Initially conceived as a synth-pop side project, Empire of the Sun have shown a surprising longevity. The Aussie band celebrated the 10th anniversary of their debut album with a show that had shades of rock opera and Seventies prog. Flamboyant singer and guitarist Luke Steele’s outfit was part punk, part Star Wars.
Despite the silliness at the heart of Empire of the Sun’s retro futurism, Steele seemed to take his performance seriously. There were portentous sci-fi visuals and dancers resembling cyberpunk valkyries, while the frontman stalked the stage and barked over electro-rock grooves.
They might have peaked too soon with a fabulous We Are the People, but they maintained the momentum with a barrage of beats, epic guitar solos and a backdrop featuring imagined Eighties video games.
Steele’s virtual duet with a female vocalist on the giant screen for the ballad Without You was synthetic yet affecting. The crowd were whipped up again with a euphoric Walking on a Dream and the EDM rush of Alive for the finale.
For an evening dedicated to past glories, Empire of the Sun sounded ready to own the future.
The London gigs you absolutely have to see in 2019
