Empire of the Sun kicked off their highly anticipated Decade Anniversary Tour in Chicago for three sold out nights in a row. This tour was a re-imagining of their debut album,
Walking On A Dream which was released in 2008 and brought the electronic duo major international success.
Being the first night of their anniversary tour, no one really knew what to expect from Empire of the Sun. This made for a very thrilling night full of surprises. Immediately as the house lights went down, the audience knew this was going to be a show to remember. Lead singer and guitarist Luke Steele fashioned the iconic Empire of the Sun look which consists of long robes, extravagant eye makeup and a crown-like headdress to top it off; making him look like the leader of a galactic civilization. If that doesn’t sound mad enough, he was also accompanied by two backup dancers that changed costume for almost every song! As whimsical as it may have appeared, the stage setup and visuals along with the costumes correlated flawlessly together.
Empire of the Sun performed most if not all of their popular singles including “Walking On A Dream,” “We Are the People,” and “Alive” as well as their more underrated songs. What made their show so much more intriguing was the twist they incorporated into their performance; remixing some of their songs and adding additional instrumentals that spoke to their theme of re-envisioning of their first LP.
Empire of the Sun brought a stunning spectacle to the Metro leaving the crowd speechless and in awe with the whole universe the Australian duo have created. It truly felt like being on another planet watching their performance. Keeping the audience engaged and entertained is a key element that builds up an artist’s fan base and keeps them relevant. Empire of the Sun has never struggled to do so as they always go all out with their productions and their sound. They are definitely a band that is not afraid of holding back their creative qualities which will only take them to higher ground in the future.
