LIVE: EMPIRE OF THE SUN – Tampa, FL, USA – September 17, 2026
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Venue: MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
City: Tampa, FL
Date: September 17, 2026
Review and Photographs by: Kassidy Griffin – Kassidy Rae Photography
I knew Empire of the Sun would be visually interesting. What I didn’t expect was to be so blown away by their musicianship. On Thursday, September 17th, Empire of the Sun transformed MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre into a colorful, futuristic world filled with elaborate costumes, theatrical performances and incredible visuals. I went into the night expecting a fun electronic show. I walked away with a completely different appreciation for the band.
Luke Steele commanded the stage with strong vocals, impressive guitar playing and the extravagant costuming Empire of the Sun is known for. Between the dancers, costume changes and massive visuals, there was always something happening. What surprised me most was how musical the entire performance was. It is easy for a production this visually intense to overshadow the musicians behind it, but that never happened. Steele’s guitar playing especially caught my attention and added the rock element I definitely was not expecting. The rest of the band was equally impressive though. A drum solo midway through the performance was another standout and gave the musicianship a moment to take center stage. Of course, hearing “Walking on a Dream” live was a highlight. Surrounded by the full production, it felt completely different than hearing the song on my car speakers. By the end of the night, I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed the entire show. I expected the costumes to be cool, but I didn’t expect the musical talent behind them to impress me just as much. Empire of the Sun gave Tampa a performance that was part concert, part theater and entirely their own. I would absolutely pay to see them again.
EMPIRE OF THE SUN LINKS:
Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries
About the Author (Author Profile)
ToddStar - that's me... just a rocking accountant who had dreams of being a rock star. I get to do the next best thing to rocking the globe - I get to take pictures of the lucky ones that do. I love to shoot all genres of music and different types of performers. If it is related to music, I love to photograph it. I get to shoot and hang with not only some of my friends and idols, but some of the coolest people around today.Subscribe
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