Australian alt-electro pioneers Empire Of The Sun wrapped up their Australian tour with a sold-out Brisbane show at The Fortitude Music Hall (25 February).
Performing live for the first time in Australia since 2017, frontman Luke Steele (The Sleepy Jackson) accompanied by drummer Olly Peacock and multi-instrumentalist Ian Ball (both members of British indie-rock band Gomez), received a rapturous reception befit of an overdue homecoming.Opening with 'Standing On The Shore' the first track from their ground-breaking ARIA Award-winning debut album 'Walking On A Dream', the trio kicked off a show that can only be described as a musical and visual feast.
Known for his elaborate headdresses and costumes, Steele did not disappoint, donning three different floor-length, oriental-inspired coats, a wide brim hat and his iconic white, painted-on eye mask.
Dancers, adorned in ethereal costumes ranging from the botanical to those evoking golden sun deities, roamed the stage, complementing the band's otherworldly yet earthy sound.
The opening notes of 'High And Low' from their 2016 album 'Two Vines' elicited a mighty roar from the crowd, however it was seminal tracks 'Half Mast' and 'We Are the People' that saw the crowd heave and rise as one.
The folky, rolling rhythm of Steele's title track 'Listen To The Water' from his 2022 solo debut album provided a brief intermission to the band's synth-pop soundtrack, before we were once again thrust into intoxicating dance beats with the industrial 'Swordfish Hotkiss Night'.
From my vantage point at the side of the top level of the auditorium, I had a bird's-eye view of Steele executing wizardry on the pedalboard, while orchestrating whirls, pops and pulses with deft precision. His guitar licks throughout the night were also mind-blowing, and for this punter, reminiscent of the artistry of the late great, Prince.
The extravagant and mind-bending imagery on the giant LED screen was personally never more enchanting than in the ensuing song 'Without You', which Steele performed as a duet with an onscreen female android.
The anthemic 'Walking On A Dream' saw Ball enthusiastically take centre stage while Steele once again jumped down into the photo pit to interact with ecstatic fans.
The last song of the night, the catchy 'Alive', perfectly captured live music's ability to unite thousands of strangers as one. Looking down and around at the joyous faces of fans both young and old, it was impossible to not bask in our shared humanity.
With the crowd chanting "one more song" in unison, there were high hopes for an encore, however the sudden, illuminating house lights heralded the end to what can only be described as a musical odyssey.
