I have to admit something: after nearly six years in the Bay Area, this past weekend was my first time at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley. I promise, I love music. I just have never been drawn to a specific show there. That all changed when I saw that one of my all-time favorite musical acts was coming to town this year.
It had been years since I’d seen Empire of the Sun perform live, and just as long since their last album, Two Vines. With their 2024 release, Ask That God, on the way, this felt like the perfect opportunity. The tickets made a perfect gift for my brother, an even bigger fan than me, and the show happened right around our birthdays, which made it all the more special. The show was as epic as I hoped, the Empyrean crowd was lovely, and the setting was breathtaking.
The Warm-Up: Roi Turbo
I had never heard the opening act, an electronic dance duo named Roi Turbo. It was a perfect warm-up for the thousands of people who arrived early to stake out their spots. They have a distinct electro disco funk sound that feels ripped right from a 70s film. Check out the track Dystopia to hear what I mean. I enjoyed what I heard and will be keeping an ear out for them in the future.
Let’s go Back
You might be wondering: why am I the one writing this post?
Many years ago, I remember being at a friend’s house party when two of my best friends, Natalie and Ruby, could not stop talking about this song, Walking on a Dream. It was an instant smash at every party we had, I loved it, my friends loved it. I bought the CD, and the entire album was just as exciting. At this time in my life, I was definitely not into electronic music, but this somehow felt different. Luke Steele’s strange, expressive vocals and dance soundscapes from another dimension. There was no cynicism, no sadness, just an opportunity to find yourself. That album, along with Anoraak’s Nightdrive with You, became a gateway to my love of electronic music.
A New Lens on Sound
I’ve been teaching myself photography for about a decade, but it wasn’t until the last five years that I began exploring music photography. It started when I reached out to a band I adored, Sacred Skin, and asked if I could shoot film at one of their shows. And they said, Yes. After the show, I was invited to a festival, where I met many amazing artists and photographers. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of photographing artists I actually listen to, and it’s added so much meaning to my creative life.
Despite growing up surrounded by friends in bands, I’ve never had the discipline to learn an instrument. Through photography, I’ve found a way to contribute to music by bringing it to life in photographs. Last year, I had one of the best photography and music experiences of my life, and I wasn’t sure what I would set as my goal next. That was until Ask That God was released last year. I set an intention: wouldn’t it be incredible to photograph one of my favorite bands live?
Ask that God
There I was, shoulder to shoulder with other excited photographers in the photo pit—closer to the band than I’d ever been—for three songs.
Empire of the Sun spares no expense on stage design and visual panache. A massive sculpted face and hand frame the stage. Dancers in bizarre and surreal outfits and alien creatures dance and twirl around Emperor Steele and his band like an outtake from The Fifth Element. It’s quite hypnotic.
The opener, “Changes,” lit up the crowd, while their commercial monster hit, “We are the People” ended the first part of their set. I assume that everyone in the crowd was desperately waiting for “Swordfish Hotkiss Night,” a wildly bizarre dance track that sent the crowd into another dimension. Several costume changes later, Emperor Steele stands atop the statue, reaching out to touch the hand of a god extending from the projected visuals, as they play “Ask That God.” A track that, surprisingly, might be their most thoughtful song, and I absolutely could not take my eyes off this performance.
The night ended with the hit songs you might expect, “Walking on a Dream,” followed by an encore featuring “Standing on the Shore,” before sending us off into the night with “Alive.” A song that I’ve seen them close with before, and that always leaves the audience on a high. We even got a smashed guitar! I’m so grateful for the chance to see them at this venue and to be able to capture photos of the experience. If you have a chance to see the Ask that God tour, do it.
