September 2, 2026 – PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel NJ
Review by Chris Yates // Photography by Estelle Massry
Empire of the Sun Transforms the PNC Bank Arts Center Into a Neon Dreamscape
Empire of the Sun didn’t simply perform at the PNC Bank Arts Center, they transformed it. From the moment the Australian electronic duo took the stage as part of their Ask That God: Afterlife Tour, the Holmdel amphitheater became an immersive world of pulsing electronic rhythms, dazzling lights, surreal imagery and larger-than-life theatricality.
Ahead of the night’s main attraction, the supporting lineup helped establish the evening’s electronic atmosphere. Midnight Generation and Polo & Pan warmed up the crowd before Empire of the Sun took the stage, creating a seamless progression into the headliner’s more elaborate audiovisual world.
Led by the enigmatic Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore, Empire of the Sun seemed to approach this live performance as something far beyond a traditional concert. I felt like I was transported to a top billing Vegas show vs. a concert at the PNC Arts Center. With Luke Steele commanding the stage and the production constantly evolving around him, I felt there was rarely a moment when I wasn’t given something to watch, hear or dance to. It was my first time experiencing Empire of the Sun and I was absolutely blown away. The band brought a spectacular combination of music, theater, fashion and futuristic visuals.
Steele’s unmistakable vocals floated above layers of shimmering synths and driving electronic beats while an elaborate production filled the stage with constantly changing visual elements. The result was part concert, part theatrical production and part psychedelic dream. The band operated somewhere between electronic music, pop and performance art, and that identity was on full display.
The performance opened with “Desire” before moving through a carefully constructed set that balanced newer material with the songs that established Empire of the Sun as one of electronic pop’s most distinctive acts. “Changes,” “Half Mast,” “Old Flavours” and “Cherry Blossom” kept the momentum building before the crowd erupted for what seemed to be the instantly recognizable “We Are the People.” The spectacle continued through “Television,” “Awakening,” “High and Low” and “Music on the Radio,” with the band maintaining an infectious energy that rarely let up. “High and Low” provided one of the evening’s most euphoric moments, while “Music on the Radio” pushed the dance-oriented side of the performance even further. I could not sit down!
What fascinated me the most was one of the night’s greatest strengths in the way the music and production worked together. The production was every bit as important as the music. Brilliant lighting, oversized visual elements, elaborate costumes and constantly shifting imagery created a dreamlike atmosphere. Rather than simply using lighting as decoration, Empire of the Sun incorporated it into the performance itself. Brilliant beams, saturated stage colors, dramatic silhouettes and animated visuals constantly shifted with the music, giving each song its own atmosphere. Nothing felt like visual decoration simply added for effect. The lighting, costumes, choreography and video elements were all extensions of the music, creating a fully immersive experience rather than simply placing a band in front of a backdrop. The production created an almost cinematic quality, with the audience frequently feeling less like spectators at an amphitheater and more like participants inside an enormous electronic art installation. The costumes, in particular, reinforced the band’s unmistakable visual identity, making Steele appear at times like a futuristic rock star and at others like a character transported from another dimension.
“Walking on a Dream” remains Empire of the Sun’s signature anthem, and hearing thousands of people sing along under the Holmdel night sky gave the performance a particularly memorable sense of scale. More than a decade after its original release, the song still possesses the same dreamlike quality that made it such an enduring hit. The band followed with “Tiger by My Side” and “Alive,” bringing the evening to a fitting conclusion. The final stretch felt less like the end of a concert and more like the closing sequence of an elaborate theatrical experience.
The crowd was notably young and energetic, with fans singing, dancing and embracing the theatrical nature of the performance. It seemed even longtime fans seemed to discover something new in the band’s elaborate presentation. I approached some of the fans after the show for their reaction and they repeatedly highlighted the costumes, dancers, visuals and overall production as major strengths.
What made Empire of the Sun’s Holmdel performance particularly effective was its refusal to settle for simply reproducing the songs fans know from the records. The band built an entire visual universe around them. The combination of Steele’s charismatic presence, Littlemore’s electronic wizardry, the dancers and the expansive lighting and video production made the concert feel intentionally otherworldly.
For fans who came expecting familiar songs as “Walking on a Dream” and “We Are the People,” the evening delivered those essential moments. For longtime followers, however, it offered something more—a reminder that Empire of the Sun has always been an experience as much as it is a band.
Under the lights at PNC Bank Arts Center, Empire of the Sun turned music into theater, theater into a visual feast, and a late-summer night in New Jersey into something that felt wonderfully out of this world. If you ever get the chance to see them live, don’t miss the opportunity, and make sure to get a seat front-and-center, as you don’t want to miss even the slightest bit of what’s transpiring on stage.
For more info please visit http://www.empireofthesun.co