Empire of the Sun: Something Else Entirely

Empire of the Sun w/ St. Lucia and HOLY GHOST!
Marymoor Park, Redmond, WA
09.15.15

Grandiose
Ambiguous

Headdresses and fur capes, intergalactic dancers with multiple costume changes, catching an Empire of the Sun live show is all about the visuals. Smoke rolls off the stage, strobe lights light up the night, Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore create ambiguously influenced, soaring electronic pop, and you can’t help but wish you had remembered your galaxy-printed spandex. The crowd at Marymoor Park for the grandiose spectacle was littered with enthusiastic outfits and casual dancers, and though the show might not have sold out, the crowd was on their feet the whole time.

Brilliantly oddball, EOTS has managed to put out two full-length albums laced with festival-ready, near-orchestral songs with undertones space travel and overtones of high-impact performers like Elton John or Prince. Commanding the stage like a true emperor, Steele leads everyone through a good mix of tracks from both albums, playing their two big hits “Concert Pitch” and “Walking On a Dream” back-to-back mid-set. You can tell that an EOTS live show is thoroughly thought out, choreographed, and practiced, even if it does involve smashing guitars.

Prepping the crowd for some otherworldly pop was St. Lucia, whose 2013 debut LP When the Night has been impressing critics with Jean-Philip Grobler’s magically crafted, globally influenced. Clad in patterned black and white and ready to dance, the band has fantastic energy. And even though they played a short set, hits like “Closer Than This” and “Elevate” are worthy of a headlining slot.

Opening the show for the night was New York’s Holy Ghost! with their dark and dirty synth pop and wall of keyboards. Their dance-floor ready jams were a bit out of place at the outdoor venue before sunset, but the band admirably made a go of it for the thin early crowd. Hopefully they’ll return sooner rather than later on a bill that’s more fitting.

Review by Stephanie Dore
Photos by Sunny Martini

Empire of the Sun