There’s something about going to see a band live, when there’s only one album to go off of. It’s not like seeing a legend play at Madison Square Garden, where the show’s polished and you know they’ll play the hits and you cross your fingers hoping they play the one obscure hit you love. But it’s also not like seeing any indie band, because an indie band today can have 7 albums under their belt and be picking from each one so you have no idea what to expect. Seeing a band, ripe in their first album, live, is a less common than you’d think. And it’s not written enough how nice this can be. One album’s easy to manage. Memorize 10-15 tracks and you’re good to go at the show. Usually tickets are cheaper too, because there’s no history of how much these guys should be charging. And, of course, there’s the bonus of getting to say ‘I knew these guys when’ if the show’s good and the music lasts.
Empire Of The Sun, sounds and acts like the name sounds. Dramatic, emotional, and trying very hard. The funny thing is, these guys are trying hard with 80′s sounds. Yes, 1980′s sounds, which, in a way is perfect because everyone in the 80′s tried too hard. And this, to me, is very smart, especially since I’ve been waiting for someone to define what good came out of the 80′s and if other, current sound could actually be garnered from it (in the same way that any generation inspires another). And they’re only playing 10 tracks on the album, thankfully, because this idea of looking back to the 80′s for intelligent life, will take time to get used to and should be done in small doses.
My girlfriend and I heard about EOTS from our friend who heard it on the television commercial for televisions that was on around Christmas time and she played it for us nonstop, got my gf to go buy the album, and then sucked us into the concert when they were booked to play at Terminal 5 in August. I wasn’t totally against the idea because the songs weren’t bad and the videos were actually quite a surreally entertaining experience. It appears that this guy, Luke Steele, who’s running the show (with a name from a comic book) has a knack for color and creation and eccentricity with little to work with -this impresses me.
But moreso, it was this video that sold me. It’s the swordfish costumes and the man with the pyramid hand that remind me that it takes little money to make something interesting and, in fact, is usually more interesting than the stuff that takes alot of dough to make.
Terminal 5 is a shitty venue. It an old club (EXIT) and compared to the other spaces The Bowery Presents puts shows on at, this place sucks. It’s too big, it’s not intimate, there’s not a ton of great spots and the place is visually boring. MSG is impressive, Roseland has history, the Bowery Ballroom is, well, the Bowery Ballroom. Why can’t this place be better. Ugly places put people in bad moods (my gf almost got into a fight) and they usually are quicker to smell funny. But despite the lack of inspiration Terminal 5 gives off, Empire Of The Sun, I’m happy to say, cam fully prepared to use it as their blank canvas.
I was half-expecting some sort of wild show just based on the videos alone and was really pleased to not be disappointed. The band took to a stage that seemed to have been made to look like the ‘Flight Of The Navigator’ cockpit. Luke Steele came out in a crown of sorts with spikes coming out of it like the rays of the sun, with a gem in the center. He stood behind the main captains pulpit, which contained some sort of monster cat head ornament. On each side of him were two female dancers who changed their costumes every song. Of course the bassist was in neon and everyone had makeup on. And there was a screen showing images that looked like they’d been put together with Amega computers (am I saying that right?). I like this sort of stuff. First, you can see the effort put in by Steele and his cohorts to put on a heck of a show, but it’s all still accessible somehow. If you stared long enough, it looked alot of passion and patience had put this elaborate display on, rather than an army of designers and a million bucks.
They really rocked through the album. Little talking and sticking pretty much to the track list. This is where the one-album theory is really seen since you can come in and right off the bat, you’re with it. You get it, and all the songs and it’s cool. Girls dangled their feet from the second floor balconies. The dancers changed their outfits every song. Their big single ‘Walking On A Dream’ had the fans of this group erupting and the energy and the effort put in to this show by everyone on stage showed in the way the audience went wild. And they were right because it mad for a strong show. Ten songs on an album made me wonder what they’d do for an encore (I thought an unreleased track), but they just played ‘Walking On A Dream’ again, but in different costumes and everyone loved it!
Still, it’s 80′s and it’s cheese. I waited in eager anticipation for ‘Without You’ to turn into ‘Lady In Red’. And I swear that the song ‘Half Mast’ has a beat at the end that was taken from Jackson Browne’s ‘Somebody’s Baby’ (whatever, both are really good songs).
This was a tight show and really enjoyable. Really entertaining. The crowd was a good mix of guys and girls and minus the near fight we had and the ugly venue, the atmosphere was cool. The show was not long at 10+ tracks so there wasn’t much to complain about. All in all the vision of this band seems so obvious and still, after that show I’ve been listening to the album and wondering what’s gonna be next.
Notes:
Empire Of The Sun are from Australia
The band has said that the name has nothing to do with the movie or book of the same name, but instead that it’s representative of all the empires of the world that have at some point worshipped the sun -What?
Two words: Swordfish People
Hands down, the best part.
Tags: Emprie Of The Sun, Luke Steele, NYC Swordfish people, Terminal 5
August 20, 2010 at 3:09 pm |
Music is fun!