Written by: Sean Warren
Photos by: Capri Spencer & Jenna Murray
After a six-year hiatus, Luke Steele and Empire of the Sun are back on tour, celebrating the release of their first album in eight years. The world has certainly changed since their last outing, but has Luke Steele?
I’ve had the privilege of seeing Empire perform live ten times, beginning a decade ago at the 2014 Coachella. It was a sensory explosion of music, costumes, CGI visuals, and the euphoric joy of the crowd. Their subsequent albums kept me coming back for more, each one a doorway into their otherworldly universe. Empire became my gateway drug into the Aussie electro-pop scene, leading me to discover acts like The Presets, Cut Copy, and Rüfüs Du Sol.
The pandemic put a halt to live music for everyone, but for Empire of the Sun, it seemed to press pause on everything. A cursory Google search still dredges up speculative headlines about the band’s uncertain status. Steele’s occasional updates, like one about working on new music with Nick Littlemore in Japan, felt like whispers in the wind, more hope than promise for fans.
During Empire’s downtime, Steele kept creatively busy.
He teamed up with Daniel Johns of Silverchair to form DREAMS, releasing their debut album No One Defeats Us in 2018. Then came his solo project, Listen to the Water, which he previewed with the single “Common Man” in early 2022. But for those of us who’ve been captivated by Empire’s shimmering soundscapes, Steele’s side projects felt like appetizers when we were craving the main course.
Last week at Brooklyn’s King’s Theatre, Steele’s return to the Empire spotlight hit its emotional peak. During the performance, he dropped to his knees and confessed to the audience that he’d wrestled with whether to leave Empire behind. “I didn’t know if I should continue with it,” he admitted, before revealing that he had prayed for clarity—and received it. Turning the microphone to the crowd, he was met with an uproar of cheers. For Empyreans like me, it was a cathartic moment. Empire of the Sun is simply too extraordinary to let go.
An Empire of the Sun concert isn’t just a concert; it’s a transcendental experience. Imagine a sonic and visual spectacle so immersive it feels like a celebration on Thor’s home planet of Asgard. Steele, with his kaleidoscopic costumes and electric charisma, performs like a cosmic rock god, fusing fantasy and reality.
In an era where artists rise and fade as fast as viral memes, Empire of the Sun endures. Their new album, Ask That God, doesn’t reinvent the wheel but refines their signature sound, layering it with dynamic Asian-inspired textures. The accompanying tour is a feast for the senses, with futuristic visuals synchronized to the music and a dazzling array of costumes that shift with the energy of each song.
As music and technology evolve at breakneck speed, Luke Steele and Empire of the Sun remain timeless, aging like a fine wine bottled in some far away galaxy.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
- FEB 6-9 - Party in the Paddock
- FEB 21-22 - Electric Avenue
- MAR 28 - Lollapalooza Brazil
- MAR 30 - Estereo Picnic