Empire of the Sun brought their wildly colorful combination of electronic pop, psychedelic visuals, and theatrical stagecraft to Toronto in 2026, delivering exactly the kind of larger-than-life concert their fans have come to expect. The Australian duo has never been interested in simply standing on a stage and playing songs, and this performance was built around creating a complete visual and musical experience.
Luke Steele and the band moved through a set that balanced their biggest hits with deeper cuts and newer material. The opening run of “Desire,” “Changes,” “Half Mast,” “Old Flavours,” and “Cherry Blossom” immediately established the show's electronic pulse, while “We Are the People” gave the crowd one of the night's first huge singalong moments.
The middle of the show kept things moving with “Television,” “Awakening,” “High and Low,” and “Music on the Radio.” The combination of dramatic lighting, electronic textures, and Steele's distinctive performance style made even the less familiar songs feel like part of one enormous production rather than separate performances.
The final stretch was loaded with fan favorites. “Revolve,” “Swordfish Hotkiss Night,” “Two Vines,” “Celebrate,” and “I'll Be Around” led into “Walking on a Dream,” arguably the song everyone in the audience had been waiting for. Hearing that massive hit performed live was one of the defining moments of the night.
The encore kept the energy high with “Tiger by My Side” followed by “Alive.” It was a fitting ending to a concert that constantly blurred the line between pop show, electronic dance party, and theatrical spectacle.
Setlist
- Desire
- Changes
- Half Mast
- Old Flavours
- Cherry Blossom
- We Are the People
- Television
- Awakening
- High and Low
- Music on the Radio
- Revolve
- Swordfish Hotkiss Night
- Two Vines
- Celebrate
- I'll Be Around
- Walking on a Dream
Encore:
17. Tiger by My Side
18. Alive
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Empire of the Sun's Toronto performance worked because the band understands that their music demands more than just a good sound system. The elaborate presentation, strange futuristic imagery, infectious rhythms, and enormous hooks all came together into a concert that felt unmistakably like Empire of the Sun. For anyone who enjoys a show that is as visually memorable as it is musically satisfying, this was a pretty spectacular night.