Crostars Flies 1,000 Drones at Imagine Dragons’ Guangzhou Concert
On March 20, 22, and 25, Imagine Dragons brought their LOOM World Tour to the Guangdong Olympic Sports Center Stadium in Guangzhou. The shows were produced by YYC. For all three nights, Crostars flew over 1,000 drones above the stadium. The formations were synchronized to the music, moving with the set.
It was the first time in China that a drone show ran across three consecutive nights of a single tour.
About Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons formed in 2008. The band is led by vocalist Dan Reynolds, alongside bassist Ben McKee and guitarist Wayne Sermon.
Their music has been streamed more than 62 billion times globally. They hold a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance. Ten of their songs have surpassed one billion plays on Spotify. Their sound — pop rock, alternative rock, and electronic elements combined — has built a fanbase that spans generations.
What the Show Looked Like
The drone sequence was built around Believer, one of the band’s most recognized tracks. As the opening drums hit, the drones rose. They held the Believer single cover formation: three columns of light driving upward into the night. The image matched the song’s core idea — pain absorbed, transformed into strength.
The formation then shifted into the silhouette of Dan Reynolds. Electric lines of light ran through the outline. It was a portrait made of a thousand moving points, hovering above the stadium as the song played below. At the end of the set, the band took their bow. “IMAGINE DRAGONS” appeared in the sky above them in full formation. Then the band’s logo began to move — expanding, taking shape — and resolved into a Chinese dragon. It circled slowly above the stadium before the show closed.
The Dragon Connection
The band’s Chinese name is 梦龙 — literally, “Dream Dragon.” The Guangzhou shows fell near Dragon Head-Raising Day. That is a traditional Chinese holiday marking the dragon’s awakening in spring. The timing was not lost on the crowd.
One audience member wrote on social media: “Dragon Head-Raising Day — and we’re at the Olympic Center watching Imagine Dragons.” The double meaning — the holiday and the band’s name — landed exactly as intended.
What the Audience Said
The reaction on social media after each show was consistent. Three comments stood out: “It was overwhelming. Every drone formation landed on the beat. When the dragon appeared — goosebumps.”
“I couldn’t get enough. The drone show made the core of Believer tangible. Imagine Dragons never disappoints live. Guangzhou’s night sky is more beautiful because of this show.”
One Month of Preparation
Crostars spent one month developing the performance script. The challenge was not just visual design. It was synchronization — matching drone movement precisely to the tempo and emotional arc of the music.
The C5 system runs on in-house flight control software and positioning technology. That in-house stack is what makes tight musical synchronization possible at scale.
What This Kind of Partnership Does
A drone show at a rock concert reaches two audiences at once. The tens of thousands inside the stadium experience it live. Everyone who sees the footage on social media experiences a version of it afterward.
Content that moves from live event to online is how concerts build momentum beyond the venue. The Guangzhou shows followed that pattern.
To learn more about Crostars’ work with live events and brands, or to discuss a project, contact us here.