / 11,868 $682,709
July 26, 2018 Bozeman Bobcat Stadium 19,788 / 19,993 $1,395,539
July 28, 2018[e] Salt Lake City Rice–Eccles Stadium — —
July 30, 2018 Wichita Intrust Bank Arena 11,189 / 11,189 $696,480
August 1, 2018 Tulsa BOK Center 12,271 / 12,649 $849,870
August 2, 2018 Austin Austin360 Amphitheater 12,077 / 12,085 $743,684
August 4, 2018[f] The Woodlands Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion 15,839 / 15,839 $818,732
August 5, 2018 New Orleans Smoothie King Center 12,234 / 12,569 $871,386
August 7, 2018 Orange Beach The Amphitheater at The Wharf 9,514 / 9,514 $626,812
August 9, 2018 West Palm Beach Coral Sky Amphitheatre 18,979 / 19,138 $785,401
August 10, 2018 Tampa MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre 18,395 / 18,397 $807,135
August 16, 2018[g] St. Pölten Austria Green Park — — —
August 18, 2018 Hasselt Belgium Pukkelpop Festival
August 21, 2018 Maxéville France Zénith de Nancy The Vaccines
August 22, 2018[h] Zürich Switzerland Zürich Openair —
August 25, 2018 Arnhem Netherlands Gelredome The Vaccines 31,805 / 31,805 $1,714,655
August 29, 2018 Moscow Russia Luzhniki Stadium — —
August 31, 2018 Kyiv Ukraine NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium
September 2, 2018 Istanbul Turkey Küçükçiftlik Park
September 4, 2018 Lisbon Portugal Altice Arena 18,844 / 19,064 $1,071,607
September 6, 2018[i] Milan Italy Area Expo — — —
September 8, 2018 Madrid Spain DCODE Fest
September 9, 2018[j] Berlin Germany Olympiastadion
October 20, 2018 Frisco United States Toyota Stadium — — —
November 7, 2018 Las Vegas The Chelsea Ballroom
November 17, 2018 Monterrey Mexico Auditorio Citibanamex 7,534 / 7,534 $545,812
November 18, 2018[k] Mexico City Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez — —
December 31, 2018 Las Vegas United States Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
List of 2019 concerts, showing date, city, country, or district, venue, opening act, tickets sold, number of available tickets and amount of gross revenue
Date City Country Venue Opening act(s) Attendance Revenue
May 24, 2019[l] Napa Valley United States Napa Valley Expo — — —
May 25, 2019[m] New York City Radio City Music Hall 5,902 / 5,902 $453,203
June 2, 2019 Florence Italy Visarno Arena Jake Bugg
Fil Bo Riva
Birthh 		— —
August 4, 2019 Canton United States Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium — — —
October 6, 2019[n] Rio de Janeiro Brazil Barra Olympic Park — — —
November 1, 2019[o] Austin United States Circuit of the Americas — — —
November 22, 2019[p] Riyadh Saudi Arabia Riyadh Street Circuit — — —
Total 1,521,353 / 1,591,873 (95.57%) $90,063,214

Cancelled shows

[edit]
List of cancelled concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, and reason for cancellation
Date City Country Venue Reason
October 21, 2018[q] Phoenix United States Steele Indian School Park Festival cancellation[20]
July 13, 2019[r] Quebec City Canada Festival d'été de Québec Weather conditions
August 18, 2019[s] Columbia United States Merriweather Post Pavilion[t] Festival cancellation

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Evolve World Tour

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Evolve World Tour was the third major concert tour by the American rock band Imagine Dragons, launched in support of their third studio album, Evolve (2017).[1] The tour kicked off on September 26, 2017, at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, and wrapped up on November 18, 2018, at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, Mexico, encompassing 131 performances across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and South America.[2] Produced by Live Nation, the Evolve World Tour marked Imagine Dragons' largest production to date, featuring a groundbreaking near-360-degree stage design that enveloped audiences and included custom UV-reactive flooring, LED blade ramps, and an oversized drum riser for dynamic visuals.[3] Lighting and video elements were elaborate, with a rig of Martin MAC Viper fixtures, GLP X4 Bar 20s, large LED video walls from Big Bear and Everbrighten, and projections via Barco and Panasonic systems, all directed by creative lead Mitchell Schellenger to complement the album's energetic pop-rock sound.[4] Opening acts varied by leg, including Grouplove and K.Flay for the initial North American dates, followed by Grace VanderWaal on the summer 2018 extension.[5][6] The tour achieved significant commercial success, selling over 1.7 million tickets worldwide,[7] solidifying Imagine Dragons' status as a global arena act amid the promotion of hits like "Believer," "Thunder," and "Whatever It Takes" from Evolve, which itself reached double-platinum certification.[7] Despite some cancellations due to health issues, such as frontman Dan Reynolds' battles with ankylosing spondylitis,[8] the trek was praised for its high-energy performances and innovative staging, transitioning seamlessly into the band's next album cycle with Origins (2018).

Background

Announcement

On May 9, 2017, Imagine Dragons announced the Evolve Tour via a post on Twitter, shortly after the releases of their singles "Believer" on February 1, 2017, and "Thunder" on April 27, 2017.[9][10][11] The announcement highlighted the band's third studio album, Evolve, as the centerpiece of the tour's promotion.[12] The initial tour itinerary focused on North America, commencing on September 26, 2017, at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, with K. Flay serving as the opening act alongside Grouplove for select dates.[12] This leg was designed to support the Evolve album's release on June 23, 2017, via KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records, allowing the band to perform new material from the record in arena settings across the continent.[12][13] Ticket presales began with early access for album preorders through the band's official store, followed by a Verified Fan presale on Monday, May 15, 2017, at 10 a.m. local time, and an AT&T priority presale on Tuesday, May 16.[14][12] General public tickets went on sale Friday, May 19, 2017, at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster, with Citi cardholders gaining additional presale opportunities through Citi Private Pass.[12]

Preparation and Promotion

Following the initial announcement of the Evolve World Tour, Imagine Dragons expanded the itinerary on September 18, 2017, adding 23 dates across Europe, including a performance at Birmingham's Genting Arena.[15] In January 2018, the band further extended the tour with six shows in Australia and New Zealand.[16] These additions built on the tour's initial North American focus, aiming to support the album's global release and capitalize on its momentum. Promotional efforts intertwined with the tour's rollout included strategic single releases and festival bookings. "Whatever It Takes," released as a promotional single on May 9, 2017, via Kidinakorner and Interscope Records, served as an early teaser for the album and tour, emphasizing themes of perseverance that aligned with the production's energetic scale. Similarly, "Next to Me" debuted on February 21, 2018, coinciding with the announcement of an additional North American summer leg.[17] Festival appearances, such as headlining slots at Lollapalooza Berlin on September 9, 2018, and Lollapalooza Brazil on March 24, 2018, provided high-visibility platforms to showcase evolving set elements and build anticipation for arena shows.[18][19] Rehearsals emphasized a grand production scale to mirror the album Evolve's themes of transformation and intensity, with the band dedicating several months prior to the September 2017 kickoff to refine staging and visuals.[20] Produced by Live Nation, the tour represented the band's largest endeavor to date, incorporating elaborate elements like dynamic lighting and video projections to enhance the immersive experience.[3] Opening acts were recruited to complement the tour's phases and regional appeal. K. Flay supported the initial 2017 North American leg as well as the UK and European dates, bringing an alternative rock edge that paired with Imagine Dragons' sound.[21] Grouplove joined for the early U.S. run, adding indie rock energy to the bill.[22] For the 2018 North American extension, 14-year-old singer-songwriter Grace VanderWaal was announced as the special guest on February 21, 2018, her folk-pop style offering a fresh contrast across the 40-date arena trek.[6] The Australia and New Zealand dates featured The Temper Trap as special guests.[23] These selections varied by leg to maintain diverse lineups and logistical efficiency.

Production

Stage and Set Design

The stage design for the Evolve World Tour, overseen by creative director Mitchell Schellenger, featured a unique configuration that wrapped the audience around the band in a near-360-degree setup, fostering intimacy in large arenas while allowing for dynamic band movement.[4][3] Scenic designer Sooner Rae Routhier crafted a multi-level layout including ramps flanking the main stage for enhanced mobility, an oversized drum riser accommodating the bass player, and a custom gloss black Marley floor overlaid with a UV-reactive grid to support visual effects integration.[4][24] The structure incorporated Revolution LED Blades lining the ramps and drum riser, contributing to the evolving aesthetic tied to the album's themes of personal growth and transformation.[4] Video elements were central to the set, with convex walls positioned off-stage using Big Bear 15mm and 25mm blow-through panels, alongside Everbrighten 15mm LED tiles for lower-resolution backdrops behind the band; a hidden lift within the blow-through video facilitated modular adjustments during performances.[4] These scenic components, including props synchronized with tracks like "Believer," emphasized thematic progression without automation to maintain a raw, organic feel.[4] The design's modular and scalable nature, provided by Gallagher Staging, ensured seamless adaptation to varying arena sizes across the tour's 131 shows worldwide.[4][2]

Lighting and Visuals

The lighting for the Evolve World Tour was designed by Mitchell Schellenger of Station Six, who served as creative director, production designer, and lighting designer, emphasizing a high-energy rig that integrated modern LED technology for dynamic effects.[4] The setup included 88 Elation ZW19 LED wash fixtures for precise RGBW color control and broad coverage, 72 GLP X4 Bar 20s for linear lighting accents, and 36 Elation Protron 3K LED color strobes to deliver intense, synchronized bursts during high-impact tracks like "Thunder," enhancing the song's rhythmic intensity with rapid flashing patterns.[4][25] Additional elements, such as 80 Elation Platinum Beam 5R Extreme moving heads and 45 Martin MAC Viper Profiles, provided beam effects and spot lighting that adapted fluidly to the band's movements across the stage.[4] Visual projections played a central role in immersing audiences, featuring convex video walls that created a near-360-degree wraparound effect around the performance area.[4] Custom content tailored to Evolve album tracks was developed by Lightborne Communications and Blink, incorporating futuristic animations by digital artist Mike 'Beeple' Winkelmann to align with the tour's thematic evolution narrative.[4][26] The video system, directed by Randall Garriott and supplied by VER, utilized Everbrighten 15mm LED tiles for the main walls, Revolution Blade HD blades for upstage accents, and Barco/Panasonic HDX-W20 projectors for additional mapping onto screens and surfaces, ensuring seamless integration with the lighting cues.[4] The audio-visual experience was supported by a robust sound system provided by Sound Image, featuring Adamson E-Series line arrays configured for consistency across diverse global venues, including 36 E15 three-way enclosures as mains, 24 flown E219 subwoofers for low-end reinforcement, and Lab.gruppen amplification with Lake processing for precise control.[3] This setup, engineered by Scott Eisenberg at front-of-house with Solid State Logic L500 console, delivered uniform coverage in arenas from North America to Europe and Asia.[3] Key production crew members ensured adaptability throughout the tour's legs, with lighting director Sarah “Sparks” Parker playing a pivotal role in translating Schellenger's vision to live execution, adjusting cues for varying venue acoustics and stage configurations while maintaining the rig's punchy, UV-reactive elements like the gloss black Marley floor grid.[4]

Set List

Standard Set List

The standard set list for the Evolve World Tour comprised 17-20 songs, blending promotional tracks from the 2017 album Evolve with selections from prior releases to balance new material and fan expectations.[2] Performances typically opened with "I Don't Know Why" followed by "It's Time" and "Whatever It Takes" to emphasize the album's themes of personal growth and resilience, setting a dynamic pace for the evening.[27] The main set promoted Evolve through core tracks such as "Believer," "Walking the Wire," "Next to Me," "Natural," "Mouth of the River," "Yesterday," and "Start Over," interspersed with non-album staples from earlier albums like Night Visions (e.g., "It's Time," "Shots," "Demons") and Smoke + Mirrors (e.g., "Gold") to foster fan engagement and showcase the band's evolution.[2] Mid-set segments often included reflections like "Yesterday" and "Mouth of the River," providing breathing room amid the high-energy anthems, while building toward climactic moments with "Thunder," "Believer," "Zero," and "Monster." This structure highlighted conceptual cohesion, prioritizing emotional depth over exhaustive catalog coverage, with the band drawing on prior hits to bridge generations of listeners without overshadowing the new album. Towards the end of the tour in late 2018, setlists incorporated tracks from the upcoming Origins album, such as "Natural" (released as a single in July 2018), "Zero," "Monster," and "Bad Liar," reflecting the transition to the next album cycle.[27] Encores capped the show with crowd-pleasing hits "Demons" and "On Top of the World," delivering an uplifting finale that reinforced themes of triumph and unity.[2] Overall shows averaged 90-100 minutes, allowing for tight pacing across arenas and stadiums.[3] The band maintained a traditional rock positioning on the expansive main stage—frontman Dan Reynolds centered for vocal delivery and crowd interaction, guitarist Wayne Sermon stage left, bassist Ben McKee stage right, and drummer Daniel Platzman elevated at the rear—facilitating synchronized visuals and pyrotechnics, with occasional shifts to a B-stage for intimate acoustic interludes.[25]
SectionTypical Songs
Opening/Main SetI Don't Know Why, It's Time, Whatever It Takes, Gold, Yesterday, I'll Make It Up to You, Shots, Next to Me, Start Over, Mouth of the River
Mid/Main SetWalking the Wire, Natural, Thunder, Believer
Late Main SetZero, Monster, Bad Liar (later shows)
EncoreDemons, On Top of the World

Variations by Region

During the initial North America leg in late 2017, the setlist emphasized tracks from the newly released Evolve album, with performances opening with "I Don't Know Why" and incorporating extended live versions of earlier hits like "It's Time" to highlight the band's evolution in sound.[28] In the Asia and Europe legs of early 2018, setlists were largely consistent with the standard repertoire but adapted for festival slots, resulting in shortened durations to accommodate shared billing and time limits at events across the regions.[27] Some shows in these legs and later North American dates opened with an instrumental "Radioactive" intro.[29] The South America leg in March 2018 and the subsequent 2018 North America leg saw the addition of "Next to Me," which was released as a single in February 2018 and integrated into performances to reflect ongoing album promotion. Further additions in summer and fall 2018 included Origins tracks like "Natural."[30]

Tour Schedule

Principal Dates

The Evolve World Tour launched on September 26, 2017, at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, marking the beginning of an extensive global itinerary in support of Imagine Dragons' third studio album. The tour unfolded across multiple legs spanning North America, Asia, Europe, South America, and Oceania, with the initial North American leg running through November 2017 and featuring opening acts Grouplove and K. Flay on select dates.[31] Subsequent legs included Asia from January 6 to 17, 2018, Europe from February 16 to April 26, 2018 (with K. Flay returning as opener), and South America in March 2018.[3][32] The itinerary continued with the Oceania leg in May 2018, supported by The Temper Trap, followed by a major North American arena run from June to August 2018, where singer-songwriter Grace VanderWaal opened for 40 shows.[6] Later European and North American dates rounded out the schedule, incorporating festival appearances such as Lollapalooza Chile on March 17, 2018, at Parque O'Higgins in Santiago.[33] The tour concluded on November 18, 2018, at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City during the Corona Capital festival.[34] Key venues highlighted the tour's scale, including sold-out performances at major arenas like T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and Madison Square Garden in New York City, as well as stadiums such as Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. Attendance figures demonstrated strong demand, with representative examples including attendance of 13,465 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. (capacity 14,042), and 12,663 tickets sold at Honda Center in Anaheim out of 15,014 available. Overall, the tour drew over 1.5 million attendees across its completed shows, underscoring Imagine Dragons' global appeal.[35]
LegDatesRegionKey VenuesOpening ActsNotable Attendance Metrics
North America 1Sep 26 – Nov 16, 2017North AmericaTalking Stick Resort Arena (Phoenix), Hollywood Bowl ([Los Angeles](/page/Los Angeles)), Madison Square Garden (New York)Grouplove, K. FlaySold-out shows at multiple arenas, e.g., 14,042 at Capital One Arena
AsiaJan 6 – 17, 2018AsiaSingapore Indoor Stadium (Singapore), Malawati Stadium (Malaysia)Local variationsHigh demand in urban centers
Europe 1Feb 16 – Apr 26, 2018EuropeThe O2 Arena (London), Ziggo Dome (Amsterdam)K. FlayNear-capacity crowds at major halls
South AmericaMar 16 – 24, 2018South AmericaHipódromo de San Isidro (Buenos Aires, Lollapalooza), Parque O'Higgins (Santiago, Lollapalooza Chile)Plutão Já Foi Planeta (select)Festival integrations with 50,000+ daily attendees
OceaniaMay 12 – 23, 2018OceaniaQudos Bank Arena (Sydney), Spark Arena (Auckland)The Temper TrapStrong regional turnout
North America 2Jun 5 – Aug 10, 2018North AmericaThe Forum (Inglewood), Red Rocks Amphitheatre (Morrison)Grace VanderWaal12,663 sold at Honda Center
Europe 2Aug 16 – Sep 9, 2018EuropeLuzhniki Stadium (Moscow), Pukkelpop Festival (Belgium)The Vaccines (select)Stadium-level crowds
North America 3Oct 20 – Nov 18, 2018North America/MexicoToyota Stadium (Dallas), Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez (Mexico City, Corona Capital)Regional variationsFestival finale with large-scale attendance

Cancelled and Postponed Shows

The Evolve World Tour experienced a limited number of cancellations, primarily due to external factors such as financial issues and severe weather, which minimally disrupted the overall schedule. One notable cancellation occurred at the Lost Lake Festival in Phoenix, Arizona, scheduled for October 20–21, 2018, where Imagine Dragons was set to headline as part of the tour's North American leg. The event was cancelled in June 2018 by organizers citing insufficient ticket sales and logistical challenges, preventing the performance from taking place.[36] No major postponements were reported during the tour, though these cancellations led to minor adjustments in promotional efforts and fan communications without altering the continuity of subsequent legs. Lead singer Dan Reynolds later reflected on health challenges, including flare-ups from his ankylosing spondylitis, which occasionally strained performances but did not result in additional verified cancellations during this tour period.[37]

Reception

Critical Reviews

The Evolve World Tour garnered praise from critics for its high-energy performances and frontman Dan Reynolds' dynamic stage presence, which often captivated audiences with his soaring vocals and engaging interactions. At the tour's opening show in Phoenix on September 26, 2017, reviewers highlighted the band's patented heavy-hitting drums, vibrant light displays, and Reynolds' powerful voice, describing the concert as a crowd-pleasing spectacle that left fans energized and satisfied.[38] Similarly, a review of the Denver performance on October 14, 2017, commended the flawless execution of the set, including stunning production elements and sustained high energy that maintained an intimate feel despite the arena scale.[39] While many outlets celebrated the tour's uplifting atmosphere and intricate visuals, some critiques addressed pacing issues and an over-reliance on familiar hits, which occasionally made the show feel formulaic. For instance, during a Chicago stop on July 13, 2018, the performance was noted for its solid two-hour runtime and strong electro-rock riffs but criticized for mundane pacing that mirrored a studio album playback, lacking dramatic flair despite effective crowd engagement on tracks like "Thunder" and "Radioactive."[40] The Guardian's coverage of the London O2 Arena shows in March 2018 echoed this sentiment, portraying the band as fun and potent live but ultimately shallow, with energetic anthems like "Believer" delivering crowdpleasing bangers yet relying on opportunistic tropes without deeper innovation.[41] Festival appearances further showcased the tour's ability to generate enthusiastic crowd responses, particularly through fan-favorite songs that fostered communal sing-alongs. At Lollapalooza Berlin on September 9, 2018, Imagine Dragons won over skeptics with their poppy, high-octane set, drawing huge crowds and demonstrating an endearing live potency that amplified the event's vibrant energy.[42] Overall, the consensus among professional reviewers emphasized the tour's impressive visuals, strong fan engagement, and reliable execution, with many assigning ratings around 4 out of 5 stars for its accessible arena-rock appeal, though tempered by occasional notes on predictability.[43][44]

Commercial Performance

The Evolve World Tour was a major commercial success for Imagine Dragons, with the reported legs generating a combined gross of $94.6 million from the sale of 1,591,383 tickets across 109 shows worldwide from September 2017 to November 2018, including $27.2 million from 459,614 tickets in 37 shows for the 2017 leg (ranking No. 72 on Pollstar's Year End Top 100 Worldwide Tours) and $67.4 million from 1,131,769 tickets in 72 shows for the 2018 leg (ranking No. 23).[45][46][47] The full tour encompassed approximately 130 shows and sold over 1.7 million tickets worldwide, reflecting the band's growing international draw.[7][4] This high demand, with many shows near or at capacity and an average ticket price of approximately $59, contributed to the tour's strong financial performance and positioned Imagine Dragons among the top-grossing rock acts of the period.[45][46] In comparison to their prior Smoke + Mirrors Tour (2015), which grossed $45.2 million overall, the Evolve outing represented a substantial scale-up in both attendance and revenue, expanding from arena-focused dates to include amphitheaters and international markets.[48] Beyond immediate box office returns, the tour significantly boosted the band's overall popularity and album sales. Evolve, the supporting album, achieved sales of over 4.9 million units globally, while the momentum carried into the 2018 release of Origins, which sold more than 1.9 million copies and marked a seamless transition to the next phase of their career.[49][50] The extensive touring schedule solidified Imagine Dragons' status as a premier live act, paving the way for subsequent high-profile releases and tours.[50]

References

  1. Imagine Dragons recounts journey from local band to Pop Rock ...
  2. Imagine Dragons 2018 'Evolve' World Tour - PLSN
  3. Imagine Dragons 'Evolve' World Tour | FOH | Front of House Magazine
  4. Imagine Dragons to Headline 2019 Concert for Legends
  5. Imagine Dragons: 'Evolve' Album, Tour, and 'Whatever It Takes'
  6. When did Imagine Dragons release “Believer”? - Genius
  7. When did Imagine Dragons release “Thunder”? - Genius
  8. Imagine Dragons To Release New Album 'Evolve' On June 23rd Via ...
  9. Imagine Dragons to Release New Album Evolve on June 23
  10. Imagine Dragons - Preorder EVOLVE to get early access ... - Facebook
  11. Imagine Dragons announce Birmingham date on EVOLVE world tour
  12. Evolve World Tour | Concerts Wiki - Fandom
  13. Imagine Dragons Release New Single Next To Me, Announce Tour ...
  14. Imagine Dragons Setlist at Lollapalooza Berlin 2018
  15. Imagine Dragons Setlist at Lollapalooza Brazil 2018
  16. Imagine Dragons brings its Evolve World Tour, with new music and ...
  17. IMAGINE DRAGONS RELEASE BRAND NEW SINGLE, “NEXT TO ME”
  18. Live Nation TV Spot, '2017 Imagine Dragons Evolve World Tour'
  19. Grace VanderWaal To Open For Imagine Dragons On New Arena Tour
  20. Imagine Dragons Evolve World Tour - Sooner Rae Creative
  21. Elation Lighting for Imagine Dragons “Evolve” World Tour - PLSN
  22. Imagine Dragons Evolve World Tour | Lightborne Communications
  23. Imagine Dragons Tour Statistics: Evolve World Tour - Setlist.fm
  24. Imagine Dragons Average Setlists of tour: Evolve World Tour
  25. Imagine Dragons Live 2017 EVOLVE TOUR Full Concert - Canada
  26. Imagine Dragons Announce Summer Tour Dates, Drop New Single ...
  27. Imagine Dragons Setlist at Rock in Rio 2019
  28. Imagine Dragons Kick Off Evolve World Tour - Setlist.fm
  29. Imagine Dragons - Guestpectacular
  30. Imagine Dragons Setlist at Corona Capital 2018
  31. [PDF] Top Touring Artists Of The Pollstar Era Boxoffice Grosses
  32. Phoenix music festival Lost Lake no longer happening | AP News
  33. Storm forces tens of thousands of fans to flee Festival d'été de Québec
  34. Imagine Dragons Setlist at Festival d'été de Québec 2019
  35. Festival organizers review evacuation procedures after ... - CBC
  36. Dan Reynolds Hasn't Beat AS - BeingCharis
  37. Imagine Dragons launched tour with a crowd-pleasing concert in ...
  38. Concert review: Imagine Dragons - CU Independent
  39. Imagine Dragons “Evolve” Tour – Worthwhile Show with No Dramatics
  40. Imagine Dragons review – fun, but as shallow as a paddling pool
  41. ​Lollapalooza Berlin Day 2: Dua Lipa and Imagine Dragons Wow ...
  42. LIVE REVIEW: Imagine Dragons - New Jersey, October 24th 2017
  43. Imagine Dragons' Evolve Tour: An uplifting, visual masterpiece
  44. [PDF] U2 Guns N' Roses Coldplay Bruno Mars Metallica Depeche Mode ...
  45. [PDF] Ed Sheeran Taylor Swift Jay-Z / Beyoncé Pink Bruno Mars Eagles ...
  46. Firebreathers: How Imagine Dragons Conquered Stadiums
  47. Imagine Dragons Plot 2022 Tour - Pollstar News
  48. IMAGINE DRAGONS album sales - BestSellingAlbums.org
  49. Imagine Dragons Release "Origins" Album - Stage Right Secrets
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