Live: Empire of the Sun and BROODS

Both coming from a weekend at Coachella, BROODS and Empire of the Sun brought Phoenix to its feet—and on a Tuesday no less. The crowd was possibly one of the most diverse I’ve seen, containing everyone from small children to those over the hill. While substances—both legal and otherwise—seemed to be very much in use, it was clear that everyone enjoyed the spectacle in his or her own way. BROODS started the show off with a dreamy, bouncy synth pop that ended with a fairly packed house. Surrounded by bandmates that were largely tethered to their gear, vocalist Georgia Nott was left with the task of creating energy and a visually compelling stage dynamic, and she certainly delivered. I have to admit I underestimated Empire of the Sun. Comerica Theater ended up being the perfect size for the show, being not quite sold out but comfortably packed. It was essentially like an EDM show, but with more craft and personality. By far the most impressive element was the execution and sheer amount of production. The stage hosted three musicians, as well as a massive screen, statues, and a group of dancers. The graphics on the screen were tailored to the set, and served as enhancement to the auditory experience rather than just filler. The superbly talented dancers went through countless costume changes, and the musicians themselves added and ditched props and costumes throughout the set as well. There was certainly always something to look at. As to be expected, the crowd absolutely lost it at “Walking on a Dream,” but it was surprisingly not their last song. While two songs were listed under an encore, the band left the stage only briefly, so most didn’t realize it was one. Because of the lack of closing dialogue, many thought they were coming back for a more formal encore but were disappointed. Regardless of set list confusion, The Empire of the Sun went all-out in Phoenix. Truly containing something for everyone, their set flowed seamlessly from dreamy to energetic to danceable. Phoenix will undoubtedly welcome them back with open arms the next time they decide to come back. -Kelly Fox