Bathed in a cosmic beam of blue-ish white light, frontman of Empire of the Sun — Luke Steele — pounds his fists towards the sky. He’s changed into a white silk kimono, a stark difference from the red garb from the beginning of the set. The white ink painted across his eyes has melted slightly, evident of a fervent show well played. The high-pitched synths of “Alive” blast through the stifling heat, bright strobing lights inspire dancing from the excited crowd.
The oriental visual-heavy show at Austin City Limits on the Miller Lite stage on Friday contained the storyline of a spiritual rebirth. The band played the set in an innovative LCD Soundsystem meets Black Sabbath way.
A lightning strike opened the gates to another universe with two geishas in red wigs and Steele wearing a red circular crown and matching clothing. He sounded identical to the studio recording, his voice laden with his signature autotune. Make no mistake, however, the performance proved much better live. Empire of the Sun breathed new life into “Half Mast,” infusing a dark, guitar solo sonically similar to “Into the Void” by Black Sabbath. The solo ripped through the track famously sampled by Mac Miller in “The Spins.” Steele’s face appeared stoic while the electric blue guitar became an extension of him, intense lights strobing as the crowd remained engaged in the story arc.
Steele transitioned into a psychedelic, acid rock variation for “Cherry Blossom.” His character was bathed in glitchy, Matrix-style lighting while he danced on the smoke-covered stage. He revealed his long, flowing black hair and resembled a Chinese emperor if he accidentally time-traveled across galaxies. The snappy lyrics “everything, everywhere all at once, all the time” became a mantra that his followers chanted. This sci-fi journey continued with “We Are The People.”
Steele then revealed a new coat of sparkly feathers, signifying a transition into a new decade. Neon pink and blue flashed on stage, the two geishas turned into faceless mirrorballs. The synths followed suit, bringing an ‘80s new wave New Order beat. As if the previous theatrics weren’t enough, Steeke brought out Supa Chai, a mascot with long, flowing gray mop-like hair.
There’s a glitch in the system — a hiccup on the road to salvation as a cartoon child with face tattoos appeared on the backdrop. The band was then bathed in brat green lighting, signifying another decade change. “Ask That God” was given a Beastie Boys treatment, the otherwise light and airy track becoming a glitchy, bass-heavy haven. The sound quickly morphed into a danceable, almost house music sound as it closed out into darkness.
This time, the gates swung outward, welcoming Steele into salvation. He became the messiah, doling out truth with his hands outstretched. He began with a powerful punch of guitar, delivering a polished “Standing On The Shore” with a carefree and lifted attitude. Steele expressed his gratitude towards the satisfied crowd as he seemingly raptured back into the cosmic void where he first began his performance.
