Lead singer Dan Reynolds with Imagine Dragons guitarist Wayne Sermon performing on Feb. 27, 2022. at Target Center in Minneapolis. (Jeff Wheeler, Star Tribune file/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds shared a moment with an 11-year-old first-time concertgoer on Saturday at Target Field.

"You got a long road ahead of you," he said, narrowing on the intimate moment and blocking the 27,000 attendees from his periphery. "Be good, and the world will be good back to you."

The wide-eyed youngster staring back was one of many in attendance on the second day of TC Summer Fest. The headliner cast a wide net — families galore with young children lay leisurely in their bucket seats to catch the Dragons. And the band's broad appeal makes sense — the ubiquitous and uncontroversial rock act even premiered their "Live In Vegas" concert film on Friday via Hulu as well as the online world-building video game Roblox.

The Vegas-born group was last in the Twin Cities in February 2022, and they wasted no time jumping back into the hits on Saturday. They rolled out gritty performances of both "It's Time" and "I'm So Sorry" in the first three slots, which made the camaraderie between the quartet and audience instant and effortless. During "Birds," a fan tossed a birthday cake hat on stage, and after "Follow You," the crowd sang an impromptu rendition of "Happy Birthday" to Reynolds, who turned 36 on Friday.

The Dragons also connected with the crowd via their various social causes. On set opener "My Life," bassist Ben McKee flashed a transgender pride flag on the back of his instrument. Before performing their signature piano ballad "Demons," Reynolds urged the crowd to normalize mental health care and seek therapy. During the song, he proudly held a fan's sign that proclaimed "Keep Living" above his head.

The hit parade continued well into the thick of the 90-minute set list. Guitarist Wayne Sermon stood out on stadium smasher "Whatever It Takes" and McKee added a plucky, elongated bass intro before "Sharks."

It wasn't all home runs in the Twins ballpark. "Bad Liar," with its electronic-leaning sound, felt hollow and fell flatter than other singles. Reynolds even took a somewhat clunky (but apparently crowd-pleasing) stab at rap cadence while performing the band's 2022 collaboration with JID, "Enemy." The typically triumphant single "Radioactive" seemed to decrescendo as the penultimate track, numbing what could have been yet another signature moment in the show.

But ultimately, where Imagine Dragons shone was in their emotional resonance. "On Top of the World," a 2012 jovial and elementary earworm, was a hit with the younger audience as colorful balloons danced above the crowd. At the show's conclusion, Reynolds lingered for minutes, signing autographs and writing messages to fans at stage center.

Imagine Dragons may have been playing in a baseball stadium, but Target Field often felt more like a school pep rally. Given the Summer Fest demographic on Saturday, there was nothing wrong with that.

The rest of the second day lineup was easily accessible, too, if even a tad unadventurous.

The day opened with Canadian singer-songwriter TALK, 24-year-old rising bedroom pop star Em Beihold and college soccer player turned singer-producer Chelsea Cutler. As fans filed in, the three played to sparse crowds, which caused the energy in the stadium to feel empty.

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Oliver Tree filled the role of Summer Fest pinch hitter, replacing AJR, a trio of brothers who announced this week they're stepping away from touring after the passing of their father. Considering the short notice, Oliver Tree fit easily into the rest of the bill. The internet savvy goof rocker wove self-starred comedy skits into his energetic songs.

Throughout the 60-minute set, the singer claimed multiple times — incorrectly — that 1) he was born in Minnesota and 2) there'd be just one more song. His often explicit interjections and sketches may have irked some of the parents in attendance, but by the time Imagine Dragons left the stage hours later, those qualms dissipated.

After Oliver Tree's stage setup was taken down, TC Summer Fest emcee Mike Schmidt — also a high school principal and mayor of rural Motley, Minn. — took the stage. He asked the crowd how many first-time concertgoers were in attendance, and a motley crew of young kids reacted with a sea of high-pitched cheers. Even more raised their hands silently, and moments later, Reynolds and the Dragons were their appropriate guide into the world of live music.