Empire Of The Sun – Live Review – The Piece Hall, Halifax
By Steve Crabtree, June 2026
In 2008, I got my hands on an iPhone for the very first time. This total revolution called iTunes had just landed, and it meant I suddenly had instant access to pretty much any music I wanted, right there in my pocket.
I remember bragging about this new tech on Facebook, and a friend of mine, Paul Turner, replied to the post. He told me I’d probably enjoy a relatively newish band called Empire of the Sun.
Taking his advice, I downloaded their album and ended up listening to it daily. It became the soundtrack to my daily commute to and from work, and I absolutely loved the sound. If you’re reading…top recommendation, Paul!
Fast forward 19 years and I hadn’t actually had much exposure to them in the intervening years. But whenever tracks from that album did find their way into my ears again, I always listened to them in and loved them again. So, deciding to go and see the Australian electronic luminaries on their Ask That God tour felt the right thing to do.
“A full theatrical show”
They were bringing their pretty unique synth-pop sound to The Piece Hall for one of only three exclusive UK dates. And, from the moment they stepped out, it was clear this was more than just a music concert. There was a full theatrical show going on up on that stage.
We were treated to heavily computer-generated backdrops, lights a-plenty, smoke, dancers, and some wildly eccentric costumes. It was a visually stunning setup. And it became even more enjoyable as the night grew darker and the special effects really took hold of the place.
I honestly wasn’t sure what sort of crowd Empire of the Sun would pull in. Considering I remembered them from all the way back in 2008, I was quite shocked to see that the sold-out audience was mainly made up of late teens to early 20s.
“Flamboyant”
But youth didn’t mean they didn’t know the history. Word for word, this young crowd had the songs absolutely nailed. I don’t think I’ve ever seen quite so many phones go up in the air at one single gig before as when classic anthems ‘Walking on a Dream’ and ‘We Are the People’ were performed.
The band thrilled everyone by mixing these massive fan favourites with tracks from the new album. The courtyard erupted when ‘High and Low’ arrived with its signature intro. The evening was already upbeat, now we Empire of the Sun had taken us to party levels.
There was a lot of enjoyment all over The Piece Hall for this one, and despite the flamboyant appearance and the look of lead singer Luke Steele, I wasn’t entirely sure if he’d have a bit of an aloof act for his stage personality too. But he turned out to be a lovely, appreciative, and genuinely fun guy, telling us how much of a blessing it was to receive so much love from the Halifax crowd.
“Good-mood music”
I have to say, the band’s music sounds fairly similar throughout their set. It’s that recognisably nice and sunny sort of feel – upbeat and smiley. I’m sure that’s going to sound a bit degrading to how good they are, but it isn’t meant to. It’s really enjoyable, good-mood music – and I’m glad I got to see them.
With a great set, that didn’t leave the big hits until last, the show built beautifully towards a rousing encore. Halifax were given ‘Standing On The Shore’, before they finally sent us home with a euphoric closer in the shape of ‘Alive’.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable night. It gave us lots of great music that was just made for this lovely patch of summery weather we’ve been having lately.
Images: Cuffe & Taylor
Give Steve music, give him food, give him theatre, tech or travel… and he’s a happy man. He’s been writing professionally since 2003, turning to journalism in 2017 when it offered him the chance to enjoy a lot of his existing passions, and learn some new ones at the same time. Steve can be found spending many of his summer nights watching bands at The Piece Hall in his hometown of Halifax, or enjoying a bite to eat and a drink with his wife anywhere in Yorkshire at any time of year. Random fact: He does the best impression of Zippy and George from Rainbow that anyone has ever heard.
