Empire of the Sun Turns Mystic Lake Amphitheater Into Another Dimension
An exciting Friday going into a weekend, and a chance to check out the newest Minnesota concert venue. Empire of the Sun brought their Ask That God: Afterlife tour to Shakopee, delivering exactly the kind of maximalist, neon-soaked spectacle that has made the Australian electronic-pop duo a live favorite. The show was part of their massive 2026 North American tour, with Polo & Pan and Midnight Generation warming up the crowd. Unfortunately I was unable to capture the opening bands but still got to enjoy Polo & Pans upbeat, vibe filled house set beforehand. This was going to be my second time seeing Empire of the Sun, as I traveled all the way out to Red Rocks in April of 2025 for the first part of their Ask That God tour. Being able to photograph it though, was another level.
The crowd ranged from teens to middle aged, noting there was an array of people from all walks of life. The anticipation for the beginning of the set was incredible and you could feel the energy arising from the crowd. The moment Empire of the Sun appeared, the atmosphere at Mystic Lake shifted. Steele's otherworldly stage presence, elaborate costumes and futuristic visuals fit perfectly against the expansive outdoor venue, creating something that felt less like a traditional arena show and more like stepping inside a psychedelic music video.
The set opened with "Desire" before moving through "Changes," "Half Mast," "Old Flavours" and "Cherry Blossom," immediately establishing the night's balance between newer material and the songs that have defined the band's career. I was ecstatic to hear some of my favorites from the photo pit. And then came "We Are the People”, which brought the vibe up to a million in the crowd. The best is the remix that comes along with “We Are the People” where the band dives into a more electronic side of the song adding and incredible disco visual with their backup dancers and costumes.
There are certain songs that completely change the energy of a room, and hearing that unmistakable opening melody ripple across a packed amphitheater was one of those moments. A song that has lived in playlists, road trips and nostalgic memories for more than a decade suddenly felt enormous again. The crowd didn't just listen they sang it back. That sense of nostalgia was one of the show's biggest strengths. Empire of the Sun have always existed somewhere between pop, electronic music and theatrical performance, and their live show embraces all three. Familiar songs became larger-than-life productions, while newer material from Ask That God helped push the performance somewhere stranger and more futuristic.
Every costume change, visual, movement and electronic pulse contributed to the feeling that the audience was somewhere else entirely. There was a sense of theatrical absurdity to it all, but never in a way that felt disconnected from the music. If anything, the spectacle made the songs feel even more immersive. Empire of the Sun have spent nearly two decades building a musical universe that exists somewhere between fantasy and reality. On August 14, Mystic Lake Amphitheater became part of that universe.